Evening star., 1920-01-15
DOUCHBOY CALLED
ARMY'S BACKBONE
Col. Paul B. Malone Encour-
ages Rifle Practice Before
National Association.

Out of every 100 men called to the
colors of the United States in the
wars of the future sixty-six will be
infantrymen; out of every 100 men.
provided the nation fights against
an enemy With the efficiency OF Ter
many, thirty-one American soldiers
will be killed If promotion or rlhe
practice be not encouraged 10 d Siea'oi
extent than IA tn" past.
These assertions We're maze III ="
address by Lieut.. Col. Paul 81 MA
lone, late of the Esd infantry, com
manding that regiment in the FAMOUS US
fight at Chateau Thierry. ana now lu
charge of tne school of rife practice
at Camp Benning Ca, at the annual
meeting of the National Rifle Asso-
citation last night at the New VIZ
lard.
Col Malone made a strong plea
for the doughboy, the titan OF arms
and the supreme arbter of the des-
tinies of nations," and said the new
school at Camp Benning will teach
improved efficiency in the use OF the
rife and haXonet.
The rifle is the supreme weapon
of the infantry" he said, and the
weapon by which the United states
shall always win her battles we
must encourage civilian rife practlce,
for out of such practice come 'ie
successful fighters OF the future
Col Marine read Gen. PershlnS $
message of October. 1917, to the war
Department. in which the genera,
said that if the war vas to be won
for the allies every American solalet
must be trained in actual eo1npau
work and particularly in the proper
use of the rifle and bayonet.-
Had Disresarded Rife.
"Our allies had entirely disre garded
the use of the rifle as an offensive
weapon" Col Malone said. and Gen
Pershins saw that with Ahe rife
alone could be won the victories
which would end the war. When we
arrived in France the settled pohcy
of the allies was one of limited oo-
jectives-that is. pushing ahead, dig-
.ging in and waiting for the field ar
tillery to come up before starting
forward again. Pershing and his Wig
orous use of the rifle stopped that
and after Chateau Thierry, where my
regiment helped to stop the. boche:
American superiority in the use OF
the rifle brought the downfall of Ger
many. Instead of carrying their rifles
in their hands when going over
the top and using them as handles
for their bayonets, American soldlers
carried them at the ready ana were
capable of eXterminating machlne gun
nests whenever they started their
nasty popping"
In a plea for the "doughboy" Col.
Malone said:
Our victory was all due to the
proper use of the rifle in open war
fare in the hands of the doughboy;
the plain, unadorned footslogger.'
Yet the doughboy is the supreme ar
bitter in whose hands statesmen place
those questions which national honor
forbids to be settled by arbitration or
by league of nations"
American Marksmen Excelled.
Col P a. Wolfe, executive officer
in charge of the interallied rifle
matches at LIE Mans, France, late in
1918, told of how American soldiers
outshot men of all nationalities at
the matches. Maj. Richard d. La
Garde, adjutant general of the Dis
trict of Columbia, reported on the
work of the office OF the director OF
civilian mark
Col. William Libbey of New Jersey
was reelected to the presidency OF
the association: Lieut. Col. William
c. Harllee U. S. NJ. G., of Washington,
first vice president; Lieut.. Col Smith
w. Brookhart seconc vice president,
Col George w. Burleigh, third vice
president Lieut. Col. David M. Flynn
of New Jersey ana Brig. Gen. Fred
H. Phillips of Tennessee were con-
tinued in their positions of treasurer
and secretary, respectively
Col. NJ A. Winter president of the
Washington Rifle Cluo; Brig. Gen. w.
w. Moore and Col. Morton c. Mumma
were elected to the executive COM
mittee.