Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-08
Importance of Rifle Practice.

The officials of the present meeting and
the officers of the National Rife Association
of America are exertng themselves to the
end that the real Importance of rifle COM
petitions and practice shall be realized by
citizens generally.
1t Is pointed out that hundreds of mil
lions of dollars are being spent annually
for the acquisition of ships, armament and
the training of men afioat, and also for
providing the most up-to-date equipment
for the land forces. But, it is declared,
the one vital measure of detsnse that Is
being neglected is the training Of the future
armies of this country in the use of the
rifle. Said one of those who is earnestly
interested in the subject:
The men who are today in our regular
army and National Guard organizations
are not those who are likely to make up the
vast majority of troops to be put in the
field in time of war. Fully 80 per cent of
a volunteer army will. be made up of men
schools and colleges, and yet absolutely
nothing is being done today to teach such
men how to effectively use the piece that
they will have to use in time of war.
"Of our regular army, only $4,000 men
carry rifles today and are trained in their
use. Any additional men enlisted in time
of war must of necessity, under present
conditions, be entirely without training with
the piece with which they will be armed
Turning to the National Guard, while
it is true that the citizen soldiery can be
ordered into service for nine months, as
their continued use could not be counted
upon, we should be obliged Immediately to
start the organization of such volunteer
force as might, under the circumstances,
be thought to be necessary. Therefore, as
above stated, we must depend upon raw re-
cruits to the extent of upward of 50 per
cent, and as volunteers in our armies here
tofore have averaged less than twenty
three years of age, it is plain that young
men and boys must be taught to shoot
when 1t is possible if we are to have an
efficient defensive force.
Faint Help or Opposition.
What is being done today to remedy
this most serious defect? Practically MOTH
ing. The army officers detailed at the
various schools and colleges have taken
little or no interest in the rifle practice, in
most instances, and where they have
sought to better the conditions they have
met with either faint help or positive OPP
position, because rifle practice entails ex-
pense upon the institution where 1t is held.
Ninety-nine out of a hundred American
youths as they grow up look forward to
serving their country in time of need. Let
every such boy definitely understand that
he will simply be an incubus unless he can
either command effectively his fellow SOL
diers or use his piece with effect.
THE national board for the promotion OF
rife practice has adopted a definite pro-
gram which, If carried out, will render 1t
possible for those who are willing to devote
Others to achieve some success in sup
plying positive need THAI has long been
demonstrated beyond peradventure TO
other nations. To carry out the plan ranges
and ammunition must be provided and time
devoted to practice. What use Is 1t to spend
hundreds of millions for defense IL we DO
not teach our future soldiers how to
shoot?"