The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1908-05-08
NATION OF MARKSMEN.
The Swiss With Rife, Through Regu.
IarIy Organized Clubs.


At a time when the question OF
military training for civilians is be-
ing much discussed. a short account
OF the Swiss system, from the Man
chester Guardian. may be of interest.
Every man in the peaceful and demo-
cratic country Of Switzerland is a
soldier in modest way. BETTING a
small nation.
The able-bodied Swiss enters the
army at twenty years of age and
serves sixty-fiYe days in his first year.
For the next twelve years he trains
for three weeks every alternate year.
At thirty-two he enters the Land
wehr, and has eight 10 ten days under
arms every fourth year until, at fifty,
he retires, and is required to furnish
no further service except in case Of
war.
What the Swiss militiaman lacks
in military orthodoxy he far more
than makes up By skill with the rife.
1t is not too much to call the Swiss
a nation Of marksmen. The training
periods are occupied only with drill
and tactics; the all-important matter
of shooting is left to the individual
soldier to carry out at other times,
and he does it under the auspices OF
the shooting societies which are such
feature of Swiss life.
These societies, under government
control, are called Schutzengessell-
schaften in the German, and Societies
de Tir in the French cantons. They
are voluntary associations, varying in
size and Importance with the town or
village they serve. Those in the
larger towns possess completely fitted
ranges and clubhouses; the small viii
lagos do their shooting in any field
backed by suitable hill. Every
peasant and townsman has easy facil-
tiles for shooting, and each man has
his service rifle always in his posses
sion.
Every man between the age OF
twenty and thirty-two must fire thir-
ty-two shots in four compulsory exer-
cises every year, and the societies re-
ceive a grant of two francs for every
soldier shooting this course on their
ranges, The income derived from
the grants generally suiIices for the
current expenses of the society, sup
ply of targets and pay of marker.
There is. no entrance fee or subscrip-
ton as a rule, and heavy expenditure,
such as that incurred by the con-
struction Of new ranges, is met by
special grant from the government
Rules as to spectators, methods OF
loading and conduct on the ranges are
stringent. Loss Of grant is incurred
by any breach or neglect of regula-
tions.
In addition to these exercises, many
competitions are held between differ
ent villages, towns and cantons. In
summer the trains and steamers are
crowded with jovial bands of marks
men going to and from their shooting
festivals. The whole system of Swiss
shooting is a good example of Coop
Grafton between government and in
dividual. Every Switzer has his army
rife; he can use it when and where
he will, provided he does not endan-
ger others lives: he is insured by
government against all accidents on
the ranges, and through his society
he can secure the services of qualified
military officers to organize and con-
troll his shooting.
BY treating rife-shooting as
sport, and as it is as popular as foot
ball is with us, and far more general
ly practiced. the Swiss have removed
t from it's usual warlike associations;
but should occasion arise that which
has been learned in sport would be
used in earnest.