The Washington times., 1916-01-13
L.|BBEY IS REELECTED
BY RIFLE ASSOCIATION
Organization Taking Advantage
OF Preparedness to Form
New Clubs.

Lieut.. Col william I.ibbey, of New
Jersey. was rc elected president Of the
National Rife Association. at the an
nual banquet of that organization at
the Willard last night. The other ,''r-
ficers chosen arc: Adtt. Gen. Fred b.
WOOD of Mime sofa, first vice prcsi-
dent; Adit. Charles F. Mackli1. OF
MARYLAND. second vice president: Capt.
william 1iarllee. L. S. NJ. g., third
wee president; Capt. IS. V. Casey. Of
Deiaware. treasurer: Major r. II, Phil
iIrs' Jr., OF Tennessee, sccretory, and
Lieut.. Col. +. L. BurCh. of New York:
capt. Thomas Holcomb. L. S. VI. e..
anu Col w. W. Brnokhad. o! Iowa,
members oil the executive committee.
In his annual report President Libbey
said that the organization had tried to
takc advantage OF the present public
lrieling VI on preparedness, to organize
rifle clubs. "and we have been reason
aoiy successful, bu. much remains 20
De done before we can even compare
WIN little switzerland. with its hun
dreds of ranges and its thousands of
rlhe. clubs and its h'Indreds of thou~
sands Of active members" Continuing,
he said:
Organize Local Clubs.
AN important question Is suggested
~ VIC llCI'HSt lneSf tluDS lot our
considera ton as an association. They
are not organized except as local clubs
There should be some organic relation
established between them and the State
rife associations. They should be not
only allowed but encouraged to use the
State ranges where they exist, and
ranges should be built for them wher-
ever possible. This matter has been
taken up already with the Secretary of
o. n.,1 h.. - IT.
siblc planning for ranges will be In
Hestigated, and where ranges now exist
an enort is to be made by the payment
OF range expenses. on the part of the
national board to provide for outdoor
shooting on the part Of civilian clubs.
This, however, leaves the subject of
the affiliation of these clubs with State
ganiZations as a work to he done by
our association. 1t is n large work and
needs more money than we have ever
had to do 1t with. We have been held
down by office expenses, and our wings
clipped by the apathy OF the general
public on the subject
Your committee has asked Congress
for a national charter and proper APP
preparation to carry on this work. This
has been done Tor tnr Red cross work.
and there is no GOOD reason why we
should not receive the same aid. Hero
of the Secretary Uf War, bill will be
introduced and we are hopeful OF good
results"
In FlOurishing Condition.
rho report of Secretary Albert s.
Jones. showed the association to be
in p flourishinR condition. He out
lined the growth of the last fifteen
years and with President Libbey, out
lined among the needs OF the or
SANITATION the establishment OF rifle
clubs in every town and city, the es-
lahlis shment OF a national rifle range
il the vicinity OF Washington. and a
yearly appropriation by Congress to
carry on it's work. Secretary Jones
pointed to the large number OF clubs
in small towns and villages where there
arc no militia companies. to show what
the organization il doirg Cor military
training ana preparedness.
Maj. Gen. George Barnett. commando
ant OF the Marine Corps, told of the
work of the marines in tho recent mp
rising in Haiti. and of the abilities OF
men OF the corps in rifle and revolver
shooting.