The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-06-29

4 Z y
.., >or +be athlete in the field.
| PM Tommy Atkins once met ZOE.
man who. it Is matter OF reco.u u;
ntterIy outclassed him for a taIiafe. A. A.
the world knows that the Beers N
Aicted repeated defeats upon tne
Rritish- although their forces were
mich smaller. 1t was their wonoef,
| full craftsmanship at long range anu
at moving objects which mace ts
possible. For every Boer farmer -
hunter. There are more species
~ antelone in south America than IN
any other section of the world. ana
one of these, the little sprlnsook, Is
Is particularly numerous. Practlcaliy
every Boer must be able to nit
springbok on the run in order to keep
his family supplied with meat, and
man who can hit a springbok on the
run is more dangerous nan six raw
recruits who could only make a 1alr
score at stationary target
The average soldier in almost any
army is only fair marksman at best
Furthermore, even the lyrical mill
tary crack shot, who, with the aid OF
wind guage can pot stationary
target at 500 OF 1000 yards. Is no
match. as fighter, for the man VINO
can hit game in the field. Quick shoot
ing at a moving mark Of neutral tint
is the. kind Of skill that kills 1t is
the skill OF the hunter
Sport as an Asset
Recent military annals anord many
other examples OF the superiority OF
the sportsman in war. Our own
ronsh-rfders of the Spanish American
war. are striking case In point the
Green Mountain Boys Of 20. are
somewhat older one Viewed from
this point OF view, sport is suddenly
seen as an Important national asset
In fact 1t almost appears to be a dut7-
The man who does not go in for any
form of sport may retain sumc1ent
health TO carry on Sedentary occu-
patton. but his muscles become nab
by and his heart viii never sustain
the ouick-hammering gait OF strong
erertion: his kind is restricted by
heavy smoking; he Is not fit enough
TO fght In case OF war, this man is
dependent upon che fit man to defend
his country, his home. his WIFE He's
literally not man enough physically
to stand up for his own rights In an
emergency
When the question Of national de
tense Is looked at from this point OF
view, 1T seems that the first patr1onc
duty of every citizen is to go in for.
whatever form of sport IS within his
Y
well, for that matter, but we are now
considering the national aspect OF the,
case.
The hunter is obviously the most
readily available soldier material to
be found among the citizenry of any
nation. He is accustomed TO hand
ling a gun, and that alone takes a
great many months to learn well He
| Is generally, at least fair marks
man, and that it IS an aca1evemenr
which 1t takes years to acquire, ano
which literally nlu1tiplies his value in
the field. Furthermore, he IS accus-
toned TO taking care of himself in
the open, to endure hardship and
strenuous physical exerr;on- An
American deer hunter, accustomed to
spending his Christmas holidays in
pursuit of the Colorado b1acktail.
would have been perfectly at home in
the recent engagements IN the Car
pathian passes. Put a Mississippi
river duck hunter in muddy trench.
with the rain pouring down his neck.
and he would have no difficulty in
imagining that he was engaged In his
favor;te sport
Uncle Sans Hunters
In the matter of hunters. the