Arizona republican., 1922-02-28
': and, besides. roosevelt himself

ty: and, besides, Roosevelt himself
was the chief scout citizen.
Every Boy Scout knows that the
Boy Scout brotherhood is being
watched carefully by the congress at
Washington because the United
States congress has chartered their
movement and requires careful, ac-
curato reports OF their achievements
and plans. They know that congress
is informed each year officially of
these activities and helpful achieves
ments.
Not only is the Scout movement
vitally in touch with the federal gov
ernment, but in the individual states
the Boy Scouts are regarded as the
greatest volunteer force for helpful
ness in times OF unexpected crises
and emergencies. Mayors of towns,
superintendent of schools. and. just
as Ike as not, the police chiefs. fire
commissioners and health commits.
sioners keep on a pad on their desk
before them the names and addresses
OF the local Boy Scouts for aid in
accidents, health crusades. fires, pa.
rades and other public demonstra-
tions needing the help of scouts.
There are very few Scout local coun-
ellis which do not have all OF these
local public officers as active and
appreciative members. The Boy
Scouts are thrown into constant con-
tact with these representative men
who control the affairs Of local COM
munities and the result Of this con-
tact Is the awakening in the indi-
vidual scouts Of the qualities Of char
acter OF American men OF public af-
fairs.
This personal contact supplements
the school textbook on civic. Put a
civics textbook into the hands of any
normal American boy, and. If he sup
plies himself with any show OF dili-
gence, he will be able to master the
reading matter and be able in a very
short time to give an intelligent ac-
count of the political system which
he has been studying. He will prob
ably land his "A'ss in the public or
high school, This knowledge is high
ly valuable and will some day be
put TO effective use when he has the
right to vote. But there is something
more involved in the idea of a citi-
zenship than the ability to put a
cross on the ballot. 1t involves q
vivid sense of relationship and re-
sponsibility for public welfare and
good government. The star school
boy may never get a sense Of his
relationship to his own community,
or to his state, or to his country in
normal peace times. If a big war
comes along the latent Americanism
will probably spring forth and in the
emotion thus released he will get
sense OF the social thrill OF big mo-
ments when the team play as one
man. There ought, according to
Roosevelt's idea, the Scout idea. be
no such thing as a latent spirit OF
Americanism. Americanisnl. II it is
anything, is an aggressive. indom-
liable spirit OF public helpfulness and
The team spirit! 1t was so proni-
nent during the war. But where is
it now? Representative statements
are highly concerned with the disin-
tegrating of the American solidarity
In the minds of many people all over
the country since the armistfce. What
we need. these experts say. is a coun-
ter-movement to consolidate and con-
serve the priceless social emotions
and sense of national and commun-
ity solidarity which were evident two
years ago.
Through the medium Of the build
ing instinct inherent in boy nature,
the Boy Scout movement stresses IN
its contact with American boys the
idea Of creative citizenship. Creative
Have you ever thought
OF that? A constructive social force
by intelligence. aggres-
siveness, responsibility. vigilance and
that is creative citizen
ship. It's Ideal is the enrichment Of
the life OF the American people. The
community first: the town. the state,
the nation. Intelligence in using the
and civic administration for the good