El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-06-27
PLAN To TRAIN
1000. 000 FOR
DUTY IN WAR
Every Man Who Can Shoot
May Be Agent For the
National Defence.
MAY USE 100000
IDLE KRAG RIFLES
BY FREDERIC ). HAsKTN.

man WHO Knows now 10
handle a rifle is to be made
potential agent for the defence Of his
country, if present plans are matured.
A citizen so versed is DTe1aTed On in
slant call to go forth to war. equipped
beforehand with the principal need of
The soIdlers art If he can shoot
straight he knows his main duty. and
the necessary drilling and KNOWLEDGE
OF fielo sanitation and camp hygiene
will come with comparative Ease
This Is the creed Of the National Rifle
ASSOCIATION, which Is in cooperation
with the national board for the promo
ton Of Rifle practice in the United
States The first has headquarters in
Washington, and thus is in constant
touch with the board, which is connect
ed with the war department, and under
the personal direction Of the assistant
secretary Of war.
The prospect Of war with Mexico has
turned the attention OF usually care
free citizens TO every possible means Of
offence and defence. This Quickened
interest has brought TO the forefront
the National Rifle association and the
official board with which il cOOperates-
The lowering var clouds also served to
bestlr congress TO the passage Of long
demanded defenCes. and resulted in the
very recent enactment not only Of the
volunteer army bill, but the dssOcia-
tons 10 year old proposal of a way 70
stimulate rifle practice ia this country.
To Use Up Surplus kraEs-
This bill which only requires the
routine endorsement Of the secretary Of
war 10 be in full force and effect, an
action that is expected daily, pr Jvides
an easy way for the men 80 Inc l-tl1 10
learn how 10 use and care for rifle
Our government has in stock about $780,
coo krag rifles, which have been su-
perseded as an army piece by the mod
ern Springfield. and there Is no reason
why these krags should not be put to
practical use. This has been the con-
JentiOn of the National Rifle associa-
ton for over 10 years. aSd the new bill
aims 10 bring II about
Forty rounds Of ball cartridges go :
with each rifle, and 12O rounds VIII be
given TO every man each year The gov
eminent has a reserve Of about l5.UuU,-
900 rounds of such ammunition. Every /
care will be taken to preserve the guns !
and they must be turned back TO the I
war department, wholly or in part, Z
whenever a serious condition OF foreign |
or domestic affairs makes such acton /
million Day for War.
In order to get these 100000 surplus |
Krags and such OF the 100000 rounds I
OF surplus ammunition as may be need
ed, in the course Of several years and \
TO build and maintain the ail-important /
ranges, $780, 900 a year viii suffice, il ]
is estimated. When this country goes I
to war the expense will be 100000 !
day, according 10 war economists Wnr !
can tell how many, many days nigh.
be saved in such a war If We had 1,0O0,- /
900 or more skilled volunteer riflemen
ready to enlist? In other words, $780,
600 a year, well spent in advance Of
trouble, might nay for itself 100 times
over if it shortened the war by a pal
try 10 days Is il not possible that the
known existence Of those 100000
trained shots might be Of great weight
IN inducing possible enemy to look
elsewhere for trOubley
Force of 100000 Available.
A maximum force OF 100000 rifle I
men could be recruited by the full de- !
L aInnu1Hnr of This nTn1npf .
which congress has Just given the war
department permission 10 embark, as
the rifles are being issued in the ratio
IL one to every i've members OF a club
Thus 100000 rifles could. and doubtless 3
will in time, train a force Of 1900. 900 .
nen- once the enthusiasm, or at least
4 sober sense Of the need of proper
iefence and preparation has brought
he country to the 100000 point, there
will be no difficulty in finding other
means of swelling the number Of pa
riOtic crack shots. Until very recently, /
however, the country and its legislators
AVE been slow to move.
The National Rifle association Of ;
America was organized in 1871, having
Jeen started in that year by officers Of
he national guard Of the state Of New !
York For many years the association Z .
las been forming rifle clubs among Z
civilians. universities. colleges and pre- /
,aratory schools At present there are [
100 civilian clubs with membership Of /
Dver 90OO There are As college and
University clubs with over $500 mem
,ers, and an enrolment Of about 1000
.oys in so school clubs. The new law
viii give impetus to the movement I
arge increase in the schools is looked !
or, in view OF the fact that the schools
low nave an opportunity TO replace
heir ancient IS caliber Springfield ca
ct rifle with good Krags. These cadet
files. for some reason or other, &C
undated in the war department store
Ouses and were sold at job lot prices
D all preparatory and high schools that
rould accept them They have served I c
heir day and generation. but they are ,
raining young men and boys EOr mark [
lanship in modern warfare U
A very interesting feature OF the ] g
lOvement is the fact that large pro-
ortion Of the men who join these rifle !
.ubs are former members Of national I f
yards or once were privates and non ( n
commissioned officers in the regular / L
rmy. Whenever possible, ermy ranges S
ill be made available to the civilian I b
nd school rifle clubs and it is planned g
) have them inspected annually by ! Il
-my officers In addition, the war de-
3rtment will give decorations to men I I,
no qualify as experts. sharpshooters n
marksmen, In accordance with regu-
.tiOns governing rifle clubs, and to I ~
,hoolboys who qualify as junior o
An angle that has caused some trou- y
e IN the past has been the grOundIess ] q
ar by many citizens that affiliatiOn ! q
TN LneSe- rifle Gums would pima lnem I !,
compulsory military duty in times =,
stress The war department, or the / :,
hole United States government, has no ! =
rings whatever on the members They b"
ay join the clubs and resign from =
EN- at their own sweet will, and absO- u
tely no promise 10 serve the country ! :,
war is required On the other hand. | +
,wever. when war does come, prefer 4
zee Will be given to the men who /
aimed themselves in the dull days OF
ace. Canada has rifle clubs and will /
Ike them into the service Just as they
and in case Of trouble. II IS only
estion of time until our government
g a similar arrangement The form -
e Of clubs is very easy, a membership / =
10 being sufficient TO organize, sub -
Il to a few simple rules required by I -
e war department n
The greatest need Of all is a plan OF "
oppressive range ownership Only a u
~ small percentage Of the clubs have
cir own ranges. The others meet on %
france on the state militia ranges, m
lenever the militiamen are not using dl
EN-. This is so seldom that three or
ur days a year is all that the rifle cC
lbs can get The 100000 a year W
red of conn-raee would he ugnd -1- I q