Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-10-30
CURBING THE DYNAMrrERS
ny FREDERIC J. nAsI<IN

WASHINGTON. October 29.-Begin-
ming the LIST of November. tho control
OF tho Federal government Will be ex :
tended for the first time over the most
powerful and deadly OF destructive
agencies In the world. After that date
II VIII be impossible to sell any high
explosives without permit from the
United states Bureau OF Mines. or to
buy 1t without giving your name and
address. Il full account of what you in
tend to use it for, and n promise to
return at once all that you do not use
lor the stated purpose. This licensing
system VIII apply to- manufacturers.
wholesalers. jobbers and retailers.
To those who have followed the
newspaper accounts of explosions In
this country since the war began in
Europe. this Legislation must seem Il
oit tafdy. For three years we have
neen living through an epidemic of cx-
ploSiohS. varying all the way from
minor distractions i'm munition plants
ana tho startling, but Intellectual at
Tempt 70 blow up the Capitol, to the
Biack Tom Island explosion in New
FORK. which destroyed shipping and
shook New York City from the Battery
to tho Bronx.
AS matter of fact plans to get con-
trol or high explosives have been un-
oer way ever since we began making
munitions on great scale. 1t began
win conference OF tho Governors OF
OF years ago. Alarmed at the fire.
luehcy OF explosions about the NUM-
tion plants. many of which could no,
DC adequately explained az accidents
tney formed an organization and sent
representatives to Washington 10 ask
for Federal aid on the subject Eycr
since then tho War Department and
the Bureau of Mines have been CO.
operating with Congress I'm drawing
this law, which provides an elaborate
system OF Licensing. and gives Director
Manning, or the Bureau of Mines very
broad powers besides SO that he could
regulate the manufacture as we'll as
inc sale Of high explosives if Il be-
comes necessary. and 30 that he can
command the cooperative services or
hii the police departments I'm the coun-
Try. Major Raymond Pullman. OF rho
washington police force. has been
placed at the head Of this police or
SANITATION, which in effect un!tes all
the police Of the country into q Federal
force. In case Of great explosion IL
will be his duty TO dircc, the local
ponce In their work of Investigation
ana peShaps coordinate the work Of
several adjacent forces. while the
burcau or Mines will rush experts in
mo technology of high explosives to
tho spot.
Easy to Get EIplosIve..
VI course. no system can prevent alb
solutcly the use of explosives for
hctaflous purposes. II an allen enemy
wants 20 use explosives to destroy a
bridge Or munition plant, 1t is possible
ior MN TO make them out of ma
teriais which he can obtain from any
uruE store. provided he knows how
Also. II he Is ingenious he may sue
ccssi uily pose as person entitled to use
nigh explosives for Industrial purpos..
but heretofore practically any person
mas been able to obtain this deadli.st
OF all forces in any reasonable quantity
Tor any purpose. IT has been possible
10 buy the lower grades of dynamite
d. country stores as easily as one could
puy soap or sugar. Safe blowers me-
cording 10 the testimony of an expcr,
given before Senate committees COM
monty ala not even go to the expenso
OF buying their materials but stole II
from the barns OF farmers or from
o'nseiuct'on gangs. In the building Of
"a road TO Mt. Rainier some years ago.
hundreds OF pounds OF dynamite wnre
icit lying about merely covered with
DIS OF canvas. a certain Western coal
mining company admitted that IL had
always lost large amounts OF dynamite
by theft and that these thefts hud been
greatly increased since the Euroncnp
war began. y few years ago some
MeSicans in tho Southwest. who had
quarreled with the Forest Service.
Planned to blow up the government
headquarters with dynamite. the Moi
being revealed when several hundrod
POUNDS OF the material accidentally cx-
pioded in the adobe hut OF n sheen
horder. reducing the hut to its original
constituents OF sand and straw, while
couple or teeth were all that could
DO found Of the plotter
Effective Enemy wenpon.
Is IL any wonder that In n coun,r,
"here the most ignorant and irrespon-
siole or malcontcnts can obtain hirh
explosives in unlimited Quantities nm
enemy power shoulc SEQ in the use OF
ms means most effective weapon
ready TO It's hand?
captain Tunney. of the New York
notnb squad, says that he believes e5
per cent OF the danger from Illegal use