Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1908-03-25
OFFICERS MAY Be
BARRED FROM
RIFLE MEETS
Cons / derabIe Dissatisfaction
With Amendment Excluding
All But Enlisted Men From
Shooting Matches,


Washington, March 24.-Rinemen
throughout the country will be great
ly Interested in an amendment which
was adopted While the army appro
priaton bill was in the house and
which affects the national rifle ana
/ revolver matches. The amendment
Ireads provided; That ,nc trophies
and medals herein authorized shall
be contested for only by the enlisted
men of the army the navy, the ma
rine corps and the national guard or
organized militia of the several states
territories and the District of Column
bia" Under this amendment, which
was added to that portion of the bin
providing an appropriation for the ma
tional matches, the cadets at West
Point and Annapolis and all commits
stoned officers of the army, navy ma
rne corps and national guard would
be excluded from participation in the
national revolver as well as the ma
tiOnal rifle matches both team and in.
dividual This would exclude about
one third to one-half of the best shots
in the services mentioned for the Of
hcers know how to shoot and take as
much if not more interest in shooting
than the priyates and non-commission-
ed officers, generally speaking. The
war department looks with great fav-
or on the interest taken i'm shooting
by the officers as it realizes that no
officer can properly instruct his men
in this most essential feature of a SOL
dier's work unless he himself is fami,.
lar with the rifle and is a good shot
The enthusiasm generated among the
officers at these national matches is
no less valuable than the experience
gained by them and by the enlisted
men and never until now has any
proposition been advanced to shut the
officers out of the matches. The argu-
ment that it is the men and not the
officers who do the shooting certain
" cannot apply to the pistol matches
for in most cases ii is the officers who
are armed with pistols and not the
men, yet under this amendment the
officers would be barred from the ps-
tol as well as the rife matches, At
Camp Perry last year the terms were
of about equal proportions
of officers and men, there being 2Gl
officers and 3O3 men, The number Of
officers on the various teams, arrang-
ed in the order in which they finish
ed, was as follows there being twelve
shooters on each team
Navy z Massachusetts,, none; Ohio,
Z; L. S. Cavalry, 10; Washington 5
o. S Naval Acamedy, -; Pennsyl-
1ania, 3 L. S. Infantry, Z; New York.
4 New Jersey, 4; Minnesota, ); Hi
oois s; Wisconsin, >; L. S. Marine
,orps. 2: District of Columbia, 9;
Michigan, 8; Oregon, 5 Maryland, 9;
Georgia 6 New Hampshire, 8; Iowa,
); Connecticut g. Colorado, 6; Cali
ornia, s. Montana, Z; Maine, 8; Flor
da, 5; Kansas, o. Indiana, 6; Texas
P; Missouri. 7; Oklahoma, Z; Ken
lucky. 10; Hawaii :; wyoming, 3;
Vest Virginia, 5 New Mexico 5; Art
ona, 4; Mississippi 6; South Caro-
ina, 4; Nebraska ,; Alabama, 7; Ten
lessee, Z; North Dakota, 4; Louisiana
zone; Vermont 6; North Carolina, !;
nd Virginia, g.
Speaking of the effect upon the ma
ional matches member of the ma
ional board for the promotion Of rife
ractice, which prepares the regula
ions under which the matches are
hot, said;
I'm my opinion 1t would have a
cry injurious effect upon rife shoot
lg We're the officers prevented from
ompeting at the national matches
hey shoot alongside of the men else
here and work with them in prac-
&c and should be permitted to do so