Evening star., 1915-06-13
Straight Shooting Body in
Formation by National
Rifle Association.
438 ORGANIZED CLUBS
HAVE 16,628 MEMBERS
Many Fraternal and Patriotic So
cieties Have Teams. War Depart
ment Board Announces.

A notwithstanding military reserve
is being built up in the United States
by the National Rifle Association Of
America. according to statement
given out last night by the national
board for the promotion of rifle prac-
tIce. War Department. with offices in
the Woodward building While the rifle
association recognizes the need for up
building an army reserve in this coun-
try. and will urge upon Congress legis-
lation for this purpose, it's officers de-
clare that through the establishment of
rifle clubs throughout the United States
much is being done to provide an eff
c1ent reserve. They contend that ability
to handle rifle and to shoot straight
comprise so per cent of the requisites
of an efficient soldier.
A great impetus to the establishment
of rifle clubs was given by the enact
ment of legislation at the last session
OF congress authorizing the free issue
of krag rifles. the property of the war
Department. and ammunition to rifle
cluDs, under rules and regulat tions ap-
proved by the Secretary of War
The secretary of War placed the or
ganIZatlon of the clubs and distribution
of the rifles in the hands of the Ma
tlonal Rifle Association. which had an
organization in every state and was in
close touch with the class of citizens
whom 1t was desired to reach
Many Are Former Soldiers.
The military feature of this move
ment, and one that will add consider
ably to the national defenses. it is
said. is that not only are citizens be-
ing organized into clubs and trained in
rifle shooting, but the statistics show
or these clubs are former army men
and national guardsmen, so that they
are not only keeping up their training
IN rifle shooting. but are alreaG train
eel IN other necessary attributes of A
soldier. Officials of the association. said
that Congress could secure an effic., II
rseerve for the regular service and on.
that would be along the lines that have
proved SO efficient in Switzerland if it
would make the rife club movement
really broad and national in it's scope
by appropriations for the building of
rifle ranges throughout the country
and the purchase of target supplies and
other paraphernalia for the carrying on
OF rine training among citizens.
since the free issue of rifles and am
munition was authorized the National
Rlne Association has organized ABS
clubs. These clubs are not confined to
any particular locality, but reach from
Maine to California Among the mos,
successful clubs are those organized in
tne west, IL is SAID, where there are
better facilities for acquiring ranges
A great many Of these clubs have
been organized in fraternal and pa
triotic societies. At the present time
the 43S clubs organized and affiliated
with the National Rifle Association
have a membership of 16.628.
One feature of this movement has
been the organization of numerous
clubs by the employees of large indus
trial corporations. In some cases the
employers themselves have donated
the land and assisted in the construc-
tion of the ranges Recently rifle clubs
have been organized in the United Shoe
Machinery Company, the Springfield
Telephone Company, the Goodyear Rub
ber Company. the Packard Automobile
Company. the Willys-Overland Auto
mobile Company, the General Electric
Company. and several others
New York Tied for Lead.
New York and Pennsylvania lead for
first place in the number of clubs. each
having 80. but New York outranks
Pennsylvania in club membership,
1867 to 1,547. There are one or more