The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1919-06-13

ever congress authorized the participation OF
teams composed of members Of civilian rife clubs
which organized under the national board
for the promotion OF rife practice In the war
department. At the outbreak OF the with
Germany there were in the United States more
than 1900 Of these clubs with aggregate In
dividual membership Of about 100000.
During the the membership Of many OF
these clubs decimated by volunteer enlist
ments and the draft. but since the armistice and
the rehabilitation of the troops most Of the
clubs have become active than ever before.
The opening, OF the National Matches to
civilian and ridemen has proved wonderful
impetus to rifle practice sport, and the ef
feet OF this policy, together with that Of the
government in fostering the organization Of rifle
clubs were apparent in the records of American
Workmanship made on the delds 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 named by
the governor OF the state, who may select the
personnel OF the teams through competition or
according to geographical distribution, or arbi-
trarily In addition to the two teams authorized
as many additional teams desired may en-
ter the competitions at their own expense
The National Matches. since their inception
and until 1918, have been held either upon
United States army state rife range. This
cided upon a United States navy range.
For the past ten years the navy has made
every effort to develop its buejackets into good
rifemen, on the theory that proficiency with
small arms contributes in a large degree to pro-
ficency In handling huge naval rifles developing
among the physical control and coordina-
ton of mind and body--a principle which found
enthusiastic supporters in Secretary Daniels and
Assistant Secretary Franklin d. Roosevelt. There
fore, when war declared against Germany,
the office of gunnery exercise of the navy de-
nartment lost no time in enlarging the scope of
it's courses in craftsmanship.
The development of this activity took the
form Of establishing a chain of rifle ranges
the principal stations being at Caldwell, N j.,
: the largest of the chain Wakefield. Mass. !;
Cape May N. j.; Peekskill, N. Y. Great Lakes,
near Chicago; Glenn Burnie. Nd. Virginia Beach
Va; Mount Pleasant, S. c., and San Diego, CAL
On these ranges corps of trained instructors not
only saw to it that the from the battle
shin fleets were trained in handling of arms, but
took on the work Of instructing any army recruits
that were sent to them. In addition to this, and
in connection with the range chain. Secretary
Daniels threw open the facilities of the navy
shooting camps to citizens urging all civilians
to visit the ranges and learn to shoot
Recognizing the service which the navy has
performed In the of rifle practice toward
bringing the United States again to Its tradi
tional place III the forefront of nations as marks
men the national board for the promotion of
rife practice recommended that the secretary of
war accent an offer made by the secretary of
the navy of one of the big navy ranges for use
during the National Matches in 1919. Approving
this recommendation, the secretary of war ten
dered the invitation to the navy to conduct the
competitions When Secretary Daniels accepted
for his department, he placed the conduct of the