REVOLT OF THE ROVERS

Evening Star, Issue 21622, 18 January 1934, Page 3

REVOLT OF THE ROVERS

CRISIS IN SCOUT WORLD SCOTS AND THEIR BONNETS. . Scout hats—or the Balmoral bonnet ? This is the issue that led a few weeks ago to the revolt of the Scouts of Scotland. Mass resignations were expected to follow the insistence of Lord BadenPowell and the Imperial Scout headquarters in the wearing of the official uniform, and the battle, it was feared, ufight wreck the senior movement. -The crisis is a sequel to what was originally merely a request by Lord Baden-Powell, which the majority of Scottish Rovers were content simply to ignore. When the request became an order, however, a feeling, of revolt spread throughout Scotland, and resignations on a wholesale scale were regarded as inevitable. The first step in this direction was taken by the 2nd Highland Rovers, who have their headquarters, at Elgiii. Following a decision to disband, they resigned in a body, and were arranging to launch a new movement with similar aims, in which it was expected that they would be joined by the greater number of 5,000 Rover Scouts in Scotland. In Glasgow in particular opinion was strongly m favour of similar action. The Scottish Rovers attribute the official veto to the jealousy which the English rank and file have revealed at jamborees to the picturesque appearance of the Scots in their kilts. Scotland justifies, its revolt by pointing out that it is a common practice to allow the Scouts of other nations to adopt their own traditional dress. “We feel strongly,” said a Moray leader, “ that it is unfair to Scotland that we should be ordered to bow the knee to an order of this kind issued by a council of Englishmen.”