(S (S (PP (IN Rather) (PP (IN than) (NP (BASENP (DT an) (NN issue)) (PP (IN of) (BASENP (NN patriotism)))))) (COMMA ,) (S (BASENP (DT the) (NN controversy)) (VP (VBD dealt) (PP (IN with) (NP (BASENP (NN union) (NNS contracts)) (SBAR (WHNP (WDT which)) (S (VP (MD may) (VP (VB have) (VP (VBN specified) (SBAR (IN that) (S (NP (BASENP (DT the) (NN raising) (CC and) (NN lowering)) (PP (IN of) (BASENP (NNS flags)))) (VP (VBD was) (NP (BASENP (DT a) (NN role)) (VP (VBN reserved) (PP (ADVP (RB only)) (PP (IN for) (BASENP (NN union) (NNS members))))))))))))))))))) (PERIOD .))