Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 99, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 April 1914 — OFFICERS TO DISCARD SABER [ARTICLE]

OFFICERS TO DISCARD SABER

Weapon Considered Out of Date and Will Be Replaced by Straight Sword for Btabblng. The cavalry of the United States is to lose a weapon which has been associated with that military arm in all countries since time immemorial. It is the saber that is to go. The saber, as everybody knows, is a sword of curved shape, meant for a slashing blow. Under earlier conditions of warfare it did effective work. It Is now considered out of date. To take its place the cavalryman of the regular army is to be provided with a straight sword for stabbing. The new sword will be carried at the saddle of the fighting man on horseback, who, it is expected, will be deprived of the revolver which he has hitherto wont In a holster at his belt The reason for taking away the pie tol is that the cavalryman does not need more than one weapon to shoot with, namely, the rifle, which is suspended in a boot by his side. This rifle is shorter than the equivalent arm with which the soldiers of European nations are equipped; but it is the same weapon provided for the American Infantry. It is considered that with one weapon for shooting and another for stabbing, the cavalryman Is adequately armed. But the saber is a back number, and the new sword is expected to prove much more useful in practical warfare.