Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-06-11
PROPOSED LAW
WILL REGULATE
USE OF PISTOLS
Shields Measure, II Passed,
Will Operate on Plan
of Prohibition

law. Is now pEopOStu bS A,SudNOA
Of Tennessee as a remedy for the crime
wave.
It is agreed by all that something
must be done. The country is overrun
by armed thugs, who shoot down a few
hundred citizens every day, take their
cash and jewelry and escape in $4,000
cars which they have stolen from other
citizens without much trouble.
Senator Shields believes the way to
remedy this situation is to make it as
difficult as possible for any one to OBJ
tain 4 revolver, pistol or other trearm
small enough TO be concealed about the
person. and he has introduced a bill
which is to accomplish this by barring
such arms from interstate commerce
The stated purpose of the bill is to sup
press the sale of pistols. revoivers. ct
cetera-that is. to make it as difficult as
possible for any one. criminal or other
vis=to obtain such frearm.
This bill has provoked sharp discussion.
Many legislators favor it. On the other
hand. students of the crime problem say
that il will be wholly ineffective. Some
critics of the measure say that II l.
tvnical of a whole school of legislation
in This country, designed TO suppress
vice and crime, and which has the OPP
posite effect.
Senator shields says that his measure
is modelled after the prohibition law.
Prohibition. he says, was ineffective as
n State or local measure as long as
LIQUOR could be manufactured in neigh
boring States and shipped into dry
territory. In like manner. he says, the
efforts of police to control the sale OF
firearms in a given city are futile as long
as any criminal can send away ana ger
a revolver by mail or express
His opponents say that his whole
theory is unsOund. They agree with him
that his law is of exactly the same type
as the prohibition law, and they assert
that. while prohibition has reduced the
consumption of alcohol which may be
good thing. it has not prevented any man
who really wants alcohol from getting It.
He can get it from 5oOtleggers. Further
more. here in washington, one of the
most orderly of cities he can buy a
slightly medicated port wine containing
IS per cent Of alcohol at many small
stores. and he can buy all the materials
for making home brew at several places,
together with all directions for the
making. The effect Of this law, they
contend. has been TO restrict the con-
sumption by making it incOnvenient to
obtain alcoholic beverages, but it has not
made it impossible for the man with an
abnormal alcoholic thirst TO satisfy It.
WILL NOT AFFECT
CRIMINALS.
In like manner. they say. the gun-pro-
hibition law will greatly reduce the num-
her OF persons owning weapons by max
lg it difficult to obtain them. but it
il never prevent the man who really
~eeds one from getting it. There will
-1evitably he bOOtlegging in guns. just
there is now bOOtlegging in whisky.
whole new class Of criminals who en-
Ica in this traffic will be created. just
liquor prohibition has created class
criminals And the taxpayer will be
added with another burden Of expense
m the effort to enforce this law. 1t will
disarm the peaceable citizen, but it will
ever prevent the criminal. who needs
me gun in his business, from getting one.
lie IS used 10 getting things by theft and
raft. He is well acquainted in the
underworld. He will get a gun under
un prohibition just as easily as he gets
quor under Equor prohibition. The
abiding citizen VIII be disarmel by
ich legs alton. but not the professional
.nmau.
Take. for example, they say. a group OF
10 citizens. Perhaps fifty or more of
.hese never thought of owning a gun.
crhaps about thirty of them have pur-
based guns which they keep in bureau
DRAWERS for personal protection. Many
burglar and highwayman has been
fOiled by an armed citizen. The keeping
Of arms in the house for self protection
is a recognized and valuable aid in the
suppression of crime. If there were a
loaded revolver in every bedroom in the
'oUntry, with person who had been
properly trained in the use of it. bur
larry would b. greatly discouraged.
In this 100 men there are perhaps 10
no own revOlyers as means of recrea-
lion. They are members of target shoot
ing clubs which encourage civilian prac-
tice with small arms. or they are men
who make camping trips in wild country
and carry side arms with them.
HOW WOULD
WORK.
Not more than probably, Of this 100
men are criminals. Now the effect of a
law like the Shields bill, say its oppo-
nents, is to disarm this entire 100 men
in the hope of disarming the criminal
members. The so who would otherwise
buy revOlvers for self defense will be dis
couraged from doing so by the expense
and risk Of prosecution. Then men who
use their weapons a 5 means Of recreation
md who are valuable for their skill in
ase Of war, will be more reluctant to give
~. but they, too, are law-abiding men
nd do not like to follow a hobby which
involves contempt Of law.
The only men of the hundred who will
lmpletely and gladly disregard the law
re the three criminals. They habitually
disregard law anyway. They are experts
il breaking it. Their lives depend upon
he ownership of guns. It is almost Ger
ain that they will succeed in obtaining
hem And they will be the holder in the
sc Of them by reason of knowing that
heir intended victims have been dis
rmed
These men argue that the way to pre-
ent the abuse Of any privilege or right
not TO take ia away from everybody,
hut to take il away from the man who
buses it-not to deprive the ninety
seven law-abiding citizens of their
lights. but to make it hot for the three
rocks.
This is not being done, they say. Our
lOlice systems have come In for so much
-riticism lately that it is hardly neces-
ary to repeat any Of it. Unsolved muir
Ter and theft mysteries are the order Of
the day. Our criminal law is a motor
Gus farce. The statement is made by
Iich authorities that a man is seldom
0nvicted Of murder in this country If
.e has plenty of money or a political
lull. The way to stop murder is to
atch and punish the murderers. and the
way TO disarm criminals is 10 catch
hem and take their arms away from
lem, argue these opponents Of the pro
ibitory principle.
If there is to be any Federal legisla-
ION bearing on the crime wave. these
len say. it should have for its purpose
ne creation of d Federal police bureau.
his is badly needed to act as a clear
nc house for information about crimi-