Show scout work in russian armenia NEW YORK july 29 the proportion of boy scouts among the youthful population of russian armenia is higher than in any other nation of the world according to john R voris a near east relief official who has just returned from an inspection ot of the american schools and institutions in armenia americans are familiar with tho the boy scout movement in the united states said mr voris but few of oe them realize the hold which the movement has taken in other parts of oc the tha world it was introduced in the near east by american relief relict workers woo who regarded it as a highly useful feature in the training of orphan children american travelers marvel to find that in the near east today where hunger sickness and persecution havo have worn down the vitality ot of whole nations to the vanishing point the younger generation is taking up scouting just as enthusiastically and conscientiously as the boys of more favored favo redl nations in the six countries of the near east which I 1 visited I 1 found the movement organized by different agencies according to conditions in russian armenia it has the direct backing of 0 the government in greece it receives direct financial support from the state treasury and boy scouts have halt half fare on all state railways when boy scouts enter the greek army as all boys must do under the compulsory service law they are automatically given the rank of corporal and are de mobilized six months earlier than others in the same military class the greek government maintains a national school of scouting and periodically lodica lIy national scout festivals are held in the stadium at athens at the last such event most of the athlete and drilling honors went to the boy students ot of the near east relies relief orphanages in greece whose american training showed its superiority very emphatically this meeting was held on the very spot where the first marathon was run and it was hero here that the ancient olympic games were wera held when smyrna was burned tand thousands of starving injured and almost naked refugees were landed at kalonika Sal Salon lka and other greek ports the greek boy scouts were among the first to meet them render first aid and assist in the task of finding food and shelter 1 in russian armenia dr voris abris said the first boy scouts were organized by american relief workers this organization now has orphan boys in one of its largest orphanages all under scout control and discipline A group of uniformed scouts guard the warehouses and grounds of the tha organization at Alexandr opol armenia not long ago dr voris added a boy scout troop from the american orphanage at dubeil syria while hiking biking 25 miles north of that place dis covered the foundations of a roman temple hitherto unknown in the same district they found relics of 0 babylonia babelonia Baby lonia and phoenicia which hadl had bee been buried in the sands tor for many centuries A museum was started at the tha orphanage to preserve these treasures |