Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-20
\ RESIDENT TAFT paid high
tribute to the organized militia
of the country in his address de-
livered at the banquet of the

tiipute 10 the organized militia
OF the country in his address de-
Hvered at the banquet Of the
department Of the. Potomac, G..
A. R, at the Arlington Hotel last We'd
| nesday evening.
Now, my friends said the President,
addressing the veterans Of the civil war,
reference has been made by Commander
in-Chief Van SAINT to the lessons that
you have taught the country with ref
erence to the possibility of volunteer SOL
dlery. But, my dear friends you like to
call yourself volunteers You like to
refer to that great army that walked
down Pennsyi vania avenue as volunteers,
as citizen soldiery; but you know in your
hearts. and know, that there never was
a regular army, trained as 1t might have
Been for years, that had the experience
of soldering that that army had and that
was as well entitled to be called veteran
soldiery.'
1t is all right to talk about volunteer
soldiery, but you cannot make a volun-
teer veteran soldier over night, and
therefore what we have got to do in this
country. because We want to be in a
position where we can defend the flag
and the country SO worthy of defense. is
| to put ourselves in a position not with a
large standing army, but with a skele-
ton standing army. and such a relation
to the existing militia that when ext
Gency comes we can put them all to-
gether and make the basis for an ex-
panding army worthy to defend the re-
public, and that has been done, but not
entirely
For the first time in the history of
the country there is suitable militia
law on the statute books. For. the first
time in the history Of the country we
| have assimilated the militia of this coun-
try with the regular army, and unless
your eyes are better than the eyes of
most gentlemen, who have reached YOUR
age; l assume that because 1 can count
BACK forty-f1ve years to the war, YOU
cannot tell the difference when YOU see
the regular army and the militia watkins
along pennsylvania avenue They are
ankle in uniform. They are alike in dis
nations. They use the same weanons
and when they are called into the service
they don't have to make any change in
the life that they have been taught to
live as militiamen."
me Presidents reference to the militia
Was greeted with long applause.
~
Arrangements are being perfected to
hold the intercollegiate outdoor rifle tour
hament this year In Washington. The
National Guard of the District will lend
Its range for the purpose and the Army.
Navy and Marine Corps, as we'll as the
local National Guard. will be invited to
detail the officers for the match, and the
force necessary to care for the targets
and the scoring boards. The National
Rlne Association of America has the
matter In cha ge and expects to make
the visit of the college riiemen to the
capital an event of Importance. They will
pc taken to the Capitol and public build
ings. and II President Taft Is In the CITY
they will be presented at the White
House. At least six or eight teams from
the leading colleges and universities are
expected to participate in the match
The match calls for teams of six men
firing ten shots each at 200. 300 and 500
yards. with any military rifle and any
ammunition. A handsome championship
trophy goes with the title.
The indoor matches of the Intercolle-
gate League end in March and March %
the annual indoor match for the collie
giate championship of the United States
will be shot Each club will shoot on its
own range. the results will be telegraphed
to the N. r. A. here and later verified by
forwarding the targets. This match also
carries a handsome trophy. The college
clubs in the indoor league are Columbia
University, New York city: University Of
Iowa, Washington State College. Univer-
sity of Idaho. Cornell University. George
Washington University, United States Col
lege Of Veterinary Surgeons. University