Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1912-03-19
WHY THEY OPPOSE 1T.

in Portland which insulted a distin-
guished guest Of the city, and prac-
tically prevented free speech in a
large auditorium, has awakened a
large amount of discussion which
may result in finding out some
things and in showing up a class of
citizens in their true light
The principal objections to Gener-
al Baden-Powell and the Boy Scouts,
as voiced by the Socialists, and their
allies, the l. w. w. "neverworks, ap-
pears that the Scouts are being train
ed in military tactics and anything
that smacks of the military has the
condemnation of these people. Why?
Is 1t because they really believe that
the military is not necessary in this
country and a menace to prosperity,
or is it for the reason that they see
in 1t means to curb their indiscrim-
mate encroachments upon law and
their attempts to interpret the law
for their own benefit. There is no
question but that the military and
lawful organizations of all kinds, are
viewed with adherence by these men
or at least by the loud-mouthed agi-
tators on soap boxes, who make their
living haranguing the multitudes on
the street corners Inasmuch as the
law generally places curb on their
utterances, and as it Is often found
necessary to invoke the aid of the law
to protect society and prevent open
revolt and even sedition, it is but
natural that these frothy-mouthed |
malcontents should object to all who |
uphold the law and to those who en-
force IT as represented in the organi-
zations of military societies.
There is no menace to government
in the teachings of pure Socialism,
as we understand 1t. But like every
other movement, the agitators have
found it a field for their endeavor
and an opportunity to make living
without working while posing as the
friend of the laboring man. and such
are doing the cause more harm than
its open enemies can possibly accom-
plish
The writer believes in peace. as a
general proposition but, at the same
time, he believes that the best way
to have Il, is to be prepared for trou-
Bile, and the more formidable is our
showing in this regard the more GER
tain are we that peace will be pre-
served, The city with a large and
efficient police force is freer from
crime than the poorly protected COM {
munity, and the city with wholesome I
laws and conscientious officials to /
enforce them, is the first to place the $
ban on the street corner anarchist 3
II is no wonder. then. that any thing d
that smacks of the military. or that b
represents the enforcement of the u
law, is detestable to the agitators $
who daily insult the flag OF the coun- 4
Try deride the constitution. attack h
our institutions generally and thrive Il
on violations of law. and decenoy and
order.
But the Boy Scouts Is not a military n
organization. The simple fact that j
hey are drilled in military tactics 81
ioes not necessarily mean that they ~
ire taught to make warfare on their Ia
'ellow man. The military teaches =,
men respect for the flag. 1t teaches q,
'atriotism and love OF country II n,
caches respect for constituted au-
hority. lncultates in the mind love
Il law and decency. and all these
hings are absent from the lexicon So
4 the |. w. w. loafers and their CO. p'
lorts in
A vituperative writer in the ore eN
oman declares that those who at Ia
empted to break up the Baden Pow
u meeting did so because the folks
ttending the meeting were humans ha
nd were unable and unwilling 70 sit tn
ily BY while the plastic minds OF the E'
tile children were being craftny -
'oulded to worship the red-fanged NJ
nd OF militarism." Ye gods listen
that Who is there among am the Ca
eople Of Portland, or Of this ooun-
y anywhere, who would not rather
ust the plastic mind" OF his child a..
the influences Of General Baden II.
DWELL and the ennobllng teachings sw
the Boy Scouts. than to those en- cos
ating from the street corner aKi- aSE
tors who curse the laws OF the land to
ID denounce their Creator in the De
me breath. aai
When one calmly eontemplates the h-ss
crease In the number of these rib ha-
Z gentry. and the latitude given ic
EN- In some of our cities one Is Ral
pressed with the belief that more Dal
iitary i an urgent necessity n we
E 70 preserve cur laws and protect I