The Lamar register., 1918-02-06

confess that We d1d 1t partly through
the loss of our free issue krag rifles
which we turned over to the governor
of this state; through the embargo on
government ammunition, and most of
all by the small amount of money we
had to work with.
The club has had S23S79 to spend,
received from initiation fees, dues and
small amount from the sale of am
munition to members. We had s41.S9
on hand January l, 1917, and on jan
uary 20, 1918, we have S51.62. The
1918 dues will add about SIS more,
when collected. Besides these amounts
are also indebted to the Honorable
Board of County Commissioners who
were very prompt in answering the
patriotic call, and appropriated s243.05
which was used by Major Household
err while recruiting Company D.
A revised list of volunteers, which
includes some homesteadcrs and
others from adjoining counties con-
tains over 450 names. The Rifle club
does not pretend to claim that all the
recruits We're secured through its eff
forts, but we do claim that we had
bunch of 76 live wires among our
members who were always ready to
lie. We. used the U. S. land Office as
headquarters and were able to inter
est recruiting officers who made trips
20 Lamar for the recruits as soon as
called on by the club. The club did
not receive single cent for this work
from anybody.
The drill practice, which wac con-
tinued from the time war was de-
clared to the time the guns were tax
en- away from us, was very beneficial
and was the direct means of several
soldiers being advanced almost imme-
diatoly after entering the service.
Eight of the clubs members are in
the army and navy. Two of the
members attended the first officers
training camp. Eight others tried to
get into the army or training camp
and were turned down by the govern
ment for minor defects that they
themselves hardly knew they had. Two
of our members are commissioned Of
fieers. and n third one holds state
commission. Six club members have
sons in the army and navy. We have
still at homo ten members who have
seen service and who are willing at
all times to teach what they know
about military affairs to club mem
bers and the public generally.
Nearly every bunch of boys who
left for war were escorted to the re-
pot by the clubs platoon. Dinner was
served to the Sc boys for the National
army while they waited for their
train.
Among the shots of the clubs we
have 3 expert riflemon, sharpshoot-
ers and "a marksmen.
The club has made arrangements to
assist the sheriff and chief of police
when called upon, and has placed the
guns and ammunition where they will
be Of almost instant use. The men,
bers are almost to a man educated in
the handling of high power military
rifles and can be depended upon to
render personal service if needed. We
have at least 10 members who can hit
20 inch bulls eye every other shot
at 500 yards, and few who can do
much better. The club has offered to
teach the manual of arms and the use
Of the rifle to the high school boys
and we hope that the offer will be
accepted this spring. The club has
installed new Aiken stadard target
on the range. thus giving us two tar
gets which are available at all ranges
from 200 to 1000 yards.
There is a possibility, and in fact
We think it likely that the embargo |
placed on the government supplies will |
be lifted soon. A circular letter from
the war department, dated January %,
1918, and signed by F. H. Phillips, |
Jr., secretary of the N. R. A, states
that "The army having been fully |
equipped with modern rifles for which
an adequate supply of munitions has
been secured will no longer need the
Al