The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-04-08
The Shot Tint Hits.


Writing of the great value Of rife
practice, Major F. S. Baker of the
Oregon National Guard says that
rifle practice is the weapon that
the infantry to possess its values to an
army, and l might say here that the
lessons drawn from the great contests
of the past are that, in most cases.
infantry fire has been the deciding
factor on the battlefield.
Our duty is Incomplete as long as
anything that will bring the shooting
ability of our soldiers to a higher
plane is left undone.
The falacious belief that we are a
nation of marksmen should be rejec-
ted, and all proper efforts should be
made to extend the theory and prac
tce of rifle firing. Certainly If men
are to become proficient in the use
of the rifle there is only one course
that can bring about such proficiency
and that is, actual use OF this arm.
President Roosevelt recently said:
You may put a uniform On man
and a rife in his hand and then drill
him, but, If you do not educate him
how to shoot that rife, and shoot to
hit the object. another man can come
along with a club and put aim out of
business.
mo soldier can be placed upon the
mark unless great care has been de-
voted to his training.
The nearer each soldier can ap-
proach to a high standard of marks
manship, just so much more valuable
will he be, and our constant endeavor
should be to SO perfect the marksman-
ship of our men that they may prove
themselves superior in shooting abil-
ity to any nation that could be con-
sidered a possible foe.
Ten men who could hit their target
in battle In one out of every ten
shots, would be equal to one hundred
men who could only get IN one hit
out of every hundred shots. The
highly trained man should be able to
perform the former feat while the
unframed man could not be expected
to accomplish the latter.
The rapid and satisfactory iustruc
ton of enlisted men in target prac
ttice depends on their officers and It
is scarcely necessary to say that the
latter should thoroughly understand
both theory and practice.
The officer who can shoot well is a
better instructor than the officer who
cannot. He knows of his cwn per-
sonal knowledge and experience the
details of wind. mirage, atmosphere.
temperature, light gun barrels and
the adjustment of sights for various
conditions. He has the confidence of
the men because they know that when
he makes a statement he speaks as
one having authority; because they
know that he can make good. In the
matter of shooting the soldier is in
the position of the man from Missouri
you must show him" And the Of
ficer who cannot do that. cannot ex-
pect that his advice and directions will
have much weight with his men.
Even though his instructions be per-
fectly correct. the soIeier, after hav
ing in accordance with offers made
some change in adjustment. and,
through a personal error, missed the
target, will inevitably say to himself,
Well, he doesn't know as much about
II as l do" and change his adjust
ment. No man desires to receive in
structions from a man less capable
than himself. An officer DESTROYS of
becoming an expert rifieman would
not consent to be instructed by a third
class man. No more then is t fair to
force upon an enlisted man an instruc-
tor less capable than himself. And
this ability to shoot well lies within
the power of every officer, with few
exceptions.
Recognizing the vital Importance of
rifle practice as necessary essential