The Washington herald., 1917-03-26
, Army and Navy New,
Best Service Column I'm City,

Plans Of the War Department for the
development Of civilian marksmanship
have been delayed somewhat by the fall
ure of the Sixty-fohrth Congress to en-
body in the army appropriation bill for
the next fiscal year a provision making
most of the appropriations Immediately
available. At the head of the civilian
craftsmanship work OF the department
! is Col. S. w. Miller, L. s. A. who is
disappointed at the unavailability Of the
funds.
Under the act of August g. 1916. there
! Is made available about $500, 900. upon
which a slight draft has been made
for minor expenses. leaving about 10000
for such use as may be determined upon
as. profitable. As soon as the Secretary
OF War approves the recommendations
Of the National Board for the Promo
ton OF Rifle Practice. IL will be possible
TO proceed definitely in more importan.
directions. The board already has out
lined the program for the 1917 national
match. which will be held at the Florida
State camp on August q.
| With the enactment Of the new army
appropriation bill there will be availa-
BILE for civilian craftsmanship $4,000 TO
maintain rife ranges and S225,O00 to pay
Tor transportation and travelling expenses
of teams at the national match. In addi-
ton there is an item Of 81 900 900 for the
purchase of arms. and this amount is
in part available for civilian marksman-
ship.
Col Miller is gratifed with the show
ing which mas been made throughout
the country in the organization Of rife
clubs OF which there are about so
In existence. with a membe ship of - 369
iE the civilian clubs. $50 in the college
clubs, 1858 in the school clubs and ls
in the boys clubs. There is a possibility
OF increasing the number Of marksmen
by interesting hunters. Last year no
less than 2.50NoOO licenses were issued
for hunting. movement is under way
to form these sportsmen into clubs.
| Secretary Of War Baker has under con-
sideration a plan for the tranfer OF road
and trail construction in Alaska from
the jurisdiction OF the War Department
10 that OF the Department OF the Interior.
: 1t is said Mr.. Baker favors the proposal
! The Secretary is understood to take
the position that this work more properly
devolves upon the Interior sDepa rtment,
since IT Is not, according to his con-
ception Of the situation. a military prob
lem. This important work has been per-
formed with efficiency and economy and
the best possible results for territorial
development by a commission of which
the head has been and is Col. W. p.
progress made under this commission in
the application of the appropriations
made by Congress has been most sat
isfactory and has met with commenda-
tton on the part of members of the
military committees some of whom are
opposed to any change in the method
OF doing this work.
A general rule. subje to limitations
| in f1~l@ N1.rN
In the future shall Be based upon length
Of service. is contained in the Army Cen
eral Staff's draft OF the bill for universal
military training. The plan follows the
one INCORPORATED in bills introduced in
the recent Congress by Representative
Tilson and Senator Brandegee with the
additional precaution against having an
excessive number of officers in the higher
grades, especially in view of the large
number of new officers who must be ap-
pointed upon the inauguration of the
system.
In the first place 1t is proposed to ap-
point all new officers, except those from
! the National Guard and the enlisted
force OF the regular army, as temporary
officers. Temporary second lieutenants
will be appointed for one year. and at
the end Of one year a number not to ex-
coed 20 per cent OF the most efficient of
them will receive permanent APPOINTMENT
as second lieutenants. OF the remainder
! some will be permanently rejected as un-
suitable for appointment as commission
ed officers; some will be reapp0nted for
another year, and the remainder will be
passed to the reserve. In this manner il
will take at least nve or six years to hIt
the original vacancies in the grade Of
second lieutenant, an arrangement which
tends to reduce the number of new off,
GERS who will finish any given length Of
service IN any one year