The San Francisco call., 1913-08-10
STATE MILITIA Gan
NOT SHOOT FLOCK
OF BARNS, He SAYS
A. II. Pape Asserts National
Guard Is Slipping Back
in Art of Target
Work
BY A. H. PAPE


army OF sharpshooters. Foreign coun-
tries are developing them, Japan being
in the front rank. Teaching schoolboys
from IL years up how to handle rifle
is far better than having an army of
regular soldiers which does not know
how to shoot.
No one can become good shot un-
less he has had chance to learn.
Some will become fairly good shots
without instruction, but by little In
struction he can learn better and in
q shorter time and start off In the
proper position, which is the most i'm
portant thing about rife shooting.
Our regular army consists of less
than 10000 men. Our militia is sup
posed to consist of 100000 men. more
than one-third being on the muster
roll principally to keep companies from
being mustered out The militia in
piled with the regular army rife of
high power, they have had little rife
practice.
Years ago, when the militia used the
old 1910 Springfield. 1t was a common
sight to see 500 or 1000 men on the
rife range. Each man was allowed his
10 shot company score per month free
duQ dilOW GU W Duy Aui bhSI eIAiih I'LL e'oii
for one cent shot
Each company gave medals for COM
petition, and the state also provided a
merit medal.
Proud were the marksmen who won
the gold bar and keen was the compe-
tition for the champion medals. Those
were the days when the militia had
marksmen. but after that everything
changed.
New rifles were supplied the militia
first the Krag. then the modern
Springfield which uses a very high
power cartridge, with a jacketed bullet
costing more than three times as much
as the old 1870.
And then came the labor unions ask
ing their men not to affiliate with the
militia, as the men could not be loyal
to the militia in case of labor troubles
and in case of a strike.
The militia at that time was much
stronger. spent great deal of money.
had more expenses than at present,
and did great deal of rife shooting,
which cost quite a bit of money. The
appropriations are the same, if not
greater.
who is getting the money now? What
Is it spent for?
The naval reserve is In far better
shape, the officers in charge having
government has given them good ships
to practice in. The work of Captain
Bauer, who has devoted a great deal
of time and money. has proved success
full
A great many fathers and mothers
object to their children becoming mem
bers of the national guard, but would
only be glad to have their boys taught
how to handle rifle and to know that
a r-ff Oh no fay 1oH wit md
never to point 1t at any one, knowing
how 1t would eliminate the danger.
The dream of every boy Is to own a
rife. With proper instruction he learns
to become careful. without instruction
is it any wonder that accidents happen?
Teaching the boys minimizes the
danger. See for yourself when picking
up q rife that 1t is empty. Don't take
any ones word for 1t. Look for your
self. Then handle it as carefully as il
it were loaded.
Never load gun until you are ready
to shoot and never point gun. loaded
or empty, at a person or animal unless
you intend to shoot
BY impressing this on a boys mind 1t
would be natural to him when handling
gun to open the chamber and examine
It,
II every boy in our schools had these
rules drilled into him, firearms would
cease to be dangerous.
To do fine rife shooting one must be
physically, mentally and morally sound,
and 1t requires q great deal of self
control to hold a rife and pull the
trigger smoothly without disturbing the
aim.
A nervous person by little practice
easily learns to control his nerve. and
after little practice becomes cool and
collected when his mind gets on his
work. Therefore, rifle shooting is a
great help for the mind and body.
Few accidents happen on the shoot
ing range, where the rules are strict.
The government Is trying in a half
hearted way to get the schoolboys in
terested in rifle shooting, but so far
has not done much. Those who have it
in charge are not going at it properly.
1t is not necessary that the schoolboys
be given a uniform. They should be
given q small, light rifle made after
the military rifle Of 20 caliber, which
will do fine work at SO yards. They
should be taught how to take sight and
pull the trigger standing in the nat
ural position.
Considerable interest is being
aroused In the east and in some of the
military academies. 1t has been noted
that boys who have participated in this
sport have developed concentration,
self-cOnhdence, quickness of percep-
tion, self-reliance and precision Rifle
shooting should be taught In the high
schools and higher grades OF the gram
mar schools.
It Is a clean sport, open to all, and
not expensive. A boy does not need
great physical prowess to become an
expert rife shot as In other sports,
such as football. Most of the finest
rifle shots are of medium weight and
build.
Rife shooting should receive the ben
eft of parental cooperation and en-
couragement and should be considered
from the standpoint of safe guarding
the boys physical welfare, as well as
in the upbuilding OF his character
The worlds record for 100 shots at
zoe yards is az inch average from the
center, the worst shot being less than
six inches from the center at 15 feet
This record was made by the writer in
1901
Afte ra boy has become fair shot
with the small rife at so yards and he
is strong enough to hold the regular
army rifle he should be allowed to shoot
at the long ranges. am satisfied with
the experience that I have had with
teaching that IL the high school boy of
San Francisco were taught how to shoot
that in six months a team could be
picked OF ten boys who could beat any
team from the California state militia,
using the regulation arm at 200 yards.
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