Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-05-23

the club privileges that they may buy
government supplies OF all sorts at
list prices. and some OF the weather
organizations have set their annual
dues as high as s25 with the additional
requirement that each member suppl,
himself with government Springfield
On the other hand. the dues OF les.
ambitious bodies run as low as % cents
"a year. a'el the ammunition liz coufineu
10 the free list. AS matter Of fact
the krag liz rife good enough for
anybody 10 learn to shoot with. 1t was
good enough TO win the Spanish-Amer.
lean War.
Importance of Shooting Straight.
II was that same Spanish american
conflict which taught us the import
ance Of a shooting citizenry In a ma.
ton that looks to volunteers in time
or emergency. Professor r.. II Phil
lips. Jr.. secretary OF the National
Rihe Association. believes that man
who can shoot Is so per cent pre-.
pared j" That is. II VIII be possible 20
teach him the rest OF soldiers du-
Ties In a few weeks under almost any
ci r0a instances. He can learn his drills
his frst-aid work. and so on. in any
concentration camp. But the only wa
he can learn 70 sho~t Is under a proper
instructor on proper range Tn.
experience Of one volunteer regiment
that enlisted fer tho Spanish-American
War points the moral That regiment
was under canvas for nine months.
supposedly learning It's business. In
those nine months 1t got just one-hal.
days target practice, on a hundred
yard range. There is no man so help
less the soldier who is being shot
at Hhs does not know how to shoot
back.
The great increase in the number OF
men who want 10 learn TO shoot has
a bn he ~ =.
for competent instructors. Shoot!nt q
modern high-power ride is scieI G..
something that must be done righ, IA
every detail II results are TO be got
ten. When man is shooting bull
let that leaves his gun with muzI!c
velocity OF more than half mile 10
the second. at n twenly-inch circle ny"
hundred yards away, the slightest c'-
ror in his method OF aiming OF pulling
the trigger viii put his shot entirely
ont OF the effective area. When THAI
man is busy civilian with only
few hours week 10 devote 20 the
game he has no time TO work out q
system, for himself He must be taught
to shoot.
National Aasocintion Is busy.
The national association, Co-oocrat-
ing with the National Board for tn
Promotion nf Rifle Practice-wkich j.
the official government board appointe"
to work with civilian clubs-is work
ing out Al system Al the Winthrop
range TO meet the need. Perhaps be
cause the headquarters OF the move
mcnt are located AT Washington. tn.
national capital has become a sort OF
"a model rifle club city. There are
nfty-iivc organized clubs In Washing
ron-ffty of them organized in the last
six months-with an aggregate mem
hcrship Of close 10 10000 men. The
entire police department Of the Dis
trict of Columbia has Joined as a single
club. Each OF the big government de-
partmcnts has It's club, one Of which
alone number over 1000 members. All
these men shoot on the Marine Corps
range at Winthrop.
In order 10 supply the necessary in
structors, Captain w. G. Harllee, OF
the Marine Corps one OF the most en-
crgctic supporters Of the club move
mcnt. has been training citizens ut
Winthrop to act rs coaches in small
arms Are. 1t is planned 10 extend his
system all over the country, so that
each club may supply Its own instruc-
, tors. Young college men on their va
cations have proved the best raw ma
teriai. combining n good bit OF leisure
with the ability to learn quickly. Such
instructors developed at Winthrop un-
der the supervision of marines ana reg
ulars may be sent to clubs in nearby
States, where they <n initiate local
experts In the duties Of coach These
men can in turn instruct men from
other ranges. The system will thus
across the country. until each section
has its local talent fitted TO coach re-
cruits. If the scheme works out as
we'll rs IL promises the public will
not only be learning to shoot. il will
even he teaching itself.