The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-08-22
Decd Shots
Are Expected to Be
At Defense Meeting
Which win Be Held Following
Grant Army ofthe Repub-
lie Encampment.

WASHINGTON. Aug. 21.-An
nounement today that the National
Ride Association OF America will par
tfona1 defense, which is to be held
In Washington October Al. 1mmed-
lately following the Grand Army of
the Republic encampment. will bel
OF great interest to the veterans who
VIII attend the encampment and the
conference.
In the Union armies of the Civil
war were hundreds Of thousands of
rood shots and thousands Of expert
and sharpsh hooters. Many
of these dead shots" will attend the
Washington encampment and Will
pay particular attention to that sec
ton OF the national defense confer
0nce which will consider the training
Of the citizenry OF this county in the
use Of the military rife.
Use of Rifle Training.
Colonel John McElroy. past senior
vice commander in chief of the Grand
Army Of the Republic. says that
training In the use OF the rife Ia one
OF the most important subjects to
be considered at the conference.
Good rif1emen among the citt-l
xens are the best nucleus for our
volunteer armies" declared Colonel
McElroy today.
The National Rife Association OF
{ America claims to be the Oldest and
most practical peace society in this
country. 1t was organized in 1871
for the purpose OF teaching the citi-
gems OF the country how to efficiently
handle the army rifle. thus making
it's citizens capable Of becoming eff
incient volunteers to defend their
Ecountry in time OF need Ohhcers OF
the association claim that II we had
in this country a million citizens
trained in the use OF the service arm
that II would be more potent lac
tor In the maintenance of peace than
the orations Of a million peace at
any price men. This national asso-
citation receives no federal support
and It's work has been maintained
by the donations of periodically In
clined citizens through the taking
out of life memberships. Among
such men may be mentioned EXPIRES
lidents Taft and Roosevelt. ex-Sena-
tor Root former Secretary of State
Robert Bacon. former Secretary OF
the Navy Meyer, former Secretaries
kof War Dickinson and Wright. SEN
!afors Wetmore and Warren and such
prominent business leaders as Judge
Cary. John Wanamaker. h 2. Fricn.
George Westinghouse and hundreds
of others. Ex-senator Root says or
the work of the National Rife Asso-
.sThe purr Use of the National Rife
Association of America are OF the
greatest Importance and the methods
by which 1t proposes to attain them
are simple, direct and suited to Amer
lean life and character"
The association is carrying on a
campaign for 1000 life members. the
income from the fund to be used for
the promotion of rifle shooting as a
irecoRnized sport in the schools and
colleges OF the country.
Free Rife Distribution.
A great impetus was given to rifle
training among citizens by the pas
sage of an act by Congress last year
seuthorizing the free distribution OF
Krag rifles and ammunition to rife
clubs and the work organizing the
clubs and carrying on the training
was put in the hands OF the Ma
tfonaI Rifle Association by the sec
rotary of war Since that time over
200 clubs have been organized and
to them has been issued sos Krag
rifles and 56O,150 rounds OF ammu-
milton.
The National Rife Association has
asked the war department 30 approve
measure for the adoption OF ma
itional policy of range construction,
tclaimfng that the proposition to train
civilians Of the country can never
amount to anything from national
standpoint until ranges are provided
where the citizens can shoot. There
has been a great demand by writer's
on military subjects and the press in
general for the adoption by this coun>
try of modified Swiss system. but
most of these writers overlook the
fact that the sine qul non of that
system is rifle training. the import
ant feature of soldiers duties which
are greatly neglected in this coun-
try. Provision also must be made
TO furnish government rife clubs
with ammunition and target SUPPLIES
as well as ranges. and army officers
should be detailed as instructors and
supervisors for these clubs.
At the present time there are en-