NOT MILITARISTIC

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20055, 29 September 1939, Page 12

NOT MILITARISTIC

BOY SCOUT ORGANISATION PEACE-TIME TRAINING FITTED FOR ALL PERIODS REDOUBLING OF EFFORTS (Spi-ci.il to I Ik* ITnrnlcl.) WELLINGTON, this day. A decrial that the Boy Scout movement was a military organisation was given 'by the Dominion chief commissioner, Mr. Hector Christie, Wanganui, when speaking at the a nan a 1 meeting of the B'oy Scouts’ Association to-day. ‘‘Some years ago scouting was charged on frequent occasions with being a military organisation and its leaders with forming a junior army,” Mr, 'Christie said. "We have always protested that we are not military, and we still maintain that there is nothing and never has been anything of a militaristic nature in scouting. One of the main objects is to develop peace and goodwill.

“While this is all correct, we are fully aware of the fact that if it ever became necessary for a boy to defend his native land or to take up arms in a just cause, he would be able to do it infinitely better if he had received a Scout training. “Here, then, lies the need for increasing our efforts. Who knows where our boys may be before this present war is finished? The Scout movement has something for each lad, whatever the future may have in store. There is training in selfsufficiency and leadership, qualities which will be very much in demand in the days which lie ahead; a training in decency and cleanliness ol' body and mind. We know only too well how the ravages of war time bring disease and death to many who do not live clean lives. Moreover, scouting tends to give a boy a correct, mental outlook, a capacity for judging true values. The Scout’s Promise “Superimposed upon all this is the inculcation of a simple faith in God based upon the Scout’s promise that he will do his best to do his duty to God, a sheet anchor in the stormy sea's oi life which beset our boys whether in peace-time or in war. “At a time suen as this all decent citizens who cannot engage in active service are considering what may be done by them to help the nation. There nre ' certainly many avenues open for national service and here we have one of the utmost importance. “There are troops of Boy Scouts to maintain throughout the Dominion. As our scoutmasters are among the finest young men of the land, it is natural that they should be involved in some form or other in war service. We send out a call to any who can do so, older men, old Scouts, committeemen, to come and help us maintain this work and to prepare the boys for whatever may lie ahead, whether it be in. peace or in war. I appeal to all commissioners to bring before district committees as quickly as possible the scheme for national emergency organisation.”

There was also a scheme of internal district organisation whereby the Scouts in any area could be called together when in the event of an emergency their services were required.