The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-11-13
ARMY Of BOY SCOUTS
NOW IN UNITED. STATES
Great Meeting Here Last Night At
tended BY National Scout
Officials.
SPLENDID PROGRAM RENDERED
Hundred and Fifty thousand Scouts
In Country Now. But There Are
5000. 900 Boys In america OF Scout
Age.

Age.
Under $4,000 leaders we have
$50, 900 Boy Scouts in this country. ."
SAID Chief Scout Executive James h.
West. of the Boy Scouts Of America.
at the reunion and banquet OF Rich
mond scouts in the Masonic Temple
last night. 'and these constitute the
greatest single a,.t available for pro-
paredness Ia this country Five
hundred boys. representative Of the
high type of sCoutdom that Richmond
possesses. cheercd Justify and Il storm
Of handciappinF gave abundant evil
denCo of the patriotic spirit these
boys have within them.
The event was ore. of the most in
teresting In the existence of the Boy
Scout movement in Richmond Tho
gathering was presided over by John
Stewart Bryan, president Of the local
organization. who presented the
speakers:
T Gray Hadon. personal repre-
sentative Of Mayor Aiuslie whdo ex-
tended a welcome 10 the distinguished
scout visitors: National Council Presi-
dent Culvin b. Livingstone and Chief
Scout Executive James i. West; Mr..
Livingstone. Mr. West, Scout Com
missioner d. w. Durrett. of Rich
mond; Rt. Rev. D. J. O'ConneN,
bishop of the Catholic diocese of Vir-
sinia, and f. d. Thomas, treasurer
OF the local council.
Feast of Good Things.
The speaking followed the serving
Of a splendid menu. to which the boys
were prepared to do justice. and
which was served 10y a committee
OF twenty ladies from REhmonds
five Boy Scout districts. A feature of
the evening which got to" the ap-
pearance OF Miss Bessie Dudley. hui
morous reader and chara cter deline-
ator.
National President Lvingstone's
talk was a straight from shoulder
talk from one who understands boys
and 1t was understood by the young
sters II moved and thrilled. There
was Inspiration to better things for
them In every sentence; and through
1t all WAS appreciation of the splendid
record the scouts of Richmond have
made--a record that stands high
among those of Boy Scout organiza-
tions in all parts Of the United States.
Mr. Livingstone closed by telling the
boys that your good deeds will make
their impression upon you. They
will have their good effect Do at
least one good deed each day. he
urged.
The Scout yell with a Livingstone"
at it's end, brought from the head or
the organization in America the Scout
salute, with which 500 boys. as one
responded The cheers were led by
Scout Executive Charles l. Weaver,
and they resounded time and again
as the evening wore on.
Chief Scout Executive Speaks.
Chief Scout Executive West began
his talk to the gathering with the
Seventh inning stretch giving his
hearers a couple of good lung-iiiiing
z breaths. He declared that Richmond
and the Richmond Boy Scouts have
made a deep impression upon nm,
and upon the country. Richmond's
scoutcraft Is an inspiration to other
sections, he declared. and he praised
the boys for not having been content
to merely wear their uniforms. but
4, to do. to make progress, to perform.
You are seriously applying your
selves to the motto. Re Prepared ~
lie went on. After lie had paid tribute
to Baden-Powell, leader of the Scout
movement in Britain. and to the
Scouts of Europe he entered upon the
question of preparedness" now SO
widely and so generally discussed In
this country.
We have lived in hopes" he said,
that wars we're of the past; thai
civilization had So advanced that war
had been made impossible. But we
were mistaken, ana the question OF
preparedness is now one of grea
moment for America. There is urged
military education In the schools.
Other means for creating defense
against possible trouble with other
nations. are being suggested anc
talked.
But we are an organization of 49,
900 leaders. comm ssioners, executives.
scoutmasters and patrol leaders, ana
. first class scouts. We are the strong
est single agency for preparedness that
this country has and IL we are but
given the opportunity we will give
the country a medium for the de-
Tense 1t needs"
s.O<,O.OOO in United states.
Mr.. West told the Scouts it is up to
them to become more efficient, a more
powerful organization. He said 1t is
up to the Scouts. through all ranks to
rfterrr1tne how-faF- the movement viii
go, and he pointed out the fact that
there are 5000 900 boys of Scout age
in the United States. We each have
a definite responsibility he said in
conclusion IT ask you how much fur
Their this work should go. and urge
you to give this movement further
push ahead; not because we want a
: large nufDDeF, put because We nave an
obligation to our flag, to our country.
to our State
Scout Commissioner Durrett read a
report showing the high point of eff
cheney attained by the Richmond or
ganization. Striking facts presented
are that twelve per cent of the MEM
bership OF the Roy Scouts in Rich
mond are f1rst- class Scouts, and OF
this number Is per cent are Eagle
Scouts.
Bishop O'Connell paid high tribute
to the Boy Scouts and to his honor
one that may be trusted far; and he
deplored the fact that there are not
Men scouts" TIE told the boys that
one great task before them IL to make
Scouts of men.