Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-10
Nebraska
GuardSmen Not
Up to the Mark
Two Omaha Companies May Be Must
cred Out if They Do Not
Take a Brace.
(From a staff correspondents

(From a starr correspondent
LINCOLN. Sept. s.-(special)-In his re-
port on the recent encampment of the Ma
tional Guard, B~rigadier General storch
criticised the Burlington for not handling
the soldiers according to agreement, and
he also that several companies
be mustered out Of the service unless they
show better results. Among these are the
Omaha companies. His recommendations
are as follows:
That companies p; First infantry CWil-
berJ and X, Second infantry ~(Schuyler),
be mustered out Of the service OF the Ne
braska National Guard as not having
enough available men to justify the state
In retaining tn. companies.
That companies L, First infantry, and q,
the subject Of special investigation by the
adjutant generals office and unless they
can show evidence of Improvement, that
the present companies be mustered out OF
the guard and new companies be organized
in Omaha II possible.
That an additional company be organized
in Omaha with a gatling gun section and
that 1t be assigned to the First regiment.
That a gatling gun section be organize
and attached to Company F, Second in
That Companies I Rushville) and x
(Columbus), First infantry, and NJ (Albion)
Second infantry, be placed on probation
until Just prior to the next United States
inspection, 1910, and II they do not show
marked improvement in all military quai
| IlC6LiOnS, LhaI LneN De mustered OUT Oh III
Nebraska National Guard.
That all officers be required to provid,
themselves with khaki service uniform 70
summer service and other equipment re
be made II possible for the purchase iron
the state.
such place as will afford better camp an
drill grounds and railroad competition an
that, II possible. civilians be employed 70
That no company with an enliste
strength Of less than forty-two men (cook
included be allowed to participate In an
camp of instruction and that any compan
reporting at any camp or inspection wit
less than 75 per cent of the enlisted strengt
be mustered out Of the service or reor
ganiEed.
DR.. J. M. Birkner, coach Of the rifle team
Of the Nebraska National guard, whicl
competed In the national shoot at Cam
Perry recently, has recommended to Ad
jutant General Hartigan that the practic
Of sending a team to the national shoe
be discontinued. He says the experience
given the men is Of no benefit to then
and that the results do not justify the ex
penditure. Further, he opposes the shoe
because professionals are permitted to par
l~ticipate.
DR.. Blrkner's recommendations are a
follows:
That Nebraska cease to send a team I
the national match unless conditions chang
so that such an expenditure will show visi
1 BILE %returns; that greater attention be give
to sighting and aiming drills and indoo
t, practice; that all shooting be practiced wit
l the point in view to maketit as near a
possible to shooting under service oOndi
. tions. Skirmish runs with a "B" large
are Of no actual value and never occurs /
1 actual service conditions; that c~ollectiv
fire be practtced to prove the efficiency G
Z the different companies for real servic,
OF what benefit is a company with sew
eral good marksmen, the balance bein
poor shots, II called into active service?
1 recommend that premiums be offere
|, for the companies showing the mos
- proficiency in toto besides prizes for tn
best individual shots.
r recommend that, hereafter, commits
stoned officers be entirely barred frol
shooting in matches. except shooting
matches for themselves
These commentator are submitte
I after I v been thoroughly. convince
u that the amount OF money annually speI
on a team can be more satisfactorily e.
a pended in improving the craftsmanship
the whole guard and thereby giving bettt
y returns to the state and the national go
A eminent
The report has the endorsement of Az
q %jutant General Hartigan.
As another reason for his
lions DR.. Birkner says the government pc
It mits professional shooters to contest. ar
d these are usually employed by powdr
firms and it is impossible for Nebrasl
o to compete with them. The training, !
says, does not prepare the guard Il
active service. For the last three yea
, DR.. Birkner has attended the nation
shoot as coach,