The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-15
THE TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
GNFORMATEON BUREAU
BY FREDERIC J. HAsKIN, Director
Washington, ID. C.
CuRBING THE DYNAMITERs.
WashInEton, d. c

government was extended for the
first time over e most powerful and
deadly of destructive agencies. in the
world. 1t g now impossible to sell
any high explosives without permit
from the United States bureau OF
mines, or to b. it without giving
\ mr. name and address, a full ac-
count of what you intend to use it for,
and a promise to return at once all
that you do not use for the stated
p1rpcse. This licensing system APP
plies to manufacturers, wholesalers
iobbers and retailers.
To those who ave foIiowed the
newspaper accounts of explosions IN
this c untry since the war began IN
Europe, this legislation must seem
bit tardy For three years we have
been living thru an epidemic OF ex-
blossoms, varying all the way from
minor distinctions in munition plants,
and the startling but Intellectual at
tempt to blow up the capitol, to the
Black Tom Island explosion IN new
York which destroyed shipping and
shook New York City from the Bat
terry to the Bronx.
As a matter of fact, plans to get
control of high explosives have been
under way ever since we began max
ing munitions on great scale 1t
began with a conference of the gov
ernors of several New England states
a couple of years ago. Alarmed at
the frequency of explosions about the
munition plants, many of which could
not be adequately explained as acct
dents, they formed an organization
and sent representatives to Washing
ton to ask for federal aid on the sub
ject. Ever since then the war de-
partment and the Bureau of Mines
have been cooperating with congress
| in drawing this law, which provides
an elaborate system of licensing, and
gives Director Manning of the Blu
reau of Mines very broad powers be-
Sides so that he could regulate the
manufacture as well as the sale of
| high explosives if it becomes neces-
sary, and so that he can command
the cooperative services of all tho
| police departments in the country.
Major Raymond Pullman of the Wash
| ington police force has been placed
at the head of this police organiza-
ton, which in effect unites all the po-
| lice of the country into federal
| force. In case of a great explosion, it
will be his duty to direct the local
and perhaps coordinate the work of
several adjacent forces, while the bu-
reau of mines will rush experts in the
technology of high explosives to the
spot.
| "A Curb on Enemies.
Of course no system can prevent
absolutely the use of explosives for
nefarious purposes. If an alien enemy
wants to use explosives to destroy a
/ bridge or munition plant, it is posi-
BILE for him to make them out of ma
terials which he can obtain from any
| drug store, provided he knows how
Also, if. he is ingenious, he-may sue
! ceSsfully pose as a person entitled to
use high explosives for industrial pur-
| poses. But heretofore, practically any
person has been able to obtain this
deadliest of all forces in any reason
able quantity for any purpose. 1t has
been possible to buy the lower grades
of dynamite at country stores as east
ly as one could buy soap or sugar.
Safe blowers, according to the testi-
mony of an expert given before a SEN
ate committee commonly did hot
even go to the expense of buying their
materials, but stole it from the barns
| of farmers, or from construction
gangs. In the building of a road to
Mt. Rainier some years ago, hundreds
of pounds of dynamite were left lying
about merely covered with bits of
| canvas. A certain western coal min
ing company admitted that it had al
ways lost large amounts of dynamite
by theft and that these thefts had
been greatly increased since the Euro
pean war began. A few years ago
some Mexicans in the Southwest who
had quarreled with the Forest Service,
planned to blow up the government
headquarters with dynamite, the plot
being revealed when several hundred
exploded in the adobe hut of a sheep
herder, reducing the hut to its orig
inal constituents of sand and straw,
while acouple of teeth were all that
could be found of the plotter
A Most Effective Weapon.
Is it any wonder that in a country
where the most ignorant and irrespon-
sible of malcontents can obtain high
explosives in unlimited quantities, an
enemy power should see in the use
of this means most effective weapon
ready to its hand?
Captain Tunney of the New York
bomb squad says that he believes 95
per cent of the danger from illegal
use of explosives will be removed by
this licensing system, and cites his
own experience in New York as proof
In order to find out how easily dyna-
mite could be obtained there, he sent
some of his men out incognito to pur-
chase high explosives. They easily
Z obtained all they wanted. Captain
Tunney then ordered that they should
return part of the purchase with the
explanation that they did not need it.
They did so, and the purchase money
was refunded by check Taking
these checks as evidence. the New
York police department laid the case
/ before the explosive makers and de-
, manded their cooperation in re-
stricting the irresponsible sale of theil
product. By this cooperation, which
Was not enforced by any law, much
r was accomplished in New York
, A licensing system, which will en-.
able reputable persons to obtain higt
} explosives is absolutely necessary be.
Y cause of the Importance of these ma
r terials in industry. In farming, fol
removing stumps and boulders and t.
break refractory soil great quantitie.
Q are used. 1t is also indispensable il
n mining and road building Abou
= 2OO,00O,000 pounds of dynamite ar,
used annually in the United State!
for industrial purposes. Heretofor,
= it has been possible for practically an,
T person to obtain a share of this tire
a mendous quantity of explosive TO
whatever purpose he wished to us
it. Our stringent regulations with re
Q gard to the selling and carrying o
= reYOlXerS look rather. futile in tho f.so