The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-23
SCOUTS DIVIDED
IN EXPLAINING
LOSS OF SETON
Two Officers Say Chief Is
Out Because He Is Brit
ish Subject.
PRESIDENT BRANDS
STORY AS MALICIOUS

George n. Pratt, treasurer Of the Roy
Scouts Of America. and James L. West,
chief scout executive. confirmed yoster-
day the news that Ernest Thompson
Seton Is no longer Chief Scout OF that
organization.
"NIr. Seton is abroad and IN no longer
Chief Scout said MIR. Pratt.
He then admitted that Mr.. Seton's
British citizenship had something To- 10
with tho failure OF the national council
OF the organization TO reflect him.. and
added that. rs the matter was compli-
Gated. ne preferred not to enter into
any exhaustive explanation
we had hoped tina, the matter would
not become public said Mr.. West.
But now tina THE l. has found out
about II I think II best that alinost the
whole story be known. We HOPE that
Mr.. Seton will again be Chief Scout"
lie thor told tho following as the al
most complete story OF how Mr. Seton
failed to he reelected
Find seton Is Not n citizen.
Last fall Mrs. Seton. who was born
In California OF American p~rents. be-
came very active In suffrage work. Tho
~newspaper then learned hat her hus-
band was a British subject and that
therefore, she was a british subject 81
stories to this effect began 20 appear.
This WAS the first i~ntiination mat
the "xecutives OF the Boy Scouts had
that Mr.. Seton had not been naturalized
lie was asked about Il. lie admitted his
british citizenship and said thlt he had
taken out his first papers her" Thirteen
or fourteen years ago witt a view t,
becoming "A citizen. but mad never com
plcted his naturalization.
Then there were negotiations between
Mr.. Seton and the national board Mr.
Scton's incomplete citizenship was one
of the points discussed other point.
related to questions OF policy governing
contributions by Mr. Seton to the hand
book ~ tho BOY Scouts and other publ
cations 81 Tn" organization
The negotiations were not finished
whcu Mr.. Seton sailed for England. jus,
before tho annual meeting AZ w''rh
officers for the year we're elected. This
meeting was held IN Washington on
February II.
Before h. sailed Mr.. seton indicated
that he would complete his uatu-alizt.
ton on his return He expects to come
back In April So ~, position " ~ 90.
Scout vas not nllod ~ the annual meet.
ing. II NJ Seton completes his nat
uralization and II the questions of pol.
icy governing his writing are settled
the executive board OF the BOY Scout
hopes 70 rceleCt him 20 the position. The
board can hold this election At any
time
Want chief scout Hack.
w are very anxious 20 have Nj
Seton serve a. Chlef Scout" said Mr..
West. 'Itc has mad. q wonderful con
|trihutiou 10 boy lifc in America and he
services have been imwcusc'v valuable
20 our organization lis contributions
To orr publications were donations and
he served without pay. He has done
splendid work for us and everybody In
the organization hopes that he vii con-
tiuue to do so
Colin II. Livingstone. proS d,ut " the
Boy scouts. was at the Hutp' belmont
yesterday. He said that NJ Seton was
Nj Seton vas .u England At tho time 81
the election and that II was imposs,h 'o
TO learn from hin ny cable whether hc
would cons, nj 20 s"rto another term a.
chief scout
He denied that Mr.. Seton's citizenship
had anything 20 do with y.
The story was made out OF who'll
cloth he aid some enemy 0c tn,
Boy Scouts has circulated III" STORY
maliciousiy. probably some member %
our military .niltator."