21 SEPTEMBER 1934, Page 2

Physical Training and the Nation's Health While Signor Mussolini is

turning infants into toy soldiers English public-schoolboys have been finding ways quite as effective of proving their mettle. The story brought home by the 48 who got back from a six weeks' tour in Newfoundland on Tuesday was intensely stimulating. The party had been doing real exploration from a base camp established in the centre of the island, taking bearings, carrying out surveys, constructing new maps and on a small scale adding something to the sum of human knowledge. The party broke up into groups, some of which tasted the authentic experience of pioneers by running short of rations. Unfortunately such an enterprise can, for reasons of expense, be only for the few. Boys of another class must content themselves with such stimulus and training as the Boy Scout movement provides—and very . valuable it is. Sir George Newman, in his report on the nation's health in 1933, lays needed stress on the importance of organized physical training for adolescents, particularly boys between 14 and 18: The idea ought to be pursued. Compulsion should be reduced to a minimum, but the new training-centres for juveniles provide a real oppor- tunity for sound physical training. * * •