Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-10-27
THE NATIONAL GUARD
Affairs of Local Militia in an Apa-
thetic State.
EARLY OPENING OF WINTER SEASON
Major Bells Announcement Re-
specting the Shooting Gallery.
EXAMINATIONS ORDERED

Affairs in the District National Guard at
the present time may be described, in the
political term Of the day. as being decidedly
apathetic. All of the main events of the
year have been concluded, the encampment,
the cruise of the naval reserves, the rifle
competition at Sea Girt and target practice
on the local ranges, so there is left in i'm
mediate contemplation nothing outside the
usua! military routine. To the true militia
man the winter season is just as important
and interesting, however, as is the sum-
mer season, the latter being exceptionally
attractive to those who love display and
the spectacular.
The winter months spent in the study OF
tactics and at work in the shooting gallery
makes of the officer and the enlisted man
the efficient guardsman SO necessary to the
health of the militia organization The
guard of Washington is fortunate in having
many such students among its commits
stoned staff and in the ranks. Consequently
the constant flow of promotion finds those
called upon to take higher rank unquall-
fiedly fitted for their new and more exalted
duties. In national guard organization,
where the business interests of its members
are constantly changing and making IN
creaSing demands upon their time, the now
of promotion is quite rapid necessarily. So
the winter OF study and indoor drill is
looked forward to with considerable inter-
est by a large contingent. d. present,
however, with the election coming on, the
guard has felt the influence of politics, and
there has been slackness which Will con-
tinue until the ballots have decided the
most important issue that can come before
the American people-the selection of their
President.
Shooting Gallery to Open.
Important in it's connection with the val
liable winter work Of the guardsmen is the
announcement from Major James E. Bell,
inspector of rifle practice, that the shooting
gallery at the armory will be opened No
vember for voluntary practice. The out
door range at Ordway is still open for the
tardy guardSmen to complete their scores.
Major Bell is anxious that the delinquents
will do their shooting at the earliest posi-
BILE moment convenient to them, SO the
scores may be completed. Next Tuesday
is the day set for closing the Ordway
range, but, it is stated, the time will be eX-
tended a few days.
Major Bell expects to arrange soon for
the distribution of the prizes won at the
National Rifle Association meet held at
Ordway last week, and which was, by the
way, one of the most successful in the his
tory of the organization. The ceremony
will probably be held in the armory drill
hall within the next ten days and at that
time sharpshooters' crosses and marks
mems buttons will be distributed
New Rifles Received.
The new Krag-Jorgensen 80 cahber rifles
oiutieu ioI TIC DiiSdue inc team nave d.
rived, and it is Major Bells intention to
have a match shot at Ordway Thanksgiving
day between two teams especially picked
for the contest. one being armed with the
krag rifles and the other with the old
fashioned 40 caliber Springfelds. In this
way it is hoped to get line on the respec-
tive merits of the two arms for work on the
ranges. During the next two weeks mem
bers of the United States Marine Corps will
be engaged in rifle work at Ordway, the
camp being under command of Major c. H.
Lauchheimer. During the stay of the ma
rines the District guardsmen may engage
in voluntary practice Tuesdays, Thursdays
and Saturdays as heretofore The range
will close with the departure of the ma
rines and will not open again this winter
except for the match of Thanksgiving day.
Notes of Interest.
Major Joseph w. Anderson of the ID Bat
TALON has rendered his resignation az an
officer of the guard. The major has had
this step In contemplation for a long while
and 1t was brought about by a pressure of
private business.
First Sergeant John H. Shreve, Company
B, LIST Battalion, has been honorably dis
charged to accept promotion by Commits
SIGN.
Private Alexis q. Yznaga, Battery A.
Light Artillery, and Electrician ". K
Kraesley. jr., second division, Naval Bat
talon, have been honorably discharged on
their own application.
On account of removal from the District
the following have been honorably dis
charged: Corporal George c. Crookes, En-
gineer Corps; Privates Walter M. Harris,
Colder ]. Farr, William L. McDuell and
Johr F. Renfro, Company A, Sd Battalion.
The following have been ordered before
the brigade board of examination, Novem-
Der 81: First Sergeant jeremiah Hunt of
Company A. 9th Battalion, for promotion
to second lieutenant; Sergeant Early D.
Yoder. Company B, I'd Battalion. for pro-
motion second lieutenant; First Lieuten-
ant Sheridan Ferree, Company D, 9th Bat
talon, for promotion captain; First Ser
geant William Humphrey, Company D, 9Th
Battalion, for promotion as second lieuten-
ant, and Second Lieutenant Harry Coope,
Company A, 1st Battalion, for promotion as
first lieutenant.