Evening star., 1921-03-15
BUSINESS MEN GIVE
OYSTER AN OVATION
New Commissioner Honored
by Chamber of Com
merCe,

| An impromptu reception to Capt.
James F. Oyester, new Commissioner of
| the District: the unanimous adoption OF
! the report of the police and fire protec-
tion committee. urging stringent laws for
| the sale Of firearms in the District and
| neighboring states, and an address by
Rev. James E. Freeman. rector of the
Church of the Epiphany. featured the
meeting last night of the Washington
| Chamber of Commerce at the Willard
Hotel.
When Capt. Oyster. a former president
| of the chamber, appeared at the meet
F.! ing the entire assemblage stood and
applauded for three minutes. After a
short speech of welcome by Isaac Cans,
| who presided in place of Albert Schulz
| teis, Commissioner Oyster made his first
| sddress since his appointment
The Commissioner said that he felt
very much at home at all chamber meet
ings and that he was one of it's original
members.
Asks Support of Members.
II told friend that I was coming to
the meeting tonight" said Commissioner
Oyster, 'and he asked me how had the
ne rye after Just being appointed Com
missioner. l replied that if being a
attending the meeting of the Chamber
Of Commerce didn't want to be Com
missioner"
Capt. oyster asked for the co-opera-
tion of every member and said that
he couldn't hope to make a success
Grafton was forthcoming.
Immediate steps to eliminate gun
toters' in tie District of Columbia
were urged by the police and hre
was submitted by Charles w. Darr.
vice chairman.
The energy of the police department
and the courts in stamping out this
practice will go for naught. in the
opinion of the committee. unless law
sale of such weapons.
Congress Urged to Act.
1.-THE penalties in such a law must
be severe and certain" said the report
land while the punishment must fit
the crime, and instance may be cited
where courts have declared laws in
valid on account of the penalties being
excessive, there can be no danger, in
the opinion of the committee, Of Con-
gress fixing a punishment in the case
here that would be too excessive to
impose upon an unlawful sale Of fire.
arms or the crime Of gun toting. which
has grown to be an alarming menace
to the people Of every state in the
Union.
city of London, Eng. even the police are
not permitted to carry guns.
The committee calls attention to the
fact that such a law of Congress as
your committee has suggested will only
in a small way remedy the existing
evil of indiscriminate purchases and
sales Of guns in the District of Colum-
bia, and only in smaller way cure US
of the existing evils Of gun toting
IL the cities OF the state, contiguous to
Washington are to continue without reg
ulation or restraint in the sale Of fire.
arms. With a law strong enough, If en-
forced, to prevent the unlicensed sale
Of firearms in the District of Columbia.
you will at once drive not only those
Of criminal intent, but also some Of our
best citizens to Baltimore, Alexandra,
or while in any nearby state. to pur-
chase guns for private use and take
chance on bringing them into the Dis
any other record that such a gun is in
the District.
New State LAWS Needed.
I'VE. therefore, earnestly recon-
mend that the President of the Cham
Der of Commerce appoint a committee
to take up with the governors of the
states Of Maryland, Virginia. West
Virginia, Delaware. Pennsylvania and
New York the question of urging
upOH the general assemblies OF these
states the enactment of laws similar
to that to be passed by Congress for
the District of Columbia covering the
sale and toting of firearms for their
respective states. and further that
the committees urge the Chamber of
Commerce and other trade. CONNER
cial and fraternal bodies of the cities
In the states to get behind the move
ment to the end that in these states
and the District OF Columbia there will
be uniform law covering the sale
OF and toting of guns. and ultimately
the committee should extend it's work
to include all of the states and terri
tories of the United States, and only
in this way can the people of all OF
the states be fully protected from
the evils Of gun toting
Your committee believes that all