Formerly I got ready for July Fourth by making a new summer dress with some little touch of red, white and blue. But since the ripping-and-doing-over stage is upon me, this summer I'm skipping that. I'm going to press my flag. Ever hear of that? For all I know it may be against flag etiquette. However, last time I had it out, the dews and damps of a sultry summer night got to it before I remembered to bring it in. I rolled it up as usual, not knowing I was rolling wrinkles into it that no strong wind would blow out. So with damp cloth and hot iron, Old Glory, wrinkle free, will fly proudly from its holder on the garage.

Perhaps there will be a little breeze to wave it to and fro, gently calling the attention of passersby. A real live bird might alight on the bronze eagle at the end of the staff. Various insects may find it in their way and fly smack into in. That's all right. Anytime you display the American flag these days, that flag takes its chances.

Fortunately, here in the Middle West where values have not deteriorated as much as in other overcrowded parts of our nation, our flags can be flown all day with perhaps nothing more than a ladybug crawling up the pole.

Let's consider that word we're hearing a lot about these days, values. The dictionary defines values, in the sense that we are using it, as a principle, standard, or quality considered worthwhile or desirable. Its synonym, worth, is defined as "to regard highly."

Joseph Sobran, noted columnist, in a scorching article about the soft-pedaling of the Administration and some "elitist" columnists concerning a recent values flap, suggests that values and morals alas, have become interchangeable.

The word, values, in the minds of some, seems to soften the sharp edge of the word morals. Your values may not be my values but morals are more inflexible.

Sobran was not the only columnist to uphold Quayle's message that the breakdown of families (un-wed mothers, or intentional one parent families) was one of the great causes of our cultural downfall. Mona Charen and Cal Thomas were even more searing in their comments about those who, like sheep, have followed the dumb, fault-finding herd that began following and poking fun at Quayle ever since he poked an arm at Bush and said, "Go get 'em, George," at New Orleans when Bush was announcing Quayle as his running mate. Led by so-called smart columnist and commentators, it was the thing to do. "Here," they said to themselves, "we have a dummy to make fun of for four whole years." And fun they have made.

Now, has someone turned the sheep around? Quayle has taken a stand on a moral issue and has not backed down, nor watered it down. (Oh, yes, I known all about "potato").

Years ago when it began to be known that some women would have babies after babies, who had no traceable father, and therefore eligible for aid to dependent children, a good friend of mine, Beulah Riley, a social worker, wrote an article entitled, "Heyday for Bastards." It was too early in the game then for the article to get much attention. It was considered brash and abrasive and soft-pedaling editors didn't want to "stir up" trouble. They didn't know then how out of hand it would become. Today I think that article would be right alongside Sobran's, Charen's and Thomas'.

Of course there is always that old "saw", well, who is to determine our principles, our standards, what's right or wrong? Besides the Bible, from which too many have strayed, or do not consider a firm foundation, I like to cite C.S. Lewis, great Christian writer, who argues that there is an inborn standard of behavior that everyone acknowledges. To quote, he says people say things such as this, "...How'd you like it if anyone did the say to you?" "...Leave him alone, he isn't doing you any harm." "...Give me a bit of your orange. I gave you a bit of mine."

Whoever says things like this is appealing to some kind of standard of behavior which he expects the other person to know about. The other person seldom says, "To hell with your standards," but argues why he is not going against the standard.

Today I'm afraid we have reached that point where people are beginning to say, "To hell with your standards. I'll make my own."

It's time for someone to turn the sheep, round 'em up, head 'em out, before they fall, dumbly, over the cliff.

Think on these things we call values or morals as you fly your flag this upcoming holiday.

REJOICE!