The Washington herald., 1921-02-22
CRIME ON INCREASE
DURING DRY Times,
AYERS SOL0N HERE
Tinkham Makes Startling
Statements at Trade
30 Board Meet.

How major crimes In fhe District
have Increased from 80 per cent
60 500 per cent in 1920 over 1910
aud.sas15. despite prohibition. was
told members OF the public order
committee Of the Board Of Trade
BY Representative George Tinkham.
Of Massachusetts. at a luncheon
mssting held in the Hotel Airing
ton yesterday.
Tinkham supported his state
menLEith an array of figures
which he said he was preparing TO
read to his colleagues in the House
Of Representatives as a commentary
on the effects Of prohibition in the
Dfstricts
show big Iserease.
-Despits the fact that the popu-
lation in the District has Increased
only 32 per cent over the period for
which these figures in major crimes
are complied enormous percentages
of increase are shown under each
and eyery classification.
1T cannot be said that the in
creases are due to traffic cases for
the largest increases are taken
from the proceedings OF the Dis
trict Supreme Court, where no such
cases are tried.
Tt cannot be said that Washing
ton has a larger number of murders
each year than Scotland because of
the foreign element here, either, for
there Is practically NO foreign ele-
ment."
Debate on Firearms-
to the District code aimed to re-
strict the sale of firearms IN the
District were threshed over at the
luncheon.
Owing to opposition which de-
veloped to some Of the phrases con-
tanned in a section framed by mem>
bers . of the committee, Odell
Smith, chairman, named q subcom-
posed amendment again and report
at a future meeting Of the public
order committee.
Joseph Burkhart was named as
chairman Of the subcommittee. The
other members are DIR. J. B. Gregg
Custis. A Walford and Chris ].
mittee Is authorized to confer with
enc -" anu AeBisiatAOh COhiultlcS
of the board
To AK for ID. c. Law.
The legislation asked in the
amendment which was presented
for consideration at yesterdays
meeting would compel residents of
the District to file an application
with the major and superintendent
Of police IL they desire to obtain
q firearm- The major. in turn. must
either approve or disapprove the
application within fifteen days.
Eesting of the discretionary pow
er of issuing the permits solely in
the superintendent of police was
one Of the bones of contention which
developed at yesterdays meeting.
r. W. Pearson. a member of the
committee, who branded the pro-
posed amendment as "unconstitu-
tional," said that residents here at
least should have the right to ap-
peal to the District Commissioners
II their application was turned down
by the superintendent of police.
Would Dust sGun Toters--
Smith admitted there might be
flaws in the proposed amendment
to the code framed by his commit
tee but he reminded the members
that they must get some piece of
legislation through, Congress which
will diminish the band of gun tot
ers in the District" and at least act
as a wedge for more perfect legis-
lation along this line.
Smith declared that the manufac-
tUrers' of firearms are so firmly in
trehched in Congress that up to this
I Z fnae all legislation detrimental to
tfeir personal interests had been
passonholed and that II was high
TING the Efforts of citizens here
sbaEathiz line are concentrated and
rFes1etive 6f results
ptstrsot cenmlssioner Hendrick,
1,lbsft SchulteIs, president of the
ChsrgecF OF Commerce, and also a
member ~ the public order commit
tee. ruade bgief addresses, as did
stephen f. Kramer, assistant su-
perintendent of schools. and Edwin
c. Brandenburg. former president
Of the board