The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-12-30
BOY SCOUTS
OF AMERICA
Mounted Boy Scouts.

James h. West, chief executive Roy
Scouts of America. In recent comm.
nication referring to the suggestion of
Mr.. Guild, ambassador to Russia, that
the United States furnish mounts To
boy scouts. says:
THE word cavalry In the published
report of Ambassador Guilds sugges.
ton that the government furnish 20.
MES for boy scouts may with some peo.
pie hide It's real motive and merit. Mr..
Guilds chief concern. as we under
stand Il. Is about the horse and horse.
manship and his fear OF the result OF
q decreasing interest In horsemanshln.
In a country like ours. which has pro.
duced the distinct character of man
known as the American cowboy. who
is incomplete without the horse. II is
particularly appropriate and patriotic
To encourage the love of the horse
among Our boys. II will be recalled
that one of our greatest American art
lists, the late Frederic Remington. re-
quested that on his monument the
only comment should he. He knew the
horse
There is nothing can think of which
would so excite enthusiasm OF the
American boys as 10 be mounted like
real cowboys on the backs of real
horses Resides the sentimental aud
patriotic aspect. the practical side Of
the proposal will appeal to that great
army of men composed of our explor-
ers. our prospectors and our border
scouts and sturdy farmers who are the
real empire builders aud who would
have been practically helpless in many
situations If deprived OF their compan-
ion, the horse"
Things Scouts Should Know.
We should teach the scouts how To
throw the diamond hitch. the one man
hitch and the squaw hitch how 10 use
the sling rope when there is n top pack.
the use of the pack saddle. the apareio
the cincha. the alforjas and lash rope
names which ! believe are not even Ia
he found i'm our dictionaries or encyclo-
pedias, or were not until recently, and
yet names which are familiar to thou
are common household words. The
throwing of the lariat would be a new.
er Ceasing source of amusement and
exercise TO the boys and incidentally Il
means Of educating their minds and
muscles and producing that correla.
ton which is necessary adjunct to
every quick witted and quick acting
human being.
The automobile has Its mission; So
also have the electric car. the trolley
and the flying machine But there
are fields which will probably always
exist where IL will he necessary for us
10 know the horse" and how to use II
Not only should the boy be taught the
handling. care. saddling and the pack
ing OF horse. hut every scout should
know how To hitch and unhltch sin
gle horse or team. In orr manual we
offer merit badges for knowledge Of
blacksmithing. and To this should he
added honor marks for all other forms
Of horsemanship. for riding, driving
and handling of horse.
Scouts For Peace.
For these reasons | am enthusiastic
about the plan Of haEng mounted hoy
scouts. Indeed. start In this dircc-
ton has been made in u few places In
the country We do not. however. ad-
vocate the idea OF having the United
States government take up this matter
officially. II is doubtful whether such
n plan would he feasible, but. more i'm
portant still. il would undoubtedly con
fuse the real aims and objects OF the
scout movement in its efforts 10 de
velop universal peace.
am hoping that we may develop
plans for mounted troops of boy scouts
throughout The country and that such
troops might he reviewed by the prcsi
dent of the United States. possibly M
Washington or some other central
point This. however. will require
considerable money. Possibly some OF
our public spirited men especially IN
tercsted In horSemanship will he VIII
ing to aid in such an undertaking.