Appeals Court Declares Pledge of Allegiance Unconstitutional

WASHINGTON, June 26 — A federal appeals court in California declared today, in what will surely not be the last word on the issue, that the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag is unconstitutional because of the words "under God" that Congress inserted in 1954

But the emotional and political ramifications reach far beyond the Ninth Circuit — all the way to Washington, in fact. Late this afternoon, the Senate passed a resolution expressing its disapproval of the Ninth Circuit action. There was no dissent, and Senator Tom Daschle of South Dakota, the Democratic majority leader, urged his colleagues to convene at 9:30 a.m. Thursday to recite the pledge. About 100 members of the House, led by Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, recited the pledge on the east steps of the Capitol this afternoon