Show PART BOY SCOUTS OF WORLD WILL WI LL PLAY IN GREAT EUROPEAN CONFLICT much interest Is evidenced concerning possible action of about three hundred thousand of these youthful warriors they may become valuable aids to the embattled nations from many points of view new york how great a part will boy scouts of the world play in the great war of 0 nations staged in europe that they will play some part has been demonstrated already hardly had the germans invaded belgium than there came the report across seas that belgian boy scouts to the number of 0 about 30 had bad captured several beveral german spies and escorted them to headquarters A tew few days later this report appeared the germans are using boy scouts as ap spies ies according to reports from beglan begian army officers complete plans ot of the dutch fortress at maastricht Maes tricht were found on a german boy scout nor is this all that europe had conceded the possibilities of the boy scout organizations in time of war was demonstrated when some years ago the french peace society invited sir robert baden powell and boy scouts to invade france and 0 4 m 13 alfonso alfonao of spain in boy scout costume march on paris it was merely a whimsical way of showing the friendly relations existing between the english and french nations out but soon after the announcement w was a s made there came a terrific protest t e s t principally front from military men the invaders were termed as boy pies of britain and the tact fact that the march was finally permitted did not lessen the hostility to it in certain quarters organized essentially in fit the tha interests ot of the boys themselves and without the idea of war these young scouts may become valuable aids to the embattled nations those who believe this point to the statement accredited d to major general wood that ti arlly all wars have been fought by beys french and english scouts have played keyed an indirect part in the war in the former nation they have been detailed to carry provisions to the sick and wounded care tor for old worn womb en helpless men and children and aid in reaping the crops upon which the raen men at the front must depend in the latter nation they have been detailed to guard bridges and on occasions aid the police in preserving order everything in the eoy scouts training appears to have fitted him h I 1 in for or war he can march find his way through dense woods signal to his bis comrades either by the telegraph or the signal flag pitch a camp and generally rely upon himself ile he can swim shoot and run probably with more swiftness than a heavier and older soldier no less an authority than ludwig S dale of new york city one of the national authorities on the movement and a close friend of baden powell has declared that in time of war the boy scouts drill work and training in i signaling would fit them for military service of the boy scouts in europe E england ng has more than any of her sister nations her organization is strong germany comes next with an organization of drilled in the same way although they go by the name of path pathfinders find finders ers austria hungary has scouts and her enemy france has russian poland alone has scouts the total number in the empire not being known servia has scouts scandinavia which of course is not in the war has boy scouts the remainder of the european nations have about scouts about six years ago sir robert ba den powell the english militarist upon learning that out of En glands boys few more than a quarter of a million were enabled to have proper care and training began to think seriously of trying to be of aid mere money had been tried before in various uplift endeavors there must be something new thompson seton the writer of animals haunts and habits had seen the necessity tor for the same thing in america and lie hs had bad been experimenting he had called the groups of lads he had gathered together and trained in woods lore the woodcraft indians dan beard then an editor evolved another society called the sons of daniel boone afterward the boy pioneers of america it Is really difficult to pin the badge of honor for first thinking of the scheme upon any one man but it was general baden powell who with fine experience ad as a constructionist construct lonist set about the practical plans of the boy scout movement he had shortly before the organization was conceived published a text book on the subject of scouting tor for soldiers this book was utilized by various boys clubs and private schools with a surprising degree of interest so its author was encouraged to devise some wide reaching plan for all boys whether belonging to clubs going to private schools or living in the top of a tenement or on somo some lonely farm the general a colonel of the boer war under lord edward cecil then got together some english boys in surrey he told them something of what the boys in Mafe mafeking king africa had done during the struggle in the transvaal how lord cecil had talked to them of scout tactics drilled them and giving them uniforms made them tue proud messengers of the handful of weary men on the long advance line of the general have told his young audience how eager tor for duty these of their fathers and elder brothers the british boys on the veldt were as they rode on bicycles from tort fort to tort fort with messages acted as orderlies and never once shirked the dangers of a real firing line in a real war the boys as they listened to the story of 89 99 and the african plains were bubbling over with desire to learn not only something of 0 camp life during a battle but the secrets of nature which their big friend told them were hidden in the woods and streams of merrle merrie england baden powells idea was to teach the boys to teach themselves character the word scout to young america suggests fenimore cooper and forgotten indian trails but you young 19 england has kipling as a reminder that tho the frontier Is still a pride in their kings endeavor that exploring and coloni colonizing zini Is one of En glands policies and that border life Is just as stirring and as necessary for the glory of the union jack as when sir walter raleigh lived feudal knights too and chivalrous scouts of peace are heroes hold held before them and there Is little doubt that knight errantry in all its romance and color has had much to do with the propaganda of the movement in great britain nearly all the training in all countries Is given out of doors stars and moon r rain ain and sun birds and butterflies each have their part in the new knowledge gained tracks and tracking are studied and to become even a tenderfoot in the language of the scouts a boy must prove among other things that he can trail in 25 minutes an obscure track halt a mile long before he can rise beyond the tenderfoot stage he must show that he can make a fire out in the open using not more than two matches and there be able to cook a certain amount of t meat and potatoes without other cooking utensils than hi his s billy can |