The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-01-24
Boy Scouts Accused of
Fostering Militarism

This is the eighth birthday of the
Boy Scouts movement, which was pub
licly inaugurated by General Sir Rob
| ert Stephenson Snyth Baden-PoweI
| at the Young Mems Christian AssociaA
ton in Birkenhead. England, on Jan
uary "A, 1908. A little more than
two years later the Boy Scouts OF
america organization was effected
and it has since grown until it is now
estimated that not less than one-fifth
of the million or more Boy Scouts
in the world march under the Stars
and Stripes.
From the first the movement has
fostering the spirit of nilitarism. The
activities of the Boy Scouts of Great
Britain, France, Belgium and Ger
many in the present war, combined
with the recent resignation of Ernest
Thompson Seton, the naturalist and
author, as Chief Scout of the Boy
Scouts of America, have served to give
wide publicity to the discussion re1a-
tive to the real purposes of the or
ganization.
Ernest Thompson Seton's resigna-
ton as Chief Scout of the American
what he called the n1ilitaristic spirit
injected into the movement. In this
connection he said:
when Baden-Poweu and I orga-
nized the Boy Scouts of England in
1903 and the Boy Scouts of America
in 1910, our purpose was to make
all young people outdoor children by
teaching them the joy OF outdoor life.
AS originally formed, the Scouts of
America were to be messengers of
conservation and brotherhood. The
study of trees, flowers and nature is
ether activities of a. military nature,
thus destroying the symbolism of the
Organization. AS it stands now, mill
itarism comes first and woodcraft
second
James E. West, of New York. the
Chief Scout Executive; has denied
the charges of the former Chief Scout.
declaring that the movement stands
for patriotism and good citizenship -
He denounced Mr.. Seton as sin har-
m ony with the views of anarchists
and radical sociaistsl'' in the matter
4 of the patriotic activities of the
Scouts. The charges and denials have
but served to arouse widespread in
terest in the matter, and the Scouts
movement now has many influential
opponents who have taken sides with
Mr.. Seton in the controversy.
In announcing the purposes of the
Boy Scouts at the inaugural meeting
eight years ago today Gen. Baden
FowelI declared that it was to mako
manly men, good and useful citizens;
that it was not intended to make sol
diers of them. While Gen. Baden
Powell is usually credited with being
the father of the Scouts, the credit
really belongs to Mr.. Thompson Sc
ton, a native of England, and still a
British subject, although he has liv-
ed many years in the United States.
Mr.. Seton originated, the idea in 1903,
but it was not until five years later
that, with the cooperation of the
famous soldier; the movement was
formally launched.
The pioneer of scouting is a, claim
ant to the old Seton earldomt of Win
ton, which is now held by the Earl
Of Eglington. Mr.. Seton is descended
from the fifth Earl of Winton, who
escaped from the Tower of London,
where he had been imprisoned for
treason about two centuries ago. He
is believed to have married a Scotch
woman, and to have reared a family
under an assumed name, but unless
definite proof of the marriage is dis.
covered Mr.. Seton will never become
Earl of WintOn.