The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1919-06-13
ZzE M;lN1ACWRZIW or M nv

ever, congress authorized the participation of
teams composed of members of civilian rifle clubs
which are organized under the national board
for the promotion of rifle practice In the war
department At the outbreak of the with
Germany there were in the United States more
than 1000 of these clubs with aggregate in
dividua membership of about 100000.
During the the membership of many of
these clubs was decimated by volunteer enlist
ments and the draft but since the armistice and
the rehabilitation Of the troops most OF the
clubs have become more active than ever before.
The opening of the National Matches to
civilian and rifemen has proved wonderful
impetus TO rife practice sport. and the ef-
feet of this policy, together with that of the
government in fostering the organization of rife
clubs were apparent in the records of American
craftsmanship made the fields of France.
Two Teams From Each State.
Under the laws controlling the government
competitions National Guard team and civil
ian team from each state are authorized to at
tend the matches. These teams are named by
the governor of the state, who may select the
nersonnel of the teams through competition or
according to geographical distribution, or arbi-
trarily In addition to the two teams authorized,
as MANY additional desired may en-
Ter the competitions at their own expense
The National Matches, since their inception
and until 1913 have been held either upon
United States army or state rifle range This
year however the championships will be de-
ctdad upon United States navy range.
For the past ten years the navy has made
avery effort to develop its bluejackets into good
rifemen on the theory that proficiency with
small arms contributes in a large degree to pro
fciency In handling huge naval rifles, developing
among the men physical control and co-ordna-
tion of mind and body-a principle which found
antbusiastic supporters In Secretary Daniels and
Assistant Secretary Franklin d. Roosevelt There
fore when war was declared against Germany
the office of gunnery exercise of the navy de-
its courses in craftsmanship
The development of this activity took the
Gown, Of establishing chain of rifle ranges
the principal stations being at Caldwell, N Jr
tha largest of the chain; Wakefield, Mass. +;
Cona Nav N j.: Peekskill, NJ "; Great Lakes
aar Chicago: Glenn Burnie Nd; Virginia Beach
va Mount Pleasant S. c., and San Diego, Cal
n, those ranges corps of trained instructors not
o,,v saw to it that the seamen from the pattle-
hi, aeets were trained in handling OF arms, nut
.i, an tbe work of nstructing any army recruits
49, wore sent TO them. In addition to this, and
In connection with the range chain, Secretary
r,,ols threw open the facilities of the navy
sbootine camps to citizens, urging all clVlhahs
to visit the ranges and learn to shoot.
pacopnizing the service which the navy has
..,.sorned in tbe cause of rifle practice toward
,i tba United States again to its trad
- ,s,oce in tbe forefront of nations as marks
to .h nattonal board for the promotion of
To nroctice recommended that the secretary of
- accent an offer made by the secretary of
.,a ravv of one of the big navy ranges for use
a,ng tbe National Matches in 1919 Approving
this recommendation. the secretary OF war ten
aared the invitation to the navy to conduct the
noti+ions When Secretary Daniels accepted
for his department, he placed the conduct OF the