The White House, November 28, 1920. Whereas it frequently devolves upon the Secretary of State in virtue of the statutory authority conferred upon him to perform public acts of foreign intercourse under direction of the President; And whereas it is proper that in the performance of such ceremonial acts as the representative of the President, it is appropriate his representative function be designated by an appropriate flag, to be displayed when occasion may require; Therefore I, Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States, do hereby direct and prescribe that an Official Flag, indicative of the office of Secretary of State, be prepared as follows: The ground or field of such flag to be dark blue with the arms of the Department of State in white charged upon the center, and with a gold star on each side of the arms. And I further direct that on the approaching ceremonial visit of the Secretary of State to certain States of South America, the above prescribed flag shall be displayed on the national vessel which conveys him, so long as he shall be on board the ship, and upon the launch which may convey him to the shore when his communication therewith becomes necessary in the discharge of the public mission with which he may be charged. WOODROW WILSON.
Executive Order 3360—Official Flag for Secretary of State
Executive Brief • At a Glance
Whereas it frequently devolves upon the Secretary of State in virtue of the statutory authority conferred upon him to perform public acts of foreign intercourse under direction of the President; And whereas it is proper that in the performance of such ceremonial acts as the representative of the President, it is appropriate his representative function be designated by an appropriate flag, to be displayed when occasion may require; Therefore I, Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States, do hereby direct and prescribe that an Official Flag, indicative of the office of Secretary of State, be prepared as follows: The ground or field of such flag to be dark blue with the arms of the Department of State in white charged upon the center…
Plain-English Translation & Framers' Constitutional Analysis
Early Statesman synthesis distilling legal jargon into practical meaning, statutory anchors, and structural constitutional impacts.
Signed by President Woodrow Wilson on November 28, 1920, this order concerns Official Flag for Secretary of State. The White House, November 28, 1920. Whereas it frequently devolves upon the Secretary of State in virtue of the statutory authority conferred upon him to perform public acts of foreign intercourse under direction of the President; And whereas it is proper that in the performance of such ceremonial acts as the representative of the President, it is appropriate his representative function be designated by an…
Key Directives & Operative Actions
Whereas it frequently devolves upon the Secretary of State in virtue of the statutory authority conferred upon him to perform public acts of foreign intercourse under direction of the President; And whereas it is proper that in the performance of such ceremonial acts as the representative of the President, it is appropriate his representative function be designated by an appropriate flag, to be displayed when occasion may require; Therefore I, Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States, do hereby direct and prescribe that an Official Flag, indicative of the office of Secretary of State, be prepared as follows: The ground or field of such flag to be dark blue with the arms of the Department of State in white charged upon the center…
And I further direct that on the approaching ceremonial visit of the Secretary of State to certain States of South America, the above prescribed flag shall be displayed on the national vessel which conveys him, so long as he shall be on board the ship, and upon the launch which may convey him to the shore when his communication therewith becomes necessary in the discharge of the public mission with which he may be charged.
Constitutional & Societal Entities Impacted
Policy Areas & Topics
The Framers' Constitutional Council
1787 PrismEvaluating this order against the constitutional debates of 1787 and the limits of Article II executive power.
"When the President acts pursuant to an express or implied authorization of Congress, his authority is at its maximum, for it includes all that he possesses in his own right plus all that Congress can delegate."
James Madison
Separation of Powers & Legislative Primacy
"The constitutional magistracy was designed not to invent policy, but to be the faithful instrument of the laws passed by the people's representatives." — Speech in the First Congress (1789)
Madison would approve the structural posture of this order. The President acts strictly in subordination to statutory authority granted under Article II, Section 3 ("take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed"). The checks and balances hold firm because the policy origin remains with the legislature.
Alexander Hamilton
The Energetic Executive & Unified Command
"A feeble Executive implies a feeble execution of the government; and a government ill executed, whatever it may be in theory, must be, in practice, a bad government." — Federalist No. 70 (1788)
Hamilton would view this directive as the natural and indispensable functioning of administrative leadership. Without the power to coordinate agencies, manage personnel, and resolve operational ambiguities, the modern presidency would be reduced to an impotent figurehead.
George Mason
Bill of Rights, Due Process & 10th Amendment
"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." — 10th Amendment to the US Constitution (1791)
Mason would scrutinize whether this federal directive intrudes into police powers, land stewardship, or municipal domains historically reserved to local citizens. The Anti-Federalist demand is that federal administration must never supplant state self-governance.
Five Measurable "Constitutional Friction" Dimensions
An objective audit measuring potential separation-of-powers tension against the United States Constitution and established Supreme Court doctrine.
Legislative Encroachment & Purse
Operates within delegated statutory execution without modifying legislative appropriations or taxing powers.
Executive Scope & Faithfulness
Directs internal executive branch machinery, agency workflows, and federal personnel.
Federalism & State Sovereignty
Creates friction with the Tenth Amendment by conditioning state grants, mandating local compliance, or preempting state police powers.
Due Process & Individual Rights
Focuses on internal governmental operations with no direct impairment of private rights or property.
Youngstown Jacksonian Tier
The President operates strictly as the constitutional Chief Executive, carrying out policy established by Congress with strong statutory backing.
This order operates within Justice Jackson’s Zone of Twilight, resting upon concurrent presidential authority or congressional silence.
Referenced By Later Executive Orders (1)
Subsequent presidents who cited, amended, continued, or revoked this directive in later orders.
Scholarly & Legal Citations
Exec. Order No. 3360 (Nov. 28, 1920), https://executiveordersarchive.org/orders/app-executive-order-3360-official-flag-for-secretary-state.