Evening star., 1921-09-15
'I0URGE NATIONAL
F|NGER-PR|NT|NG
International Association for
!. Identification to Advocate
!! BertiIIon System for All.
NOT A POLICE MEASURE
Seen as Method to Prevent "Un'
known Persons Safeguard
Against Forgery.

Finger-printing of every person IN
the United States will be advocated
by the International Association for
Identification, when it meets in con-
vention at the Ebbitt Hotel in this
city from September Il to "a, inclu-
sive.
1t is not the purpose of the organi-
zation to make every citizen a pro-
spective candidate for the rogues' gal
lery. On the contrary. member OF the
association explained today that if ma
tional and state finger print bureaus
are established they will have no con-
nection whatever with the finger print
records of the police.
The very words Finger prints" have
always been associated in the pub
lie mind with criminals and police
activities. But Detective Sergt. Fred
Washington police force. called atten-
ton today to many incidents of every
day life in which universal finger
printing would prove valuable.
II the delicate lines on the finger
tips of every man. woman and child
were recorded. Sandberg said. there
could be no such thing as an unknown n
person in the United States.
Learned Who Man Wax.I
Some years. ago." said Sandberg.
man was picked up in Washington
suffering from aphasia. He was a will
ing and pleasant talker. but could
not tell us anything about himself or
bearing suggested that he had re-
celved military training. Knowing
that the Army and Navy keep finger
prints of all enlisted men. l took the
strangers prints.
After going through the files at
the Navy Department for about ten
minutes we identified the man as a
sailor who had wandered from a
warship in Boston harbor.
IF that man had not been in the
We would have identified him. In
such cases the finger prints are a
sure method of Identification"
Banks could use finger prints to
advantage in preventing check for
geries. Sandberg believes. prospec-
tive depositor. he said. could leave
the print of his thumb or one or two
fingers at the bank with his signature
and put the same print on his checks.
lmpO.sible to Forge.
No apparatus other than an ordinary
Ink pad would be needed. While
there would be some inconvenience in
washing the finger, Sandberg pointed
other person to draw from bank the
money of a man who used the finger
print method of Identification.
A check forger might be able to
initiate the signature of the depositor
in every detail. said the detective, but
he could not get around the finger
print.
The Identification association de-
cided at its last meeting to make the
question of universal finger printing
the leading topic of discussion at the
forthcoming convention.
The tentative plan is to create a
fnger-print bureau in each county
seat. one at each state capital and
national bureau at Washington.
Every child would be finger-printed
at the age OF six. one set being rec
orded in the county bureau. another
at the state bureau and a third at
the national bureau.
Fred Sandberg, chief of the bureau
of identification of the local police de-
partment, called at the White House
today to arrange for a reception of the
visiting delegates and members of
their families by the President. He said
he was anxious for the members to
meet the executive and to have them
shown over the executive offices and
White House. A definite date for the
reception will be made when the Presi-
dent returns from his vacation,