Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-20

~ 7AT1FYING to all concerned was
4 the turnout of the ID Regiment,
- National Guard of the District of
NJ Columbia, for its annual parade,
drill and dance the past week. The
attendance of officers and men was above
the average, and the showing made. espe-
cially by the majors in handling their COM
mands in the limited space during battalion
drill proved cause of favorable comment.
1t was suggested, however, that more at
tention should be paid to increasing in
terest in the social features Of National
Guard work. The enlisted men. particular
ly. expect something more than drills and
rifle practice. and the more care manifested
in arranging events of a social nature the
more zest, it Is believed, would be displayed
in carrying out the strictly military de-
mands.
1t is explained at the War Department
that the delay in filling the local requisition
for rifle practice decorations is due to the
fact that the troops in the Philippines have
not yet received their decorations for the
season of 1905, and therefore all available
supplies are being sent to the island pos
sessions. The promise is made, however,
that the District National Guardsmen in
the near future will receive the insignia
earned by them on the rifle range.
The increased attendance at rifle prac-
tice thus far the present season indicates
that the interest which is being taken In
that branch of the soldiers work, notwith-
standing the Encouragement due to fail
ure to receive decorations earned for skill
in craftsmanship by those who qualified in
the various grades, is unabating.
The improvement in the scores also shows
that the lessons learned in the camp of in
struction which was located on the range
have not been forgotten. No mistake
made when that camp was authorized. and
should 1t be established, as 1t probably
will, 1t is quite unlikely that total of SIS
fourth-class men will be reported for the
season of 1907.
The loss to the guard of such officers as
Capts. Michael ]. Ryan and Leonard II.
Johnson is said to be deplored by all who
are interested In the subject of rifle prac-
tice. They both retire as expert riflemen,
having won the decoration and distinction
during the past season.
The divisions of the naval battalion will
find their rifle practice duties much more
pleasant this season than formerly by rea-
son of a sufficient number Of rifles having
been placed at the gallery for their accom-
mediation. They will now report directly
at the gallery instead Of at the ship, being
saved the trouble of going back and forth.
The largest attendance at ordered prac-
tice thus far reported by any company is
that of Company A LIST Separate Battalion.
Three officers and thirty-three enlisted men
fired their scores last Thursday evening.
The company matches will occur in the
gallery tomorrow and Tuesday evenings.
Companies E. F, G, H, I. ]. X. L and NJ.
1st Regiment; Companies A. B, G and D,
I'd Regiment, and 1st Battery Field Artil-
lery shoot tomorrow, and Companies E. G,
l, K l. and NJ, I'd Regiment; LIST. I'd. Sd and
4th divisions Of the Naval Battalion and
the Signal Corps Tuesday.
ID C,,1lf Too IT.
spector rifle practice, I'd Battalion, and
Lieut. Eugene A. Byrnes, 1. R. p, Sd Bat
TALON will be range officers tomorrow and
Tuesday evenings. respectively.
The general staff. the field and stan Nh
GERS and non commiSS .oned staff regiments
and battalions will fire the icnhired S5.ne
for the month "Wednesday evening Ihat
evening all other officers If The brigade who
have not fired the required scores will be
expected to do SO.
Considerable criticism is heard from Ma
tional Guardsmen who are former soldiers
of the war with Spain and the instruction
in the Philippines OF the construction
nlaced by the War Department upon the
act of Congress which appropriated money
for the striking of badges to be awarded to
those soldiers who participated either In
the Cuban campaign, the campaign In the
Philippines or in the Boxer campaign in
China In the language of the law the
badges were intended TO De presented 10
"officers and enlisted men who were COM
missioned or enlisted members of any force
designated to carry on operations In Cuba,
Porto Rico or the Philippine Islands, and
who served ashore in any of those Islands,
or on the high seas en- route thereto" be-
tween certain given dates. In interpretat-
ing the law the War Department holds
that a soldier to be entitled to one of the
medals must now be in the military serv-
ice of the United States.
The former soldiers think that had Con-