Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-06-28

tlCe a regular INSTITUTION III VI ~ WOihnh
clerks has attained an expert proficiency in a
short time.
This bank is one of many organizations that
have taken the protection of their property into
their own hands. as it has become more ana
more clear that most Of the American police
systems are not equal to the task. The United
States government is one of these organizations.
The Post Office Department especially has in
vested heavily in automatic shotguns and pls-
tolls and has made target practice a part OF It's
routine.
For organizations to prepare to defend their
| property in this way seems to be generally con-
sidered a wise and Justiiable move; but there
is a strong movement on foot to deny the same
right to the citizen. Everywhere gun toting'
laws are being discussed, and the movement 10
legislate guns out of existence seems TO nave
reached its climax in the federal measure which
proposes to bar small arms from interstate
commerce.
This measure, which was discussed in a pre-
vious Haskin Letter, would have the efect OF
making it extremely difficult for a reputable
citizen to purchase a pistol for self-defense
without breaking the law, and it would also
make such arms much more expensive. The
theory Is that it would make it equally difficult
for the criminal to arm himself.
Opponents of this law assert that it would ac-
complish just the opposite of its intention. They
say that the yegg or gunman, who finds a gun
indispensable to his business, would always
manage to get one by hook or crook, just as
he now manages to get cocaine, liquor. opium,
and other contraband goods. 1t is the reputable
citizen, eager to obey the law, who would be
disarmed. The criminals would be given a mo-
What the Constitution Says.
The cOnStltut1Onallty OF THIS law mas also DeeH
questioned. as the constitution provides that
'the right of the people to keep and bear arms
shall not be infringed."
Opponents of pistol prohibition now bring
up a substitute, which is not new. but has a
special interest at this time. When Mayor
Gaynor was shot by an assassin a few years
ago, Judge George c. Holt made an able address
on the subject of arms, and the right to carry
them. He discussed the advisability of pistol
prohibition and decided that 1t was impractl-
cable. He advised that instead a law should pc
passed which would place the selling or small
arms in the control Of competent boards every
where.
Under such a system, if you desired to own a
weapon you would appear before the board ana
apply for a license, just the same as you do
now when you want to operate a motor car.
You would have to demonstrate that you knew
how to operate a gun, just as you now nave
a car. You would very likely undergo a prle1
physical examination, and would have to prove
that you had no criminal record and were sane
By the signatures of reputable persons you
would establish your own reputaplEty.
1t is argued that such a law would do Just
as much to keep arms away from the criminal
class as would the measure preventing the in
~terstate trade in arms. That is, it would pre-
vent a criminal from going into a reputable
store and purchasing such an arm. IL Wouio
be impossible to buy an arm from a reputable
dealer without presenting a license from the
board. Storekeepers would obey this law pune
tiliously, as they obey any law regulating tue
sale of firearms, because they have everything
to lose and nothing to gain by olsopeolehce,
In either case, the yegg would have TO go 10
the gun bootlegger for his gun. and IN either
case, in all probability, he would get it.
VANTAGE it is Claimed, that it would enable the
responsible citizen. who knows how TO use a
gun, to get one for self-defense. 1t would not
give all the advantage to the criminal, as Woulo
the gun-prohibition, say the critics of the meas,
ure. Furthermore, the licensing system Wouto
tend to reduce the great number Oh weapons
which are now purchased by persons who 40 not
know how to operate them, and who cause
most of the numerous accidents tnat occur =
the use of SMALL arms.
Not Abolish. But Regulate.
The proponents of this licensing. system say
that the object of laws on the use Oh SINAI his
should not be to abolish their use. TINS is
neither practicable nor desirable. the OBJECT
should be to confne their use to persons Mho
are capable of using them with dlscretlon; LniS
has scarcely been tempt in the unltea
States. u,r.n
In a large part of our country, the civihan
nopulation has been completely disarmed. IN
The northeastern quarter of the United States,
it is extremely rare to find a man with a gun
about him. unless he is either a criminal mad uo
police officer. The result is that any man arHeu
with a brick in a sock can be a SUCCESSFUL Iop,
Der. Crimes are. carried out with an ease anu
IMMUNITY which is too well known to need Illus
tration here. Foreign feudists fight out their
battles in the streets of our great cities. usuany
shooting a few bystanders 1ncldentaily' anu
these are as helpless as so many sheep.
In certain southern and western states, a very
different custom prevails. Almost every naA
and indeed every boy past seventeen, carries a
revolver. These arms may be purchased by
any one at very low prices in pawnshops. l. II
these states. the old custom OF settnng pc
sonal differences by personal combat stli sur
wives. The result is that there are a great
many homicides in these states, especlaily M
some counties OF them. But petty crime uoes
not flourish. The sneak thief and the sanopae
man are almost unknown. RoppeIies VI "nS
kind in fact. are almost unknown In some OF
these gun-toting sections. Where every man
has a gun in his pocket, a life OF CRIME Is APT
to be short and exciting. t.
Manifestlys it is argued, what we neeu IL q
compromise between these two condltlons. -
RESPONSIBLE citizens were licensed to carry arms
and the licenses were revoked at the frst IN
stance Of reckless or improper use or them, per
hans some of the evils of gun-totlng woula oe
eliminated without denying to Americans that
right to bear arms, which the fathers sought
to protect in the constitution.
rODCOr ApOJJT STYLE