Evening star., 1925-03-12

the ranliness of decency and the
nobieness Of service for others where
no reward is expected.
Boy Scouts are no less ALWAYS
ready than are the rampant reds.
but Ii is readiness for service to
others. readiness to do "a kind turn
daily" readiness for self-reliance in
emergencies, readiness to take the
initiative where leadership is re-
quired. They discover the fascinating
interest in woodcraft; learn to look
with intelligence at nature, learn to
construct whatever they want-a fire
created as Indians make fire, by rub
Ding sticks together, or make a radio
with which they may listen-in to af-
fairs across the ocean.
One of the Boy Scout troops on
Mount Pleasant discovered some three
years ago that there was woman
employed in a Government office who
was blind, so that she could not see
to board a street car ito go to her
work. Ever since that discovery that
troop has had as its daily stunt the
delegating of a volunteer Scout to
lead her to her car. Never failed in
that service.
Scout Odel1 Whipple. IS years old.
Troop AZ, saw a girl fall into deep.
water in the Potomac last Summer.
and he plunged in and saved her from
drowning; the Scouts learn to swim
and learn self-reliance.
AT the Summer camp on the shore
OF Chesapeake Bay last Summer the
father of Scout Ben Morgan, Is years
olq, visited the boys and got permits
sidn to go in swimming with Ben
and companion Scout, out of reg
ular hours when life are not on
n ri H. g,,Nl r.
mer, so it was safe" The bows
swan faster, and when they looked
back discovered the father sinking
Two 1S-year-old Scouts with a drown
ing man! No time to call aid, They
saved him, for they knew how
&* x
How much does it cost TO take a
harum- scarum boy, flied with rest
less energy bound TO find express
sion' and guide him into usefulness
and scouthood in place of the gang
which so often leads to mischief3 In
Washington the expense taside from
the ~ that the Scout spends for his
untform) averages S5S1 per wear
which is only half of what it averages
in most cities. In 1918 there were
43 troops here, with a total member
ship of 9SS; in 1924 there were l42
troops, with a membership Of 3,536
5000 Scouts this year. -
Boy Scouts do not constitute rival
organization conflicting with anv
other. Nor is ii sectarian. OF the lac
troops in Washington, % are in
Methodists churches, 21 Episcopal. Ig
Catholic Jewish, ". NJ. c. A.. 15
on-institntional and the rest in vari-
Gus churches.
Each troop is under a trained adult
leader nj faA Il.
More such leaders are needed in view
of the increasing membership a
large percentage of boys are cIassed
as ."HnderprivileGed" - boys whose
| homes are not prosperous-but the
spirit of democracy prevails, and "a
| Scouts Scout, for a that"
The question is put up squarely to
our citizens rs to the adVisability OF
an Investment for dividends in pa
triotism in manhood. in good citizen-
| ship. Washington is reputed to have
little municipar pride as compared
with other cities, yet we may well
| be proud that we have more Scouts
| to the thousand population than anv
city in America, and that they cost
| less per year than other. Scouts. Next
May %, when the third annual inter-
| city Scout competition occurs at
| Boiling Field, with coptests of teams
| from 16 cities--Scouts of Washing
ton, we salute you! Washingtonians
| are too good sports not to back
you, and cheer YOU in your contests
| in first aid.vin signaling, in wood
craft, in frefighting, in. knife and
| hatchet manipulation. in rope tying,
in swimming and In tent pitching
! We are all for you, =
Back Of you are President Coolidge.
| Gen. Pershing. every member Of the
| cabinet and. all officials of preceding
administrations The Boy Scouts are
! the pride of Washington, There are
$4,000 ,,eligtblesf aud every one ought
| to be a good sport, and That means d
! Boy Scout What an army of real
men!
Copyright, 1925, by Paul v Coilns1