Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-11

familiar with arms than their ancestors
were. bat military shooting b finer art
than half a century ago. Distances are
greater and targets smaller. Long-range
shooting. essential to the efficient soldier.
can only be learned In practice. and in this
country, where the civilian rifle club Is al
most unknown, the only facility for prac-
tice Ii found in the National Guard system.
Bring from the back woods the best squir-
rel shot or the best bird shot and he will
probably not find the target at five hun
dred yards. and at the greater ranges viii
be lost. He has an advantage over the man
who has never shot, but he has dimcuIt les
sons to learn in the matter Of elevation.
light and DETECTION.
Another popular misa apprehension Is that
the Guard is tough" The morale in some
armories Is higher than In others. In some
commands there may be at times tend
ency toward rowdyism and in other COM
mands there never is. This is true Of all
clubs or other associations Of men. The
Guard of the District is composed OF aver
age Americans from every walk In civil
life. They are patriotic. manly and spir-
tied fellows, aud In them Is their fore
fathers fondness for the trumpet, drum and
gun. 1t would be better for the youth OF
the District Ii all took an active interest
in martial exercises. and made their arm
DRY their club instead of lounging fas some
do) on street corners, congregating around
bars and pool tables. and frittering their
time in smoking cigarettes and talking
slang and smut
Certain young men and fond mothers
consider soldering "coarsening.' Well. of
course if young man has not the instinct
of soldier he ought not to Join the Guard
Not long ago so-called military companies
were very popular among the highest
classes of young gentlemen and young la
dies. There were pretty uniforms pretty
drills and pretty dances. What they were
especially weak on. though. were shooting.
marching and field exercises. 1t might be
better if more of the social features were
present in the Guard than now. but real
soldier duties should have the first call.
The Morrell bill provides for a battalion
of coast artillery. Here would be an ex-
cellent opportunity for men interested in
the handling of heavy ordnance. They
could be given high-grade training at Fort
Washington and Fort Hunt and would be
invaluable in manning the undermined
defenses of our seacoast if emergency re-
uuired it.
The field battery is to be recruited to
133 men. making 1t battery of four gun
and two caisson sections. which a war
footing could be quickly expanded to eight
sections. The field battery Is at present in
differently housed. Its quarters are so
cramped that the men use the streets in
bad weather as we'll as good for drilling.
The armory is so i'll adapted to its use that
the men are always working to keep mil
dew off the harness and rust Off the pieces.
1t takes longer to make an artillerist than
an infantryman, and this arm of the service
is deserving of great consideration.
A commendabe feature of the Morrell
bill is that which provides Tor a reserve
corps of the Guard This is to be composed
of men who have been hOnorably discharg-
ed. and will permit them to continue their
connection with their command without per-
forming full military duty. With these re-
serves the commands could expand to war
strength without the enlistment of recruits