The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1918-07-19

--. ::
ANzecW1 E0easTa01eMAc10Y ~,
- ITH the entrance OF American troops
~ Into the f~ront-line trenches the Hhe
WA/ IL coming into is own In the Eu'
ropean war. Hitherto, except with
the Canadians. Il has not played the
- part that might have been expected
~ Of Il.
VAfhM Already the deadly accuracy OF
WafHHN American craftsmanship has taken
MhNN its toll OF German victims, for the
nENNU rife Il the fayorte weapon OF our
HIkNW troops.
<WN The reasons for this are several
The American IL a hunter by tradition. II u IN
his blood because his father and grandfather be
fore him won the wilderness with the OLD muHhi'
loader. Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett ano
Kit Carson are all old friends Of his. The WHO
West h familiar territory, even though ne may
never have crossed the Mississippi. For he has
read the tales Of trnppers and hunters and prae
decd them on a small scale In the woods out
side his village.
The American IL a marksmhn by training
What boy has not spent long days In the woods
with a gun In his handsi What youth e1cepuhs
only some born and reared In the largest cities
has not come home nj night In triumph with q
bag Of cottontnilst
The third reason why sammy sticks to his rine
In the trenches Il that II Ia the best military arm
In the world.
For these three reasons, then-becnuse the nne
Il his weapon by tradition and by training. and
because the one he cnrrics n the hest mnnufae-
tured-our infantryman backs the rifle against the
hand grenade and the bayonet. He can use any
Of the three. but for choice give him q clean 600
yard shot NJ n moving spot Of gray outlined
agninst the dun Flanders background OF a scar
torn Hill.
r, ~. h.., .chno,gtedged FOR vearr that the
American regular army. small though Il was prior
to 1917, IA the finest body OF mnrksmen In any
army. Our teams competing az Camp Perry ana
NJ Risiey against the best shots Of Europe ana
the western hemisphere, proved conclusiveiy that
the superiority stll rests with us.
The United States government has made for is
army the most perfect military rifles ever pro
duced. These are the Springfield model Of lVo5
and the 1917 model, both OF which are beyond
question better guns than those used by any other
army In the world. The cartridges for these
weapons are the best now IN use. orders have
been placed for 100000 rifles. The production
nov av.nges 10000 a week, sufficient 20 equip
three divisions. one billion cartridges have been
ordered for practice In the training camps. Our
manufacture Of rife cartridges excels In amount
that Of any other country. One firm alone turned
out 125.OOOOO0 during one month,
The policy OF the government has been to ap
p~ropriate about Sl8 n year for the rife practice
Of each soldier In the army. Target ranges have
been built In all parts OF the country. These
were available not only for the use OF the army
and the National Guard but also for rife associ'
atoms.
Germany has not been able to do this. With
a standing army 20 great as the one maintained
BY the kaiser in peace times, such an appropria-
tion would have ln~terfered with other plans. II
SIS n year had been spent on ammunition for the
rife practice OF each man In the German standing
army and reserve, the Teutons would be far bet
ter shots than they are today. But this gain
would be NJ the expense OF the funds necessary
for the supply OF munitions the general stan was
accommodating against the day OF need. Prior 20
the war the German soldier fired only about y
hall cartridges a year on the range.
The rife ranges In Europe are few and Inferior.
Land IL far too valuable TO permit OF much be
ing used for such purpose. Scarcely any Of these
ranges nne suitable for practice at n distance OF
over 100 yards. An appropriation OF siS 10 the
man for ammunition would not have made Eu-
ropean soldiers anything like AZ expert as ours.
The lack Of opportunity TO shoot under the held
conditions. which are the foundation OF a good
rineman's. work In actual battle stress, would
necessarily have debarred this.
The American IL a hunter. He used to be n
naeman from necessity. since his safety and his
FOOD depended on his skill. He In now one from
choice. There are few OF our %yungsters who do
not own or have access 10 n % rifle. and but few
who do not get an occasional chance 10 use a
shotgun. The hunting instinct Il atnl strong In
Us. II ia estimated that about $4,000 sports
men in this country hunt every year with a rife
or q shotgun.
Even In thickiy settled districts game IL still
plentiful enough 20 offer enticlng sport. The H.
cense fee II small, amounting usually to only 81
Ammunition Il cheaper here than elsewhere. The
finest and least costly maehine-made guns are
produced IN this country. Most important, We
have no established aristocraey which controls the
shooting preserves. 70 the exclusion Of tho gen
snl public.