Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-08
Pistol Regulation.

1t is gratifying to find Mai Sylvester
strongly advocating the enactment OF
law imposing severe penalty for sales
of deadly weapons to persons who are
not formally permitted to buy them. NO
other form of regulation will cure the
evil of secret useless armins, which leads
20 crimes and accidents in distressing
numbers The mere numbering of ps-
tolls by the manufacturers will not reach
this need. That measure applies only TO
the end of identifying weapons and their
purchasers after some crime Or ACCIDENT
has occurred. The chief purpose of those
seeking a remedy for the deadly weapon
evil is to shut off the supply, to prevent
displays of weapons in public places that
tempt purchasers and inf1ame the mag
nations of the young. 1t may be I'M
possible ever to secure a law which alb
solutely stops the manufacture and sale
of arms: indeed, it is hardly consonant
with public policy to do so. The Con-
stitution guarantees to the people the
right to bear arms, a right which has
been so broadly construed that human
life has ceased to be respected. even In
thoroughly civilized centers OF population
At scores of places in this city deadly
weapons are displayed in show windows
often with price marks. Turing buyers.
1t is common to see groups OF men ana
boys standing in front of such places
gazing GENEROUSLY at the instruments or
death exhibited there and mentally
choosing their favorite weapons. Large
ly as consequence of these open eXhi-
billions boys and young men are induced
to arm themselves. thinking it manly
to be thus prepared against emergencies
which their minds conceive as possible,
but which, in fact, are as remote as the
presence of an African lion at large in
the streets of Washington. Probably not
one out of a hundred pistols is bought
with a genuine thought of honest self
defense based upon a reasonable expecta-
ton OF need.
No hardship whatever need be inflicted
upon any class of people by the IMPOSE
ton of a rule requiring the purchaser
Of pistol to go before some public
official and submit to an examination as
to his need of gun, his character and
his understanding of the responsibility
which he assumes upon arming himself.
This check will in most cases OF an
imagined need operate to postpone perma-
nently the purpose of buying weapon
1t has been suggested that the enactment
of such a law for the District will have
the effect of stimulating the traffic in
deadly weapons in the adjoining jurisdic-
tions That is not consideration to
determine the result. 1t is the business
of the District to free itself from this
evil. even though the states Of Maryland
and Virginia might not follow its ex-
ample. And in any case 1t is hardly
likely that more than one out of a hun
dred would-be pistol buyers will in such
circumstances. finding the local sources
of supply closed. go to the trouble OF
travelling, even a few miles. for the sim
gle purpose of procuring weapon that
is not absolutely required. In the case
of sudden passion tending toward crime
this check would in all probability OPP
crate as an absolute preventive. 1t is to
be hoped that the chief of police will con-
tinue his laudable efforts to lessen this
menace to human life in the District OF
Columbia.