The Washington herald., 1915-10-25
Capital Correspondents Form
Platoon Of Volunteer Cavalry
News Writers Study Arts of Scientific Fighting Under Tu-
telage of Lieut. Homer Croninger at Fort Myer Va-WiI
Undergo Thirty Weeks Course Of Training

To First Lieut.. Homer NJ Groninger
Fifth United States Cavalry. Fort Myer
Va. has been assigned the task of prov.
ing to twenty-eight Washington CORE
spondents that the sword is mightier than
the pen-when the other fellow refuses
to abide by the decision of the pen.
Lieut.. Groninger. blond. hlue-eyed and
very ''militry." is the &C. o." of q
platoon of volunteer cavalry authorized
unofficially by the War Department and
composed almost entirely OF newspaper
correspondents of the National Capital.
They are smooth-shaven.andb bearded. hol-
low-chested and sway-baeked. bow-leg-
ged and knee-sprung, and when lined UP
In an attempt at a military formation
they are q sure-fire laugh producer
but they are In dead earnest and taking
the ''gaff' as does the meanest rookie I"
When their thirty weeks course OF
training shall have been completed they
expect to be able to handle themselves
almost as well as the average highly
trained private in the regular army
They expect to be able to prove that, Mr..
Bryan to the contrary notwithstanding.
you can't produce from the raw material
single trained soldier between sunrise
and sunset. much less a millionaire fig
ure fixed by MIR. BRYAN.
the country. the "scribes" applied to Sec
rotary Garrison for a course of training
as cavalry unit Mr.. Garrison liked the
proposal So did Gen. Scott, CHIEF Of
stan, and Col. Wilbur +. Wilder. COM
manding. Fifth United States Cavalry.
Having pledged themselves to course
of thirty weeks. involving every Sunday
morning and one hour one night a week
the men were turned over to Lieut. Gron-
niger TO be transformed into the SEM
blance OF n military organization
Groninger is a former instructor at the
United states School of Musketry. and
believes the prime essential of a soldier in
time of war is ability TO shoot: and the
better trained the subject is in all SOL
dierly qualities. the better able he will
be to shoot accurately under trying con-
ditions. Groninger knows the muslIet
from the front sight to the butt plate.
He can call every minute piece OF me-
chanism by its first name and get away
with 1t. In the words of the poet, what
he don't know amt knowledge" And
men in the platoon losing Sunday morn
ing sleep trying to acquire knowledge of
the rife and how to handle IL.
Lieut.. Groninger Is assisted by Sergt
Kramer and Corporals Mills and Duntley.
who are having the time of their lives
putting a bunch of milk fed cits''
through the PAGES.
So far the training has been confined
to manual of arms, marching and other
fundamentals along with sighting and
aiming drills, etc. Later the men will
be put through the regular course Of
gallery and range practice, and then go
up for their rife record, all to be con-
cluded before the work on horses COM
mences Horse work Is scheduled to be-
gin about December /.
Following Is q list Of the members of
the platoon: ]. P. Amin, Washington
Herald; Roy Baker. Washington Herald;
NJ. Brice Clagett, Associated Press; W. j.
Cochran. st. Louis Republic: 1. J. Costi-
gan. lawyer; Donald 4. Craig, New York
Herald; Rudolph De Zapp. Washington
Post; w. "A. DuPuy. syndicate writer; s.
z. Early, Associated Press; Frank Z.