Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-05

Buckley declares in the concluding para
graph of his report, ''for every detail. no
matter how small, was carried out In a
thorough and soldierly manner. The camp
swas in no sense junket. for the two weeks
spent therein were completely devoted. by
all, to military exercises and instruction"
To Increase Pay Of Marksmen.
District National Guardsmen naturally
will be interested in the official announce
ment that the advisability of increasing In
ter.st in craftsmanship among the soldiers
Of the United States has been recognized
by the army authorities and that there is q
plan on foot to increase the pay of soldiers
in the regular army who qualify as ex-
pert marksmen. In the infantry and cav
airy the expert rif1eman now receives one
dollar month extra for the year in which
he qualities as an expert, but after once
winning this inadequate prize there is no
additional reason for the men to keep up
their standing. It has. therefore. been
suggested that there should be fair-sized
increase of pay for qualifications of this
kind and a small one for each succeeding
qualification thereafter. In this manner
the mans pay would be increased each year
according to his accuracy in craftsmanship
ana eventually the amount received would
become commensurate with the value to
tho government of a skilled shot in COM
parfson with a poor one.
With this end in view, it has been recon-
mended that each enlisted man on his first
qualification as an expert rifeman receive
a monthly increase in his pay Of two dol
lars and an additional increase of one dol
lar per month after every other yearly
Qualincatfon as an expert marksman so
long as his service remains continuous. 1t
Is further recommended that each enlist
ed man on his first qualification as sharp
shooter receive a monthly increase Of one
dollar and an additional increase Of fifty
cents per month for every yearly Qualiica-
ton as SharpshOoter so long as his service
remains continuous.
Money Instead Of Medals.
1t is suggested that instead Of donating
medals at the various competitions as the
sole prize for the ones winning thereat, the
following increase in the enlisted mans
pay in addition to the medal prizes be
authorized so long as the winners service
remains continuous:
For division rifle. carbine and pistol prac-
tice-to the winner of the gold medal, a
monthly increase of So: first silver medal,
81; second silver medal, $3.50; third silver
medal, 81; except that no man may receive
the increase cited for more than one medal
in any one year.
For army rifle, carbine and pistol competi-
tion--to the winner of the gold medal, a
monthly increase of s.; first silver medal,
So; second silver medal, $3.50; third silver
medal, 81; with the proviso that no soldier
may receive the increase for more than
one medal in any one year.
The retention of the medal prizes is con-
sidered as advisable on sentimental grounds,
as it furnishes a tangible evidence of in
dividual fitness, but in itself it is not re-
garded as an incentive to the best sort of
continuous effort. The proposed increase in
pay would require legislative action and If,
FOR any reason. these recommendations are
not adopted, Congress will probably be ask
ed to increase the pay of expert rif1emen
and sharpshooters Of the infantry and cav
airy branch to the amount now received by
the first-class and second-class gunners of
the artillery corps.