Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-12-05

Every citizen expfai-s r:finE the usea
Of q natonst syscsln OF finger, prina-
ing is not new. France. like thu Unit
ed States. has been considering the
plan. and Argentina already has q
working system. though not quite SO I
complete as that. proposed for this
country.
Every citizen liable to military serv-
ice in Argentina Is finger printed at !
the age OF IS. Women are not COM
PEELED to have their prints taken, but
many do SO for their w protection
and convenience. The head of the Ar
genuine system says that customs and
institutions of his country make 1t al,
most necessary for a resident to carry
some sor. Of credentials, and the fin
ger print has become q standard OF.
identification there.
II the system is ever introduced in
10 the United States it will probably
have TO be on a more definite basis.
To start the system. finger prints
would have to be taken Just as the
census IS. After that, each year chill
d-en attaining six years could be fin
ges-prn,ed on a fixed date.
Patterns Never Change,
Mr.. Bennett says that this age limit
Is not set because Of any change in
prints due to growth. An individuals
ringer print patterns do not change
from birth to death. except to become
larger. A baby four weeks old can be
finger printed. Mr.. Bennett explains,
though it is difficult to keep the fin
gers uncurled sufficiently to make a
clear print, and the ridges are so fine
that they are not easy to analyze. For
a permanent record, therefore, it is
considered advisable to wait until the
sixth year.
Each print record placed on file in
national. state, and local bureaus
would show the name and address and
next OF kin of the individual. II he
changed his address, or IL the next of
Kin died or left the country the local
bureau would expect to be notified of
changes to be made on the three rec
ords' The efficiency Of the system
would thus depend to some extent on
the cooperation Of the public in keep
ing the record correct.
The argument has been presented
that such a system would be expen.
sive and that cities would not regu.
larly go to the trouble of identifying
the mysteries and notifying
the proper friends or relatives ~
Mr.. Bennett says that cities alread,
;go to a great deal of trouble and ex.
lpense in such cases. and that munich.
pal authorities would welcome the es.
I~tablishment of a system to help them
especially since 1t would mean a say.
ing In other directions. To keen z
man suffering from paralysis in tn,
city hospital until friends claim hin
or his people can be found Eis expen.
'sive. To bury a mysterious body il
the potter's field costs SIS or $40. II
send a telegram to a mans next of k,1
in a nearby city would cost perhap,
less than a dollar and the city woul<
be glad to be relieved of its responsi
btllty so readily. Cities do not ofte,
dispose Of a human mystery careless
ly, because 1t is always to their ad
vantage to solve the puzzle. In bury
ing an unidentified body a city Nigh
; be burying a troublesomescriminal 8
a missing heir, and the search 70
that person might go n needlessI,
for years. Yet In spite of intyestiRa
tons and widely advertised inquire
10000 such bodies r buried .eacl
.Iyear. ..Es
. Identifying persons whotQ are 70
|, some reason unable to who the
,lare Is the most obvious use of fh
proposed finger print bureau. othe
uses would Undoubtedly be, founj
once the system was established. A,
imposter would find 1t difficult. I
, keep up his blum once he was suspect
ed. To refuse to show. official finge
print proof Of his 1 IDENTITY would be
his. prints would be obtained ~ som
ruse and checked UP Officially.
Claimants for the fortunes OF Ion
simimine heirs could q made "a nrni,