Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-07
The Riot Cartridge.

1t appears that the purposes of the War
Department in devising special ammuni-
tion for use by troops in quelling riots in
cities have been seriously misunderstood.
That ammunition consists In a double ball
in the cartridge. and SO charged as to give
it a shorter range than the regular service
ammunition. The object of the change is to
permit effective Short-range firing against
a crowd of people while lessening the
chances of doing injury to those at dis
tance. The ordinary experience Is that
street firing by troops does as much If not
more execution to innocent persons than to
those who are Immediately engaged in the
riot. The service charge used by the troops
sends a bullet far away from the scene,
especially when, as Is often the case, the
soldiers by order fire over the heads Of the
rioters in order to awe them into subjec-
ton. This chance. 1t is believed, will be
greatly reduced through the use of the new
riot cartridge, while there will be no dml-
mutton in the efficiency of the ammunition
for the purpose of restoring the peace
There is no more deplorable necessity in
all the course of government activity
than that of firing upon the people when
they arise to force some improper end or to
express their passions in unlawful man
means of preventing the spread of state
os anarchy, while it always achieves its
immediate purpose, leaves ugly wounds in
the public mind and arouses resentments
which are slow of subsiding. A mere show
of force is often all that is necessary to
quiet the streets and to give the law it's
proper degree of prestige with the mob. But
too frequently the mob, expecting only this
show. ventures beyond limits and then the
need for actual warfare occurs, and some
body must be hurt before the crowd dis
perses. Governor Rusk of Wisconsin be-
lieved that the most humane way was to
meet the mob in the first instance with shots
aimed to hit. and doubtless his orders to
that effect to his state troops during the
riots in Milwaukee in 1856 would alone have
sufficed to prevent trouble had not the mob
believed that he did not mean what he said
or only issued the command for moral ef-
feet A single volley persuaded the crowd
that the orders were genuine and the riots
were then quickly queled, though at a very
heavy initial cost.
riot cartridge of the kind issued by the
War Department may itself have a good
effect from the knowledge on the part of
the mob that the guns are loaded for short
range execution. and that the business In
hand will be almost exclusively between
the rioters and the troops. On the other
hand 1t is to be hoped that the curious who
are prone to fall In on the tanks of a crowd
merely to witness the spectacle of a clash
between troops and rioters will not be en-
Outraged by the knowledge of the short
range weapon to engage In this dangerous
pastime. When the forces OF order and
disorder are in conflict In a city's streets
the place for every law-abiding citizen is
within DOORS not only In order that the
chances of useless casualties may be les
sened. but that the actual rioters may not
be encouraged by the presence Of idle
sightseers into believing that they repre-
sent public opinion.