The Marietta journal. (Marietta, Ga.) 1918-1944, 1919-06-13

Board, the Salvation Army, the Amer
lean Library Association and hum
dreds of other worthy agencies dur
ing the war.
Such a cry cannot pass unnoticed
And especially so in the light of the
achievements enumerated, for surely
when boys, "mere youngsters" can
weld themselves as solidly into the
history of our great triumph as the
scouts of America have done, their
far-fung challenge to be of service
during the days to come cannot pass
unheeded!
1t shall not!
Such is the determination of the
big men of the country, who, under
the leadership of the Hon. W. G. Nc
Adoo former secretary of the treas
ury, have baneded themselves into
National Citizens COMMITTEE to Sc
cure 100000 associate members OF
the Boy Scouts of America, in keep
ing with the proclamation issued by
the President of the United tSates
calling upon the people to observe
the period beginning June 9th and
continuing to June 18th as Boy
Scout Week.
| This week is to be far more than
"drive." 1t is to be seven day
demonstration of gratitude in appre-
citation of what the scouts did during
the war; it will be dedicated to the
100000 boys of scout age to whom
the benefits of scouting should be ex-
tended; it will aim to arouse the peo-
pie to the necessity of training the
youth of to-day for the responsible
tiles of citizenship tomorrow.
And behind it will be every race
and creed, every agency of service
the country can muster-every school
every club every church.
The churches particularly will lend
their support to the movement, for,
first of all, eighty per cent of the
vast number of scout troops are con-
nected with churches. AS the Rev.
Franklin D. Elmer of the Northern
Baptists Convention has said, Scout
ing binds the boy to his church and
affords mutually helpful opportuni-
ties for the church to serve him and
for him to serve in his place. The
troop f to-day may be built into the
church of tomorrow
The religious policy of the Scout
Movement is consistent with the best
of ecclesiastical principles. In all
matters of faith the boy is directly
under the guidance of his parent
church. No religious teaching is
thrust upon him from the outside.
No attempt is made to wean him
away from his proper religious en-
vironment. Scouting turns the boy
toward his church and home instead
of drawing him out of it
It is endorsed by every faith and
creed. 1t is approved and generous
ly supported by Catholic, Protestant
and Jew alike. 1t is thoroughly
American, thoroughly religious. 1t
teaches boys to live-to live as God
intended they should.
The philosophy of "don'tism" has
no place in the creed of scouting. 1t
is a movement of expression, not re-
pression expression through con-
structive imagination in the woods,
under blue skies, on long, winding
roads, out where nature is most beau
tiful, where the soul works as in the
Temples of God, most purely.
One million associate members are
to be recruited during Boy Scout
Week. They are to come fro mthe
big cities and remote country ham,
lets alike, from every place where
people congregate, Largely from the
most holy of such places-the church
The need of such a membership,
such financial auxiliary is imperative,
for. as great as this movement is, it
as vet embraces but one twenty
fifth OF the eligible boyhood of the
nation.
The boys can be secured by the
millions. They want scouting. They
plead for it! Their applications for
scout membership pour into national
headquarters at the rate of thou
sand a day!
But troops cannot be formed with
out red-blooded God-fearing men to
serve as scoutmasters and assistants.
This leadership cannot be obtained
without the necessary funds for su-
pervision, for extension.
And the most democratic funds,
the most American of funds, will
come from a great interested asso-
ciated membership, who give, not
only their dollars, but their hearts
and sympathies as well; who feel, in
the giving, that in preparing these,
on whom its future rests, the nation
itself will be prepared!
Cant you find work at your
trade?"
ono ma'amo