Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-06


~ headquarters Of late. Is stated.
in the matter of rifles and other
property that have been allowed
by officers and enlisted men of the Ma
tional Guard to slip through their hands
and to wander into the marts OF trade
and commerce The model 1908 maya
zine rifles were issued to the troops IN
April last, and already some Of them
have gone astray. Lack of proper su-
pervision and care on the part of prop
erty officers is assigned as the cause OF
the present condition of affairs. This
criticism. it is explained, does not apply
to all property officers by any means, but
1t is regretted that there are any who
are unequal to the task Of properly car
ing for the public property intrusted to
them.
"On1y last week" an officer at head
quarters says. two rifles the property of
the District of Columbia Militia. were
found suspended in he show window of
a local private shooting gallery bearing
inscriptions giving the impression that
they were souvenirs of the Spanish war
and the Philippine campaign. 1t is inn
possible of belief that persons not alto
gether irresponsible can entertain the
idea that government property may be
used for such purposes. The question Is
asked, How came the private shooting
gallery into possession of these rifles?
I'm the case of one rifle the proprietor
blandly admitted that he had paid s. for
the arm and expected to sell 1t for $40 OF
H2. Who sold the rife to him?' is next
asked That is now being Investigated.
Under , the militia law. the act OF
who shall sell. dispose Of pawn or
pledge. willfully destroy. or injure or re-
tain. after proper demand made. any
public property issued under the provi-
sions Of the act shall be punished by Inn
prisonment for not exceeding two months,
or by a fine not exceeding 500. or by
both
Under the District code the buying and
selling of stolen property OF a value less
than $35 is punishable by fine not ex-
ceedng 800 or by Imprisonment for not
more than eleven months and twenty
nine days. Under the provisions of sec
tion J43S Of the Revised Statutes OF the
United States. as amended by act of May
30. 1905, the bartering Of government prop
erty Is punishable by a fine not exceeding
$500 or by Imprisonment not exceeding
two years.
'It will be seen, therefore. that the
careless and irresponsible handling Of
United States property by national guards
at fault. 1t is the intention of head
quarters to prosecute any person who Is
known to be trafacking illegally with gov
eminent property"
Is laid by headquarters on the necessity
Of accurate lists being made of the ar
senal numbers Of rifles and bayonets by
company commanders and quarter
masters and the frequent verification Of
the lists In order that the respon sible Of
f1cers may at all times have in their Gus
tody the identical arms for which they
receipted.
Company e. LIST Regiment. the Corcoran
Cadet Corps. has arranged to entertain the
7th Company, Coast Artillery. Of Norwalk
Conn, when It comes here to participate
in the inaugural parade March 4.
The officers and enlisted men Of Com
pany B. list Separate Battalion. have ar
ranged to give a complimentary military
reception In its armory Friday evening.
December 10, the close OF the first drill
period. Admission will be by card only,
the same to be supplied the members of
the company Monday. December IA.
While not even the most optimistic of
those interested in rifle practice expect it
to rival base ball and foot ball as an at
tractive feature Of student life at the
larger colleges and universities. neverthe-
less the increase of interest manifested In
rifle practice work both outdoors and in
doors at the colleges and universities Is
regarded as gratifying. About three or
four years ago trophy was secured for
the intercollegiate rife match. It Is a
shield Of bronze mounted on oak. The in
scription Is In the center and at the bot
tom is book of loosely opened bronze
leaves on which the name Of the winning
college is inscribed, with data concerning
the team and its record.
= This trophy was won in 1905 by Prince
ton University and in 1905 and 1908 by
George Washington University. the mem
bers OF the latter team also being District
National Guardsmen. There was no con-
test for 1t in 1907
There Is great difficulty In securing the
attendance Of many teams at the inter-
collegiate match because 1t is impossible
to hold the same outdoors in the winter
and in the summer time the students are
scattered and 1t Is impossible to secure
teams from any large number Of colleges.
1t Is expected that during the present win
ter correspondence matches will be held
among the colleges and universities affll-
lated with the National Rifle Association,
which may be shot on indoor ranges.
The government is greatly interested in
-
such students and it has been frequently
recommended that the War Department
SHOULD furnish medals for competition
among such students. In not a few cases
government arms are furnished and an al
lowance Of ammunition Is made. Among
the universities and colleges which now
have rifle clubs organized under the rules
of and affiliated with the National Rifle
Association are Columbia University.
Harvard University. Cornell University,
Massachusetts Institute Of Technology.
University Of Pennsylvania the Collese Of
st. Thomas. st. Paul. Marist College of
Atlanta, University of Idaho, University
Of Nevada. Yale University and George
Washington University.
"a bulls IL a BULL s-eye," Is an
expression frequently used in connection
with rifle shooting. but those unfamiliar
with military rifle practice as at present
conducted have little conception of what
is meant by bull's-eye on the rex,1la-
ton targets. The ranges at which shoot
ing now takes place are 200, 300, 500 600
500. 800 and 900 yaros.
For these ranges three targets are em-
ployed. The first is target A. VIII is
used at 200 and 300 yards. 1t is six
feet tall and four feet in wiu,n, with
bull's-eye in the center eight inches in
diameter. This is surrounded by circle
twenty-six inches in diameter Another
circle is fortysix inches in diameter The
bull's-eye counts 5. shot In the inner
remainder of the target 3
The r target which iS r,Sed 5l0 nd