Evening star., 1915-05-23

Frank Reynolds: recording secretary,
Sergt Harlan Frey; financial secretary,
Sergt. Maj. Gray; treasurer. Sergt. Gail
Judd
The following were admitted to
membership: Sergt. Maj. Gray, Sergt.
Maj Meade. First Sergt. H. P. O'Malley
Corp. T. E. Kelley, Sergt. Walcott
H. Simmons, United States Army SER
seant instructor, and Sergt. C. W.
| Moore.
The next meeting of the association
| will be held June 3.
1t is expected every state in the
| Onion will be represented in the ma
tional shooting competition this year.
| which is to be held in Florida in Oc-
tober. according to the national board
for promotion of rife practice.
| Attention has been called, it is de-
clared. to the lack of proper training
| with the service riffs in this country,
and records show that not more than
40 per cent of the National Guard was
taken to the rifle range during last
year. Congress established the ma
tional matches solely with a view of in
creasing rifle training among Uncle
Sans services. AT the last session of
Congress still further approval and as
sistance to rife teams was given by
appropriating $4,000 to assist states
which have to send teams from long
distances in paying transportation
ington. Oregon and Maine will not be
handicapped this year in the sending of
rifle teams to Florida.
1t is declared the range in Florida is
outranked only by the Camp Perry,
Ohio. range. 1t is located eight miles
from Jacksonville. The executive officer
for the matches is Col. Richard NJ
Blatchford, U. s. A.. commandant of
the Army School of Musketry, at Fort
Sill. Okla. The teams to represent the
Ivy ND fnfo ntv1y oF Tyn;t
States Army have not yet been organ
lied nor have the captains been ap-
pointed. 1t is rumored that the in
fantry team will be captained by Maj
George c. Shaw, U. S. A., who is now on
his way back from the Philippines A
team representing the Naval Academy
will be sent to the national matches
again this year and efforts will be made
to overcome the prejudice of the Off
cials of the Military Academy at West
Point to be represented again by rife
team Only in one national match has
team from the Military Academy par
ticipated.
AS is customary, the organization
and control of the matches, as well as
those of the National Rifle Association
of America, which will precede the ma
tional matches, will be in the hands of
the regular army. and soldiers will be
sent to pitch the camp and do the mark
ing. The scoring will be done by a
special company of marines.
Very few changes have been made in
the conditions of this years matches.
A course consisting of 200 and 800 yards
rapid fire, ten shots at each range, and
800. 500 and 1000 yards slow fire, If
teen shots at each range, has been
adopted. Every team must have on 1t
at least six new men. and all state
teams must be selected by preliminary
contests held on state ranges. The
service rifle and ammunition as issued
by the ordnance department will be
used by all teams The matches will
begin the morning of October IS with
the national individual match, to be fol-
lowed by the team match and the ma
tional pistol match. October Is and Is
are designated for the preliminary team
practice. The six days preceding this,
or from October to IA, will be held
the matches Of the National Rifle As
sociation of America. For the first
time the national matches will be
thrown open to entry of teams from
universities and colleges maintaining
military instruction and military
schools and academies