PACIFISM AND SCOUTS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 142, 15 August 1941, Page 5

PACIFISM AND SCOUTS

GROUNDLESS ALLEGATIONS

LOCAL CRITICS- ANSWERED

In his annual report to the Citi--f.ens Committee meeting last Monday evening the chairman stated that though the question of 'pack lism' had not been before the committee in any shape or form, he knew that there was not one member who had not had the matter thrown 'Lip to him in an unnofficial manner. He felt that in view of the number -of false rumours which were gaining currency that the annual meeting was possdbly the best occasion to issue a denial. •

It was perhaps a little unfortunate that the Scoutmaster's name had been confused with that of a recent appeal case on conscientious, grounds but this scarcely gave people the right to jump to wrong conclusions, und he resented the remark of a prominent man who recently claimed that the troop was run by 'Pacifists.'

"J make? bold to say," 1 he - said, "that times we are all pacifists at heart. We none of us want to fight, but the present, situation demands that w r e must face up to the prospect of fighting 01 going under as a nation, and I take -off my hat to the scouts who s».re now serving in the forces, with the army, with the air force, and on the -seven seas. AS Britishers, we are still prepared to give a man the benefit of his own opinion on such matters, but when he attempts to broadcast what he only guesses to be correct, I feel that he ought to be told the facts in no uncertain manner. Such falsities pre not calculated to make for the progress of our Scout troop."