Big Row in Boy Scouts Explained by Seton

1915

Says Officers All the Time Begging From Rich Men — No Connection With Lone Scouts

NEW YORK, Dec. 16. — The quarrel among the officers of the Boy Scouts of America is bringing out some interesting facts concerning the present policies of the organization and the men now at its head. Ernest Thompson Seton, who recently announced his resignation as Chief Scout of the organization, has come out with a statement that he did not resign because of opposition to the policy of "preparedness" for national defense.

"I am not opposed to preparedness," says the former Chief Scout. "My idea of preparedness is a little more inclusive than that of extreme militarists, as I see that we must prepare for peace as well as for war; but if life, as it is, leads to war we must be prepared for that, too.

"It is not because the Boy Scouts took up military training that I resigned my commission; it was because, while pretending to be non-military and collecting funds from those who were opposed to military training, they neglected the non-military activities which seemed to me so fundamental. I resigned a year ago; resigned quietly. I did not mean to injure the organization. But I protested, and brought on all this publicity, against their use of the manual I had written, a manual which emphasized the non-military activities, when the organization was being given over to drills and military discipline."

In nearly all cities where there are Boy Scouts, campaigns are being made to raise funds for the Boy Scout movement.

Ernest Thompson Seton, who is noted as a naturalist and writer of books on nature, charges that militarism comes first in the Boy Scout training, and woodcraft, the original purpose of the movement, is now second.

When Mr. Seton announced his resignation, officers of the Boy Scouts here issued a statement denouncing his action as "unfriendly and selfish" because it came on the eve of a campaign to raise funds to finance the Boy Scout work in New York for the next three years.

Later the National Council of the Boy Scouts held a special meeting and announced that Mr. Seton had not resigned, but was deliberately dropped when his term as Chief Scout expired, because he had only taken out his first papers for citizenship in the United States. He had been connected with the organization nearly all the time since was started.

Other men connected with the Boy Scout organization have objected to the policies pursued by the officers in charge and indications are that the fuss with Mr. Seton will he followed by others.

No Connection With Lone Scouts

The Boy Scouts of America was incorporated by W. D. Boyce, publisher of The Saturday Blade. who had made a study of the Baden-Powell Boy Scout organization in England and brought the plan to this country five years ago. Mr. Boyce had intended the organization for every boy. After it was well started he went to South America to write articles and get photographs for the Blade. On his return a year later he found that the Boy Scouts of America had grown to nearly 200,000 members, but he was surprised to find that its members were nearly all clubs of city boys and that they were put to the expense of buying hats, uniforms, badges, books, etc. He then planned an organization for boys in the smaller country towns and out on the farms, so they could operate alone or with each other, and without any expense. In January, 1915, he had incorporated in Washington, D. C., the Lone Scouts of America. At the first meeting of the incorporators Mr. Boyce was elected Chief Totem of the organization.

The Lone Scouts of America has no connection with the Boy Scouts of America or any other organization. It is not dependent on contributions from wealthy men, but is entirely supported by the sale of its weekly magazine, "Lone Scout," which is sold at a price within the reach of every boy. There are no fees or dues for members to pay. All instructions and badges are given free. It is not a military organization in any sense. The motto of the Lone Scouts of America is "Do a Useful Thing Each Day." Along with woodcraft and scouting and other play, the members acquire useful knowledge and training, are shown how to be helpful to themselves and others and are taught things which will be of value to them all their lives.

Other information concerning the Lone Scouts of America and directions for joining the organization are given in "Lone Scout," which is sold by all agents for The Saturday Blade, Chicago Ledger and the Farming Business.

—Saturday Blade, Chicago, Dec. 18, 1915, p. 4.