The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-03-18

Critchneid and is published in accord ance with a resolution adopted by the Board and approved by General Robert Shaw Oliver, Assistant Secretary of War, President of the Board. and Cap tain Grote Hutcheson, U. s. A., mem Der and recorder.
 The report of this special committee Is a document of great interest to all who favor a general system of train ing In craftsmanship for American youth. It points out that, while many unsuccessful attempts have been made to institute course in rifle practice in the public schools or the country, such a course has been established in the schools of the city or New York and that the success which has been attained there has demonstrated the feasibility and advisability of introduc. ing rifle practice in the public schools among boys over the age of Ia years. The system in vogue in the schools of New York was devised by the Public Schools Athletic League, and has been so thoroughly tested thar, in the opin- ion of the special committee, 1t should be recommended for adoption. This. with the organization of citi- zens' clubs for the promotion of rife practice all over the country. will bring the matter to 8 point where ev- cry one can become proficient in the
 
 which will prove of inestimabie benefit in case of war.
 The Enlisted Man.
 When a man enlists In the service of his country, he Is filled with a patri- otic desire. or should be, to do the best possible to make of himself good and useful soldier. It Is truly said by one who knows, as he has had all the experience necessary along that line, that '.the most trying part of soldiers life Is the first few days after entering upon his duties as such.
 "Everything being new and strange, many things seem to him to be useless and invented only to try him. and at times he feels himself degraded. If he is required to stand at attention, or given, an order to perform certain work. he often resents 1t, and from this forms a false idea as to military requirements.
 Therefore. 1t is of the first import ance that the enlisted man should be started right and made to understand that cheerful obedience is essential to the highest discipline. It is no mark of inferiorfty to render faithful obe- dieHce and subordinate oneself to in- struction in any undertaking, and un- | less the recruit fully makes up his mind to accommodate himself to the new order of things, he will prove a failure, and sooner pr later find himself at variance with all constituted au- thority.
 4'The recognition of authority is only acknowledging one's allegiance to his country, the serving of which is the first consideration of all tue Ameri- can citizens. With this principle ever before him, the soldier should lend l himself to the fashioning process, which in due time will develop him into first-class soldier and better citi- l zen.
 r1gnorant of military matters, the recruit is willing to be instructed. and, therefore, he should be furnished With I the best methods and guided into the eaaiest path where he will reap the best results
 Tn the National Guard service, 1t too often hapens that the recruit is at once placed in the ranks. given a rifle and made to march up and down the armory drill floor, hearing only squads right or column left until he thinks there is not much else for him to learn; and but little else for him to do; and he never realizes how little he does know until at his first Inspection he is unable to answer the simplest questions.
 sTt Ia then that his humiliation Is deepest and he resolves to ask for his discharge immediately after the inspec- ton, giving as a reason, unable to per- form his military duty.