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Show SOLDIERS RECEIVE MUCH BENEFIT FROM BOXING IN MILITARY TRAINING CAMPS SOLDIERS WITNES8 DOXINQ AT CAMP HUMPHREYS, VA. Published articles to the effect thnt boxing does not give a useful training as it basis for bnyonct lighting nnd thnt tho two have no common relationship have been einphntlcnlly denied In n formal for-mal statement that has been Issued by Dr. Joseph K, Itaycroft, bend of the athletic division of tho war department depart-ment commission on training camp, activities, ac-tivities, which directs tho athletic nctlv-Itles nctlv-Itles lu tho military training camps throughout tho country. The statement follows: "Several moro or less uninformed critics linvo published nrtlclcs to the effect that boxing docs not glvo useful training ns n basis for bayonet fighting. fight-ing. Kuril criticisms nro based upon Ignorance of both bayonet fighting nnd military boxing. Tim experience of the past year lu tho training camps shows that boxing has grcnt value ns n preparation prep-aration for bayonet fighting, nnd In the development of thoso physlcnl nnd spiritual spir-itual qualities that aro characteristic of the nggresslvo fighting men. Doxlng Supplies Factor. "The great majority of our ybung men who mnko up tho army hnvo had llltlo or no experience In physical contact con-tact games that develop self-reliance, courage, quick thinking nnd quick decisions de-cisions under fire. Ilnyonet training nt Its best Is a drill In which speed, endurance en-durance and skill In handling tho weapon are developed, but In the na-luro na-luro of things there can lie no prnctlco contests with tho bayonets. Iloxlng supplies sup-plies this Important contest factor and furnishes n mentis of training men to keep their heads and to carry out an rffecttvo plan of attack, oven though they nro being punished by their opponents. op-ponents. In this way, qualities needed In tho makeup of a bayonet fighter uro developed by practice In boxing to nn extent nnd with n rapidity that Is Impossible Im-possible In nny other plnn of .training thus far tried. "Tho commanding ofllccrs of tho training camps In this country have nl-most nl-most universally testified to tho valuo of boxing as a pnrt of military training. In many of the prlnclpnl camps It has been mado n part of tho dally routine. "Tho primary object of boxing, as taught In the nrmy, Is to mnko skillful, self-reliant, hard-hitting men, rather then expert boxers. An cfllclent soldier sol-dier must not only bo trained In tho technique of offense nnd defense, but ho must bo charged with tho proper lighting spirit. Dlows Are Similar. "Pructlco In boxing has nn ndditlnnnl value, because many of thu blows and movements taught the men In boxing class hnvo their closo counterparts In bayonet lighting. For example, n left lend to thu head Is very similar to n long point to tho throat; it right hook to ilio Jaw or the body is like tha blows with the butt of tho rifle. Of course, (here aro thrifts and parries In bnyonct bnyo-nct fighting that nro different from nny lend, block or counter In boxing, but the prlnclplo is the same, nnd the sequence se-quence of action, tho body balance, nnd the ability to tnko advantngo of open-icgi open-icgi In tho opponent's defense developed devel-oped in boxing nro fundamentally iin-IKir'ant iin-IKir'ant for tho bayonet fighter. "In tho final analysis all physical training In the nrmy must have u practical prac-tical military slgnlllcnnco; boxing possesses pos-sesses this slgnlllcnnco to an unusual extent, so thnt particular stress lias been laid upon tho Instruction of nil 'fho soldiers, rather than upon tho development de-velopment of a few experts." |