The Washington times., 1916-01-13
LIBBEY IS REELECTED
BY RIFLE ASSOCIATION
Organization Taking Advantage
Of Preparedness to Form
New Clubs.

Lieut.. Col. william I.ibbeY. Of New
Jersey, was Reelected president OF the
National Rife Association. at the an
nual banquet of that organization at
the Willard Inst night The other ,lf-
hcers chosen are: Adjt.' Gen. Fred b.
Wood, of Minnesota, FIRST vice prcsi-
dent; Adtt. Charles r. Mackli1, OF
MARYLAND. second vice president: Capt.
william Harllee. L.. S. NJ. C., third
vice president; Capt. is. v. Casey, Of
delaware. treasurer: Major f. III, Pill
lips. jr., OF Tennessee, sccretOry, and
Lieut. Col. f. Is. BurCh, of New York;
Capt. Thomas HOlcomb. IT, s. II. G..
ana Col w. W. Brnokhad. o. Iowa,
members oil the executive committee.
In his annual report President Libbey
said that the Organization had tried to
take advantage OF the present public
IeeIng uTon preparedness, to organize
TIIe cuts, and we have been reason
ably successful. bu. much remains 10
De done before we can even compare
With little Switzerland. with its hun
dreds az ranges and its thousands of
rlne clubs and its hundreds Of thou
sands Of active members" Continuing,
he said:
Organize Local Clubs.
AN important question Is suggested
by the increase of these clubs for our
consideration 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
war, and the whole subject OF the pos
sible planning for ranges will be In
Vesttgated, 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
organizations as a work to he done by
our association. 1t In 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 national charter. and a proper APP
preparation to carry on this work. This
has been dcnc for the Red Cross work,
and there IL no rood reason why we
should not receive the same aid. Here
again we are promised the co-opera ton
of the Secretary Of War, a bill will be
results"
In FlOurishinG Condition.
The report of Secretary Albert s.
Jones, showed the association to be
in a flourishIng condition. He out
lined the growth OF the last fifteen
years and with President Libbey, out
lined as among the needs OF the or
SANITATION the establishment OF rifle
clubs in every town and city, the es.
Iahlishment of a national rifle range
ia the vicinity of Washington. and n
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 is doing Cor military
training and preparedness.
Maj. Gen. George Barnett. command.
ant of the Marine Corps, told of the
work of the marines in the recent up.
rising In Haiti, and OF the abilities OF
men OF the corps in rifle and revolver
shooting.