Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-04-30
RIFLE CLUB NEWS
The Civilian Rifieman's Part.

tCOurtcSy Arms AMI the Mani
Now that a state Of war actually
exists between the United States AMI
Germany the rifle clubs Of the Unit
FL States an organized body of more
than 100000 mar.;smen, are berin
! ne to wonder what part they viii
llay IN The coming hCstlities.
There are many organization
whose members are willing to volun
;ecr as unit There arc others anx
lous to place at the disposal of Il.
government well-equipped rifle ranges
addition to these, there are thous.
IN II OF individual members who stand
'eady to do anything, from actually
taking the field with a lighting force
o rendering the scarcely less impor,
ant and valuable, though somewhat
more routine. duty of helping to in
;truct the recruit in handling the
life.
The ranks of the civilian rifle clubs
IRE ready for whatever task the gov
arnment may assign them in the ma
ional crisis The government, howev-
ar. is not ready at the moment to tell
n just what capacity the services Of
he civilian ritlemen will be of the
Greatest value If the gates are
brown open to volunteers, without re
garl to too close 4 restriction upon
age and dependents. there is little
doubt but what the answer from ride
club members will be hearty and in
mediate
Il the ranks in the national army
ire to be filed by selectiye cOnscrip-
ton, n certain percentage Of the
younger members of the rife clubs
may. Of course. be drafted, shodlI
they chance to fall dn1er the category
called for, and this without reference
to their riilecld membership, which
carries with it no military obligation.
And so it is very harl to predict
just what part the civilian ri1em4n
can best take, or what the pos }ibili-
ties are Of his being called either as
recruit or instructor Not until the
final draft Of the army bill is submit
ted to congress and congress- enact9
II into law will the citizens OF the
United States definitely know Che PLAZA
for the organization Of the army.
When this has been accomplished the
lime will have arrived when the ct
zen rifiemen will have q right to OK
pect the government to avail itself
Of the services which have been so
fully and freely rendered, and TO de-
termine the capacity in which he is
best equipped to be of national sery
ice
AT present when War Department
policies await the sanction CT con
sres3; when the Likelihood OF the pro.
mitigation Of selective conscripton a
volunteer system, or both, arc pos
sible; when practically everything per.
tanning to the participation Of this
country in the European struggle has
yet to take concrete form, and moth
ing Is certain save that declaration
Of wgf has been signed, there are idst
two things for rine.club members to
do
The first ana the one Of paramount
Importance Is, keep shooting.
There never has been a soldier who
was worth his salt in the ranks Of rife
men who could not shoot. There hag
been considerable talk Of the rifle
being replaced by the machine gun
To certain extent this may be true
but the United States will have q place
fer all her riilemen. az sach. II thu
struggle with Germany develops int
a protractcd war, FOR the machine gun
although quick ilrer, Is not qaici
aimer And, while waiting for th'
government to determine what service
II desires Of the civilian rliIeman
nothing can add to the value OF tn,
riileman so much as constant practice
Remember, when the United state
needs her marksmcn, she will call 70
them
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