BOY SCOUTS

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   In striking and very pleasing contrast to the Moscow Soviet's attempts to create worldwide strife, comes the news from the Scouts' Jamboree, which is at present being held at Birkenhead, that Mr. Mortimer Schiff, of the famous New York firm of bankers - Messrs. Kuhn, Loeb and Co. - has presented £10,000 to the Prince of Wales to establish a fund for the promotion of friendship among boys throughout the world. This is splendid, and much more in keeping with the spirit that permeates the world today than the "Red" and detestable propaganda of the Communists. It may be merely a coincidence that the Jamboree, in which thousands of Boy Scouts from various parts of the world are participating, began its operations almost simultaneously with the futile attempt to create an international general strike "ordered" from Moscow by the Soviet.

   Scarcely anything, we reiterate, could be in more striking contrast. The Moscow machinations are the most insidious of mischievous propaganda, while the "Jamboree" and all that it stands for in the minds of those who have organised it and of those who are taking part in it, represents, above all, at least a practical attempt to create worldwide friendship. Since Lt. General Lord Baden Powell (as we must now call the veteran soldier who founded the Boy Scout movement) first turned, in 1908, his attention seriously to the training of boys, so as to make them useful and manly citizens and by no means primarily to interest them in military affairs, the Boy Scout movement has become truly international.
   Than Baden Powell, the distinguished soldier who had taken part in warfare in many parts of the world, none was better qualified to succeed in such a splendid scheme. Its enormous success indicates that it was fundamentally sound from its inception. Clearly, its founder thoroughly understood what appealed most to boys and knew best how to make the most of them from their "semi savage" state, leading up to responsible, practical and clearheaded manhood. It was and is a noble and inspiring work, and all who have participated in it deserve every credit for what they have done and what they are doing. His Majesty the King, in honouring the Chief Scout, indicates his appreciation of the Boy Scout movement and very probably also of the Girl Guides, which likewise is a splendid organisation for girls of all ages. Infinitely better surely is it to have boys and girls so trained, physically, mentally, and spiritually, than that they should be, as was too often the case, left to their own unguided devices.