The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-04-26
Local Soldiers Not Proficient
in Target Practice-More
and New Targets for Ord
way Range-The National
Trophy Match.

Since the announcement Of the dates
Of the annual inspection of the National
Guard the members of the local citizen
soldiery have been scurrying and hurry
ing around their company rooms and are
rapidly getting things and themselves
ready for the yearly look over" Not
for month or more has such activity
been noticed around the Center Market
Armory. and judging from past per
formances a long time will eIapse be-
fore there is a similar demonstration
The members of the organizations who
have not reported regularly during the
winter months were ordered TO report
on their respective drill nights and as
stst their companies in making as good
a showing as possible when the trying
ondeaI comes. Some little practice and
hard work is necessary TO get the men
and their equipments IN proper trim for
the inspection. and there is every indi-
cation that this years inventory viii he
more rigid than ever, and the companies
will try hard to make high percentages.
The men have been shining up their
guns, bayonets, belts and cross guns.
and almost all of them have taken their
uniforms home TO be cleaned and bright
ened up. The headquarters of the differ
ent companies, as we'll as the men, will
be inspected by the adjutant general
who sees a great deal and says little
Never before in the history of the Guar
have the rooms been so clean and fresh
looking. All this is due to the work done
by the members of the company, who. il
appears, are endeayoring TO Guido all Of
their previous efforts. Attendance
counts for a great deal at the inspec-
ton, and the officers are paying more
attention to this than at any other time.
At the inspection Of the majority OF the
companies there will be many strange
faces. the owners of which simply don
ned the uniform in order to increase
percentages Of the companies in which
they are enlisted.
Eneampment Plans Not Ready.
Adjt Gen. Theodore Mosher says
the plans for the annual encampment
OF the District National Guard will not
be made public for more than a month
for the simple reason that they will not
be completed. and issued from the War
Department before that time. Because
OF the fact that it has been rumored
there viii be certain changes in this
years outing. the guardsmen have beer
unusually anxious 10 learn exactly what
they viii have 10 do during the ter
days in July when the entire brigade
goes on its outing
It is believed Adiutant Mosher's an
nouncement Will SET at rest. for q
month at least. the uneasiness and men
tai unrest OF the men IN the ranks Of
course, the adjutant general knows JUS
about what changes viii be made thI.
year, but nothing definite can be learn
ed Il Is safe to presume the old sys-
tenn OF taking the men TO one place and
keeping them there for ten hot summel
days. doing the same thing over and over
again, will be abandoned. Another thing
is almost certain, and that is. if thc
old system is in vogue this year the
smallest number Of men that ever turn
ed out for the outing viii march Il
the train the morning the brigade leaves
for its destination.
Indoor Rife Practice.
Major James E Bell, Inspector Gen
eral OF Rife Practice of the Nationa
Guard. reports the indoor rife practice
has been most satisfactory this year
with the exception Of the pronounced
Iaxity on the part of some CT the Of
ficers. who set a bad example by no
manifesting the proper spirit and in.
terest in rife practice The question
has often been asked: What sort of :
soldier is the one who does not know
how TO shoot to kill? The answer