Scouting, Volume 8, Number 4, February 12, 1920 Page: 15
16 p. : ill. ; 31 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
SCOUTING, FEBRUARY 12, 1920
15
"America's Gift to France"
Thirty-three years ago last July
Fourth, when the people of our na-
tion joined in celebrating the centenary
of the birth of our liberty, France gave
us the Statue of Liberty as a token of
her everlasting friendship. This statue
inspired our boys to gallantry as they de-
parted from our shores after our entry
into the world war, and later welcomed
them triumphantly home when the cause
of democracy had won on the scarred
battlefields of Europe.
France had given us Lafayette during
the Revolutionary War. Now that a cen-
tury had elapsed since we had declared
our determination to be a free nation,
France desired to perpetuate the spirit of
Lafayette and his descendants by giving
us a lasting, material memorial of her
sympathy for us in our war for freedom.
When the first American troops had
landed on French soil after our entry into
the world war, General Pershing, at the
grave of Lafayette is reported to have
said: "Lafayette, we are here." Ameri-
can boys went to help France in her fight
for self-preservation until more than two
million were fighting side by side with the
French, British, and Italians. American
troops turned the tide of victory in favor
of her Allies, and America paid her debt
to Lafayette.
BUT America has a sentimental debt to
pay to France. But for the great
sacrifices of the French, the war might
have terminated in favor of the com-
mon enemy, long before our entry.
In September, 1914, the Germans were
cruelly rushing on, leaving ruin in their
wake, and were but a few miles from the
cherished French capital, when "Papa"
Joffre, beloved alike by France and
America, checked the enemy advance at
the immortal Battle of the Marne.
The village of Meaux forms the high
water-mark of the German advance.
Here "Papa" Joffre rallied his troops
until almost certain defeat changed into
glorious victory. Here stands a little
wooden cross that marks the spot where
ended the German drive on Paris.
To Replace the Wooden Cross
A COMMITTEE of representative
Americans is raising by popular
subscription among the people of the
country $250,000 with which to give
France a colossal statue to commemorate
her victory at the Marne in 1914. This
statue is to replace the little wooden cross.
Ihe statue will be "America's Gift to
France," and that it may truly be
"America's Gift to France," the commit-
tee has announced that the funds must
discipline of Scouting makes for morale
among boys individually and collectively,
and trains these junior citizens to be the
right kind of senior citizens in the Re-
public.
The Law of Life
THE sixth lamp the Boy Scout move-
ment lights is that preparation is the
law of life. Its slogan is "Be prepared."
The world is demanding thoroughly
prepared men, as never before, for all the
callings of life. Not alone in one calling
or profession is this true, but in all. The
call is for men who are prompt to do
well the thing they propose to do. The
Bible speaks of men being "thoroughly
furnished unto every good work."
It is no new thing, this demand for
thoroughness. But both the Church and
the world are seeing with freshened vision
the folly of using men who are not
"thoroughly furnished," and the demand
is being laid upon every one seeking a
place or responsibility to be able to do
well what is required of him.
Moreover, life is full of emergencies.
There are opportunities that come upon
us as total surprises. They are suddenly
here and quickly gone. What is to be
done must be done at once. If these un-
expected and critical oportunities are to
be seized and utilized, they must find us
in readiness.
No lack of preparation in youth can be
fully made up in later years. The Boy
Scout Movement realizes this, and its
chief endeavor is to "thoroughly furnish"
the boy in body, mind and soul for life's
common tasks and responsibilities, and for
life's emergencies as well.
The Keynote of Christianity
THE seventh lamp the Boy Scout
Movement lights is that service is the
very essence of Christianity.
Every Scout is dedicated by his oath
and law to love of God and country and
to the service of man. Like a Knight he
is sworn to "reverence his conscience as
his King," and to "help all people at all
times."
Every Scout promises to do at least
one good turn every day. I have lately
read, with much interest, an account of
how a number of boys in Atlanta did, in
come from all sections of the country,
and from people of every walk of life.
The amount sought will be needed to
have the statue designed and constructed,
to transport it to France and to have it
erected at Meaux, the precise spot of its
location to be determined upon by Mar-
shal Foch and Marshal Joffre. Fred-
erick MacMonnies, an American sculp-
tor, is now working on the sketches for
the statue, which will represent a woman,
who though beaten down by the storm of
battle, rises undaunted, and raises high
her flag of Liberty.
The offer of this memorial to the
French Government has received the
highest official sanction of the French
Republic and the tender has been accepted
with expressions of gratitude.
A Memorial Book containing the names
0iu-a^ tillages, towns, cities, and societies
which have subscribed will be presented
to the French Republic and placed in a
museum in the base of the statue in token
of the amity of the two Republics.
Rich and poor, old and young of
riance subscribed the fund with which
the Statue of Liberty was erected. Now
America has an opportunity of giving
r ranee something that will stand out
t rough the ages to glorify the heroism
of the French at the Battle of the Marne
and at the same time serve as an ever-
lasting tribute to the common bonds of
Jove and sacrifice that unite the peoples
oi these two great republics.
Boy Scouts are urged to cooperate with
their local committees of "America's Gift
to France' in all ways, of course conform-
ing with the well-known scout regulations.
-Boy bcouts may distribute printed matter
give messenger service, help to advertise
the cause, and in other ways cooperate. On
the other hand, the National Constitution
and By-Laws state that Boy Scouts are
not to solicit contributions for causes of
this kind or be involved in the handling
of the money contributed, but if any
scouts should desire themselves to con-
tribute to this worthy enterprise, all such
contributions should be made to the local
committees.
the course of a certain day, a good turn
t? someone All confessions were un-
signed, so that there was no idea of any-
one advertising his particular virtue The
simple records of chivalry and thought-
fulness might make one smile, but one's
ltfart i_C0U^ not, to touched as he
life" SU a animating boy
The Boy Scouts performed truly won-
aeriul feats in war time, but the greatest
thing Scouting has done is to set before
the boys of our land the fine ideal of
putting the Golden Rule into daily prac-
tise.
The Seven Lamps
' I A HB.SE, I take it, are the seven lamps
J- on the candlestick of the Boy Scout
Movement. And I believe that our
churches are unwise to the last degree if
they do not bring this candlestick into
the temple of God that it may shed its
light on the boy problem, and help us to
answer for the boys of our churches the
question asked concerning the boy who
became the forerunner of Christ, "What
manner of child shall this be?"
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Boy Scouts of America. Scouting, Volume 8, Number 4, February 12, 1920, periodical, February 12, 1920; New York, New York. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth283134/m1/15/: accessed May 5, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Boy Scouts of America National Scouting Museum.