Evening star., 1921-02-25
MORE GUN T0TERS
|ND::C. THANEVER
Police Head Reports Strange
Record-Fight for Firearms
Law to Be Renewed.

More armed persons are walking the
streets OF Washington today than
ever before, according to Maj. Harry
H. Gessford, superintendent of police
one of the strongest advocates for
legislation to prevent the unrestrict-
ed sale of firearms in the District.
Footpads, men who hold up the pc
destrian In a dark street and fash a
pistol, always go armed, and since
the advent of the bootlegger in the
capital the ranks Of those who carry
concealed weapons-and are ready to
use them-have been augmented to a
dition to the lawbreaker who carries
a weapon as an instrument of his
trade, many otherwise abiding
citizens have begun "toting guns as
self-defense, according to the super
intendent.
Maj. Gessford does not advocate a
law so stringent in its restrictions as
the Sullivan law, in New York, which
prohibits firearms in the home with
the evil at its source, preventing the
sale of firearms unless that sale is
transacted under the supervision of
the police, who are able to judge the
fitness of the applicant for dan
gerouS weapon.
As further measure in supervising
the use of all firearms. the superin-
tendent has suggested revision of the
present law relating to permits which
allow carrying concealed weapons.
Under tho present legislation the ap-
plication for such a permit must be
made to the judges of the Police
Court, who alone are entitled to grant
permission. This permit is good for
thirty days only. At the end Of that
time another must be issued. AS a
result. there has been laxity. it is
said, on the part of those who hold
carried unlawfully whitk might be
carried legally. provided the carrier
had taken the trouble to make proper
application.
Four Bills Before Congress.
Records at the District building
show that four bills were introduced
in the Sixty-sixth Congress which
would regulate the sale of firearms in
the District Nonn of them has
uassed. All will ii. on March 4, and
others will have to be introduced.
One of the pending bills is by Rep
resentative Clark of Florida and
provides that it shall be unlawful
for any dealer to sell deadly wea-
chaser to produce certificates from
the clerks of the criminal and police
courts that he or she has never been
convicted of any offense. and also to
furnish certificates from two citizens
of good repute. A fine of $500 would
be levied against any dealer violating
Another of the pending bills would
amend section S55 Of the District code
relating to firearms SO as to require
from a Judge of the Police Court
or the superintendent of police to
possess a weapon and furnish bond
of $500 while holding such permit.
This bill would give policeman the
right to detain any person suspected
of carving a weapon, and empower
the officer to take said person to the
nearest police station to be searched.
If weapon was found on a person
not authorized by permit to carry or
possess a gun, the weapon would be
conflscated forthwith and the person
charged with violating the law.
A bill also has been introduced maxi
ing it misdemeanor to sell. exchange
or give away pistol IN the District.
Still another bill is pending making
openly, a pistol or other deadly weap-
on, The penalty under this bill would
be a penitentiary sentence of from
one to three years.
To Push Fight for New Law.
Senator Shields of Tennessee will in
troduce. in the extra session of the
new Congress his bill to regulate
interstate commerce in pistols and
other firearms. It is his desire to put
an end, as far as possible. to the in
discriminate sale of firearms. as a
measure to reduce crime.
Senator Shields has for several years
been an advocate of a drastic law 10
prevent the sale of such weapons. Ills
bill not only prevents Interstate cdhn-
merce in firearms. but directly CIV
ers the District Of Columbia