The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-06-14
BOY SCOUTS
EDITED BY
ONE OF THEM
Cardinal Farley Approves Boy Scouts


Cardinal Farley, one of the high
dignataries of the Catholic church,
has come out openly and strongly in
favor of the Boy Scout movement
and while he does not advocate that
members of their congregation join
with the other scouts he believes the
work they are doing is one of great
value to the youth of the country
and advises that organizations of
that character be formed in the
church with the priests as scout
masters.
In speaking of the movement and.
Cardinal Farley's approval an ex-
change contains the following:
His Eminence Cardinal Farley, ap-
proves the Boy Scouts of America
and the forming of Boy Scout troops
in parishes of the Roman Catholic
church. These troops will be known
as the Catholic Boy Scouts of Amer
lea and will be under the direct SUI
pervision of a priest or a Catholic
layman, After careful investiga-
tion of the principals of the Boy
Scout Movement and after receiving
reports from Roman Catholics
throughout the country who have
been actively interested in the Boy
Scout work for more than a year,
Cardinal Farley became convinced
that the ideals and the activities OF
the Scout movement can be utilized
in a most effective manner in devel-
oping boys. His emphatic announce
ment in favor of the movement al
ready has given incentive to the
formation of troops of boy scouts in
Catholic churches throughout the
country.
Though hitherto some Catholic
priests have been opposed to the
movement and have discouraged
Catholic boys from joining they grad
ually have come to see that the great
principles of the Boy Scout organiza-
ton is non-sectarian; that boys
of all creeds can take up new activi
ties and apply them in accordance
with the teachings of their own
church. They also have come to
see that there is no effort to keep
from authority in the organization
men who are Catholics but that the
aim is to get behind the movement
men of all creeds and all profess
sions.
The Cardinals ideas of the Scout
movement are expressed by Monsig-
nor Hayes, Secretary to the Cardinal,
who said: 1t is correct that the
Cardinal has approved of the for
nation of divisions of the Boy Scouts
within the parishes of his diocese so
long as the movement is under the
proper Catholic auspices. That is
the whole thing. Victor F. Ridder,
son of Herman Ridder, has been
much interested in the movement and
has explained to His Eminence, who
had no objection to it so long as it
is conducted under proper auspices.
If these boys are going camping in
the woods we think we should have
something to say about it, and that
their church should follow them.
The movement is a very big one.
The approval of the Cardinal was
secured on a condition he requested
which the New York Council assent
ed to, viz: that there be a Catholic
Division of the Boy Scouts and that
all parish branches within his juris-
dictOn prefix the title Catholic Di-
vision before their official designa-
ton. Thus the branch or troop in
course of formation within the Ca
thedral parish is to be known as
Cathedral Troop, Catholic Division
of the Boy Scouts of America. Each
troop or branch is to be under the
immediate direction of the pastor or
someone designated by them who
shall be informed of the progress of
the movement and be consulted from
time to time.
Many prominent Catholics through
out the country are thoroughly in
sympathy with the Scout movement.
MonsignOr Thomas J. Shahan, ID. D.,
President of the Catholic University
OF Washington and the Rt Rev. Geo.
A. Dougherty, Vice Rector of that
institution, having expressed them
selves to James Z. West, Chief
Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts
of America as in thorough sympathy
with the Boy Scouts Movement F. j.
Wade, a banker, and Judge Daniel
G. Taylor, both of St, Louis, Mo, are
enthusiastic supporters of the Scout
movement. In Washington and
Tulsa, Okla, in Kearney, y. j., in st.
Louis and in many other cities there
are troops of Catholic Boy Scouts.