New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-20
ADVICE FOR BOY SCOUTS.
Colonel Roosevelt Tells Them
How To Be Good Citizens.
PRAISES SCOUT MOVEMENT
Believes It Will Prove a Practical
Way of Instilling the
Golden Rule.

Colonel Theodore Roosevelt former
President Of the United States and
honorary vice-president of the Boy Scouts
Of America. has written an article on
citizenship for the new Scout manual In
Il he says that the Boy Scout movement
is proving in a practical way Of great i'm
portance 10 the country. He points out
that the Boy Scout principles make Tor
efficiency in boys life, patriotism ana
citizenship. In outlining the ideals OF boy
hood he saws that the Boy Scout move
ment promises TO bring into the boy >
world more and more the Golden Rule
Colonel Roosevelt urges the Scouts 20 see
that gangs OF toughs do not make the
Fairgrounds impossible for children. lie
points out 10 the boys that the qualities OF
good Scouts make for success in business
and urges upsn them the Importance OIL
unselhshness. gentleness. strength ana
bravery.
II quite agree with Judge Lindsey ne
writes. that the Boy Scout movement ~
a movement Of peculiar Importance TO the
whole country. II has already done much
good and it will do far more. for It is IN
its essence a practical scheme through
which to. impart a proper standard OF
ethical conduct. proper standards of fair
play and consideration for others and
courage and decency to boys who have
never been reached and never will be
reached by the ordinary type OF preach
ing. lay or clerical I have been particu-
larly interested in that extract OF letter
from a Scout master in the Philippines
which runs az follows:
1T might interest YOU 10 know that at
recent fire in Manila which devastated
acres OF ground and rendered 1900 per-
sons homeless two patrols Of the Manila
Scouts reached the fire almost with the
fire companies, reported to the proper au-
thorities and worked for hours under very
trying conditions, helping frightened ma
tives into places Of safety. removing valu-
ables and other articles from houses that
apparently were In the path OF the flames.
and performing cheerfully and efficiently
all the tasks given to them by the fire
men and Scout master They were COM
plimented in the public press and Kind
editorial about their work. During the re-
cent carnival the services OF the boys were
requested by the carnival officers. and FOR
a period Of ten days they were on duty
performing all manner Of service In the
carnival grounds. directing strangers 10
hotels and acting as guides and helpers
in a hundred ways
What these Boy Scouts Of the Philip
pines have Just done / think our Boy scouts
in every town and country district should
train themselves TO De able TO do
THE movement is a movement for EN-
cheney and patriotism. You don't try to
make soldiers Of Boy Scouts. but TO make
bows who will turn out as men 10 be fine
citizens. and who will. II their country
needs them. make better soldiers for hav-
ing been Scouts. No one can be GOOD
American unless he is good citizen ana
every boy ought 10 train himself so that
as a man he will be able TO do his fun duty
10 the country. l want 10 see the Boy
Scouts not merely utter fine sentiments but
act on them: not merely sing Ny Country
IT'S Of Thee, but act in way that VIII
give them a country TO be proud OF. NO
man is a good citizen unless he so acts as
10 show that he actually uses the Ten
commandments and translates the Golden
PuIe into.his life conduct-and don't mean
Inv this in exceptional cases under spectacu-
lar circumstances, but 1 mean applying the
Ten commandments and the Golden Rule
IN the ordinary affairs Of everyday lie.
"T hone the Boy Scouts Will practise truth
and square dealing and courage and non
estv. so that when as young men they De-
Gin 10 take part not only IN earning ther
own livelihood but in governing the com
,n,,nitv they may be able 10 show in prac-
+ical fashion their insistence upon the great
truth that the Eghht and Ninth command
r,er+s are directly related 10 everyday IRE
not only between men as such in their pri-
,.o+e relations. but between men and the
,o,,ernrnent Of which they are a part. IN
5oad tho bovs. even while only boys can
,a,.e = very real effect upon the conduct
Of the grown-up members OF the conrnu-
nit,. for decency and square dealing are
irs+ as CONTAGIOUS as vice and corruption
..1,,.e,v healthy boy" continues Mr.. Roose-
,.olt "ought TO feel and will feel that in
DIR 70 amount to anything it is neces-
cory, IN have a constructive and not merely
a destructive nature, and II he can Keep
this feeling as he grows up he has taken
his first step toward good Citizenship. Inc
man who tears down and criuclses ana
scolds may be q good citizen, Dut Only III INC
negative sense. and II he never does any
thing else he is apt not 10 be good clu-
zen at all. The man who counts ana the
boy who counts are the man and the BOY
who steadily endeavor to build up TO I'M
prove. to better living conditions every
where and all about them.
But the boy can do an immense amount
right in the present entirely aside from
training himself TO be a good citizen in the
future and he can only do this II he asso-
ciates himself with other boys. Let the
Boy Scouts see TO IL that the best use is
made Of the parks and Fairgrounds in
their villages and home towns. A gang OF
toughs may make a playground impossible.
and II the Boy Scouts in the neighborhood
Of that particular playground are N for
their work they will show that they won't
permit any such gang of toughs 20 have its