New-York tribune., 1919-05-18
Storm Fails to Dampen Ar
dor of Boys Out to Vel.
come General Sir Robert
Baden-Powell, of England
Park Plans Abandoned
reception Transferred to
Madison Square Garden:
10 Million Members Goal

II meeting adversely with a philo
sophlcal smile is the prime requisite
OF the ideal Boy Scout Of America. le,
New York be credited with at least
10000 good Scouts.
That was the number of khaki-clad
boys who brEved a penetrating rain
yesterday afternoon to march to the
sheep meadow in Central Park to ex-
tend typical Scout welcome to Lieu,
tenant General Sir Robert S. s, Baden
Powell, originator Of the Scout move
lnent in England.
That was the number Of smiling
cheering, dripping boys who, with
with bands playing and colors she'd
ding rivers of water, marched down
TO Madison Square Garden to carry
out their programme there. And when
II was found that not more than $1,000
Oh their force could find space even to
stand in the Garden, the remainder.
just as cheerfully, set out in the rain
TO return home, with bands still play
ing and colors still facing the storm.
We're Scouts, aren't we ?" demanded
one of the boys whose efforts to par
tlclpate In the welcome had proved
frultless and provoked sympathy.
Ample Reason for Cheerfulness
And that was accepted as ample rea-
son why no complaint should be made
against the unpropitious weather, lack
OF seating capacity and other hardships
that might have caused the average
adult to grumble.
officially, yesterdays outpouring of
the best of New York's boydom was to
meet and welcome the head of the
British scout movement. But it also
was the opening of the great member
ship campaign of the organization. for
which mark of 100000 adult associ-
ate members and a total of 10000 0oo
boy members has been set.
William G. McAdoo, former Secre-
tary of the Treasury, now chairman Of
the national citizens committee for
scout week, gave the latter figure
yesterday as the probable number Of
new members. Since Mr.. McAdoo an
nounced that the entire machinery of
the Liberty Loan organization had been
turned over to the boys it was accepted
as probably correct, not only by the
scouts but by experts.
Drive to Last a Week
The drive, which promises to be one
OF the most spectacular of the numer-
Gus nationwide campaigns carried on
during the past three years, will cover
the week Of June 8-14. The entire
strength of the scout organization.
which worked wonders In the selling Of
thrift stamps and Liberty Loan bonds
during the war. for the first time will
be used exclusively for the benefit of
its own programme.
The interior of Madison Square Gar
den presented an inspiring picture to
those who occupied seats on the tenn
porary stage as troop after troop of
scouts, each carrying a big American
flag in addition to its troop flag.
marched into the building and took
seats assigned to them.
On the platform with General Baden
Powell and Lady Olave Baden Powell.
q
land, were many idols of the American
boy There were Daniel Carter Beard,
national scout commissioner; Colin H.
Livingstone, president of the Boy
Scouts Of America; James f. West,
chief scout executive, and numerous
notables who are interested in the
scout movement here and abroad.
when the country found itself at
war with the greatest enemy ever
known, and sent 100000 men ofight,
1t was necessary to organize another
army here" said Mr.. McAdoo. at was
an army of finance that was needed.
"Now the Scouts have another biz
job on their hands. They must Ameri-
canize America. Before this war we
had favorite form of organizing into
groups, hyphenated groups, who knew
they owed allegiance to the flag Of
freedom. Yet when the war broke out
we found these hyphens having an
effect upon their citizenship. We don't
want hyphenates, and it is up to the
Boy Scouts of America to erase the
hyphen and make them all good Ameri-
cans"
The boys arose and gave their char
acterlstic ear-piercing yell, followed
by three cheers and stamping of feet
that caused windows to rattle
General Baden-Powell introduced
Mr.. Beard, who was cheered just as
Justify when he arose to introduce
General Baden-P Powell, said the boys Of
America hold q warm place in their
hearts for the Scouts across the sea-
and they appreciate what the British
boy did during the war in the cause Of
the boyhood Of the Old World
"The message | will take home to the
British Scouts when | return is that
you look upon them as your brothers."
said General Baden Powell "In that
you are returning what is exactly their
feelings toward you.
II want to congratulate you upon
your war work. You have done it we'll.
Il is now up to you to see that those
who made sacrifices during the war,
even up to the supreme sacrifice, have
not made them in vain. You have got
to keep up in peace time the pace you
set during tho days Of fighting. You
must show those other heroes that
their examples were not thrown away.
And you must show by your own ac-
tions that when you become men you
will do as they have done should a
similar occasion arise"
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