BOY SCOUT MOVEMENT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21264, 19 February 1931, Page 16

BOY SCOUT MOVEMENT.

CHIEF SCOUT’S VIEWS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, January 8. In one of his most recent publications —“ Scouting and Youth Movements” — Lord Baden-Powell answers the question: Is scouting a military movement? Through the Scout training (he writes) a vision of higher hope and broader outlook has opened out before ua a vision which has nothing whatever to do with militarism. By developing education through backwoodsmanship rather than through drill, wo can give to our future citizens in each country the instinct for peace rather than for war, yet without their lacking or losing any of the manly virtues or the attributes essential to a healthy nation. ‘ If we look forward we can realise that the 2,000,000 Scouts and Guides in existence to-day represent at least another million who have paesed through the training, and that they are the prospective fathers and mothers of the next generation. They will, therefore, bo bringing up some two or three million more of boys and girls within the next few years on much the same line of thought an action as their own. A GREAT RESPONSIBILITY. Thus we have a wonderful opportunity and a great responsibility. We must shape our training with the right vision 00 that we shall not be content merely to have smart troops and temporary success, but we must be sure that the highest ideals have been actually inculcated and that the boys and girls really bring a Christian spirit into their daily life and practices; that they overcome selfishness with service, and that they substitute goodwill and co-operation for the too prevalent state of narrow patriotism and jealousies. In this way our movement will be helping in a tangible manner to supply the international spirit of goodwill which is needed to give the soul to the existing form of the League of Nations. LEAGUE OF NATIONS. Lord Baden-Powell quotes from the report of the Fifth Committee to the General Assembly of the League of Nations: — The Boy Scout and Girl Guide Movement is not one of those new, unknown, or little known, movements in the case of which it is desirable to await the results they may produce before recommending them for consideration and support to public opinion and the various governmental organisations. Founded before the 1914 war, the movement had, even at that date, a very considerable uunibo of adherents throughout the world. To-day it includes mofe than 2,500,000 young people of both sexes in every continent and in every land —and it continues to prosper. The assembly is being asked to take under its protection a movement which is full of life and which is inspired by ideals, the noble and lofty character of which is not contested and whose usefulness is undeniable from the point ,-of view which is of special importance to all of us here, the point of view of world peace. Therefore it is not only necessary, but actually indispensable that this movement should receive every support and assistance. It should not be forgotten that the thoughts and feelings of the younger generation are an important element in forming the conscience of humanity; a pure and healthy element freed from all prejudice, rancour, and memories poisoned by hatred; an element of enthusiasm and generous sentiment. For that reason we should assist the international movement on behalf of the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, a movement which, by the constant exchange of visits, by camp life, by games played, and by happy days spent to-gether, during which the young people get to understand one another, incrase from day to day their feelings their neighbours, whatever may be their language, race, or continent.