Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1911-03-29
BOY SCOUTS LEARN
TO Fight YEGGMEN
Will Protect Housewives and
Homes

Washington, d. c., March 28.-Dan-
lei G. Beard, national scout commits
sioner of the Boy Scouts of America,
and the originator of the Boy Pioneers
and the Sons of Daniel Boone, which
helped clear the way for the develop
ment of the boy scout movement, has
devised a means by which the boys
throughout the country can make
systematic war upon yeggmen and no.
boes who modest housewives and rob
homes.
He is doing this by teaching them
the secret signs of the yegg fraternity,
so that the boys may know them and
tell what the mystical marks ON
fences, houses, and other buildings
mean. There are signs indicating
whether there is a dog in the house,
whether the housewife is kind, and
whether it is easy to rob the house,
and it is probable that the new manual
of the Boy Scouts of America will
have several pages devoted to these
symbols and their meanings If the
signs are dangerous the boys can rub
them off and warn the police. All this
means that the secrecy of the hoboes
will be destroyed
Oakland Boys Join Scouts.
The Oakland Boy Scouts of Califor-
MIA, numbering more than 1000, have
decided to amalgamate with the Boy
Scouts of America. AT first there was
a decided sentiment for having the
Oakland scouts remain Independent
and building up state organization.
Many requests have been received at
the national headquarters for execu-
tive secretaries to take charge of the
boy scout work in various cities
throughout the country. Among the
cities asking for skilled organizers are
Boston, Oakland, St Paul and Mime
appolis, Philadelphia has already
opened a branch office Of the national
headquarters and has installed a paid
secretary and Chicago has also a paid
secretary
HObsOn Quotes Statistics.
Representative Richmond p Hobson
supports the movement because it is
teaching city boys to get out into the
aud T., npiou ,ot,,rn
The day of the scout" he says ex-
tended to 1866, but statistics down to
that point show that about IS per cent.
of all people in the United States were
engaged or in some way connected
with agricultural pursuits; that those
who fought in the civil war were men
Of the farm; that those men who foun-
ded the nation and constructed its
institutions were men of the country
Today there are less than 80 per cent
of the people of the United States
Connected with agricultural pursuits.
1t means that the nations whole flu
ture is going to rest upon the city boy.
Not Military Organization.
Many things have occurred to dis
prove the charge that the Boy Scouts
of America is a military organization,
designed to train boys for war Will
liam Verbeck, adiutant general of New
York State, laments the fact thtat the
movement is not military. In one pub
lie speech he complained of the lack
of military spirit in this country and
said that the United States is not
ready for war
Announcement is made definitely
that the national organization this
year will not undertake the arrange
ment of a national camp for the boys.
Ernest Thompson Seton, chief scout
of the Boy Scouts, and one of the
originators of the movement, returned
yesterday to New York from England,
after visit with Sir Gen Baden-Pow-
ell and the Boy Scouts of Great Brit
ain. He was received at the pier by
many of the boys, who gave him the
peace salute.