Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-20

| the presentation of the mill
: ltary tournament which was held dur
ling two nights last week. The drills,
which represented every branch Of the
Hand forces of the local militia, were
well executed and brought forth much
favorable comment from the large
audiences which were present on both
:, nights.
MANY tickets were sold for the tourn-
ament, and the men took q llVely IN
terest. in view of the fact that 50 per
cent of all the proceeds taken in by the
company goes to 1t for the purposes Oh
equipping its quarters in an attractive
fashion. The other per cent was USED
to pay the overhead expenses in con-
Injection with the staging of the tourna-
ment.
| 1t is also believed that the tourna-
ment will have a very good effect on
the enlistments Of the local guard.
There were large number of exnln1ts
and willing militiamen to explain
every detail of the work. There We're
| drills of all kinds, to indicate to the
Washington public just the KIND OIL
| training the militiamen gets, both IN
1.-The armories during the winter months
and by actual work in the field during
! the period of the annual encampment.
| There were several competitions dur
ing the two nights. and there was keen
| rivalry. The winners in the various
! contests were:
! Individual competitive drill-Corporal
| W. Connor, Company X, first: Corporal
| H. o. Spengler, Company *. second. and
Sergt. Licarione, Company NJ, third.
| Shelter tent pitching - Company F,
| first. time, 1928: Company d. second
time. 3:i2.
| Wall scaling. first night-Company +,
first, time. 81; COMPANY Il. second
time 81 A.: Company p. third. time. 81.
Second nisht-Company L., first time
! go Company K second, time 90, and
Company NJ. third. time 81 Is.
| Pyramidal tent pitchins-Won by IND
Battalion; time, 2:25 20.
The committees having charge of the
tournament were:
Military tournament committee
y. G. D. e.. chairman; First Lieut..
Lionel lie c. johnson, secretary. and
Maj. J. {. Whitaker. Quartermaster
Corps treasurer.
Infantry.Maj. J. F. Hodgson, Sd In
fantry:: Maj: Wallach A. McCathran
Tait. Capt Edward H. Brian and Capt
I. p Heap.
Exhibits-capt. O. C Terry. Signal
M 9rRs Ses Cart FL j. Haryy
Shilling. field Artillery: Second Lieut.
Victor H. Dent, Sd Infantry; Second
Lieut.. J. Ralph Fehr. Sd Infantry, and
fantry.
Artillery-First Lieut.. George ~,
Bonnet
Signal-Capt o. c. Terry
MedicaEMaj Charles r. Luce, Medi-
cal Corps.
Machine gun-Capt Herbert c. Earn
shaw. Sd Infantry.
Decora tions-Capt. T. E. Fawcett. Sd
Infantry; First Lieut.. q. A. Monagon,
Sd Infantry, and First Lieut.. c. E.
Smithson.
P1ess sc tarn: Spencer Bliss Quar-
John c. Whitaker, Quartermaster
cp Saps Capt "a M Xev and c ea1 VIII 4
Bliss, Quartermaster Corps.
Members Of the newly organized
Coast Artillery Company may go to
their target practice. While it has not
been finally decided whether they will
have target practice this year. in view
of the fact that they have just been or
their drills perfected at Fort Wash
ington they will certainly go to the
Maryland post, where they will have
chance to shoot big shells into the
Chesapeake bay
Walter w. Burns, who has been
nominated as captain of this company,
is striving to get enough men inter-
ested to form battalion of coast artil-
lery. He wants to get at least two
companies out of George Washington
University. He is making speeches al
most every evening to the various
branches of the institution in an effort
to point out to the students the good to
be gained by tour of duty with the
National Guard.
The following circular letter has
been sent out from National Guard
headquarters in connection with the
effort to raise a troop of cavalry here:
Twelve men have been examined
and enlisted and it is desired to make
more rapid progress. Those who have
failed physically will be given an
other examination at once.
Pay no attention to the tWaddIe YOU
read in the newspapers about horses,
etc. The War Department is strongly
in favor OF this troop, and besides the
twelve horses We will start with, we
will have horses at Fort Myer when
eve the troops go there for drill for
every man. The opportunities for drill,
instruction, recreation, pleasant COM
partnership and good healthy exercise
were never presented before in a more
perfect form to any body of patriotic
men, and those who Join this organiza-
tion will have no cause to regret it,
AS soon as we can get the requisite
number of men enlisted we will have
Of uniform hours for drill and instruc-
ton. etc.
For any information address the ad-
!utant general. District Of Columbia
militia, Az l. street northwest, Wash
ington, D. c.
Asserting that If the continental army
plan is worthy Of a trial 1t should be
subordinated to the National Guard until
such time as 1t is proved to be a sue
cess. Brig. Gen. Bird W. Spencer, Ma
tional Guard of New Jersey, has issued
| statement in which he argues for fair
allowance of pay and equipment for the
National Guard. and eff II does not work
out as its friends hope. then set 1t aside
and bring the continental army plan to
| the 'front.'
I'VE hear the great Washington
quoted" he says. 'as to the conditions
| In the days Of the revolution, to the Ell
feet that the militia was incompetent
and useless. He did not think much of
the militia Of 1775, but il he could see
| 1t today he would have very different
opinion: 1t is silly to say that because
| the militia of ITS was inefficient that
| the militia Of 1916 must also be ineffi-
cient
I'VE know it is a fact that the SOL
| diers OF the National Guard do compare
| very favorably with the soldiers of the
| regular army. Particularly is this true
| In respect to the rifle practice. the cor
| ner stone of the structure In this re-
| spect the National Guard Is by no mea ms