The Detroit times., 1912-02-05
Observation-Disclosures
AGAINST CONFUSING BOY
SCOUTING WITH SOLDERING
Says Movement Which He Heads
Is Misunderstood by Some
in United States
TO MAKE GOOD CITIZENS
This Is Only Object of organiza-
tion, He Declares-Lec-
lures Here Tonight
TO MAKE GOOD CITIZENS

Lieut-Gen. Sir Robert Baden-Powell.
known throughout the British Empire
as "B-P" and founder OF the Boy
Scout movement, arrived In Detroit,
Monday noon, to inspect the Boy
Scouts OF Detroit and the adjacent
territory and deliver two lectures,
one to the Boy Scouts, In the. Light
Infantry armory, and the other to The
public in the Light Guard armory.
Gen. Baden-Powell refused to talk
of anything except the Boy Scout
movement, but he was willing to talk
with enthusiasm on the work he has
been doing for the boys of the world.
Il find that the Boy Scout move
melt has been considerably misunder-
stood in some quarters In this coun-
try" he said. Scouting has been con-
fused with soldering, while they are
two entirely different things. Scout
ing-both peace scouting and var
scouting builds character, but | am
not So sure about soldering. There
is too much discipline in the latter to
allow for development. The sole aim
or the Boy Scout movement is to
train boys -te-be better citizens, or
rather give them the opportunities of
training themselves. In England the
boys are taught all the useful trades,
anC there are more than forty differ
ent crafts in which Boy Scout can
win a medal for proficiency. We
make no attempt to interfere with
politics or religion or any other mat
ter OF that sort. 1t is absurd to talk
CT the organization being used to
quell strikes and riots and that sort
Of thing. They are none of our af-
fairs.
The basis OF the scout organiza-
ton is the honor system. The only
rules that are recognized are the rules
which the boy promises upon honor to
obey, and when scout Is tried by
his fellows, he is tried not for the Of
Tense he may have committed but for
breaking his word of honor. And the
idea appeals to a surprising degree
TO even the slummiest of boys.
''The Boy Scout movement in Amer
lea seems to be In its infancy. The
boys do not yet depend enough upon
themselves, and there is too much
evident supervision from the officers.
AS the boys learn TO take the respons-
Utilities of commanding themselves
the benefits Of the movement will in
crease"
Gen. Baden Powell reviewed the
Boy Scouts in Washington last week,
coming directly from Washington TO
Detroit, His observations on the
American Boy Scouts are based chief
ly on what he saw there.
II have not seen enough Of the
American boy yet to be able to COM
pare him with the English boy" he
said. II shall have to consult with
the scout-master first before / can
have anything TO say.
''On my way over here / saw the
Panama canal. and it is wonderful
piece of engineering. No American
should fail 10 see it,"
Gen. Baden-Powell was entertained
at luncheon in the Yondotega club as
the guest of Fred NJ. Alger and spent
the afternoon seeing the city He will
be the guest of the Detroit Teachers
association and the Detroit School
mems club for dinner in the Pont-
Qhartrain at $50, and after dinner will
go to the Light Infantry armory
where he will address 400 Boy Scouts
from Detroit, and neighboring towns,
including several contingents from
across the border The Boy Scouts
will escort him to the Light Guard
armory, where he will lecture on
Scouting In war and peace" Nis
lecture will include his own remln-
iscences on his African campaigns,
and the other affairs in which he has
taken part The lecture will begin at
8:15.
Gen Baden-Powell is typically Eng
lish, somewhat under medium stature,
with a kindly face that shows few OF
the marks of the stern experiences