Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-12-05

finger print has become a standard OF
Identification there. II
If the system is ever introduced in
to the United States it will probably
have to be on 4 more definite basis.
To start the system, finger prints
would have to be taken just as the
census is. After that, each year chill
dren attaining six years could be fin
ger-printed on a fixed date.
Patterns Never Change
Mr.. Bennett says that this age limit
il not set because of any change due
70 growth. An individuals finger
nrint patterns do not change from
birth to death, except to become larg-
Or, A baby four weeks old can be
finger printed. Mr.. Bennett explains.
though it is difficult to keep the fin
gers uncurIed sufficiently to make a
clear print, and the ridges are so fine
that thew are not easy to analyze. For
q permanent record, therefore, it is
considered advisable to wait until the
sixth year. -.
Each print record placed on file in
ma fiopal. state and local bureaus would
show the name and address and next
of kin of the individual. If he changed
his address, or if the next of kin died
ar left the country the local bureau
wonld expect to be notified of changes
to be made on the three records. The
efficiency of the system would thus
depend to some extent on the cooper
alton of the public in keeping the rec
ord correct.
The argument has been presented
that such a system would be expensive
and that cities would not regularly go
to the trouble of identifying the hui
man mysteries and notifying the
| proper friends or relatives
Mr.. Bennett says that cities already
go to a great deal of trouble and ex-
peuse in such cases, and that munich
! nal authorities would welcome the es-
| tablishment Of a system to help them,
| especially since it would mean a saw
ing in other directions. 10 Keep a
man suffering from paralysis in the
| city hospital until his friends claim
him or his people can be found Is ex-
| pensive. To bury a mysterious body
in the patter's field costs SO or $50,
| To send a telegram TO a man next
of kin in a nearby city would cost per
hans less than a dollar and the city
would be glad to be relieved of its re-
snonsibilitv so readily. Cities do no
| often ulSpDSe VI q uA -
carelessly, because it is always 70 their
! advantage to solve the puzzle In
hurving an unidentified body a city
/ might be burying a troublesome Grim
inal or a missing heir, and the search
for that person might 60 on needlessiy
for wears. Yet in spite OF lnvestiga'
tons and widely advertised inquiries
! 4 5000 such bodies are buried each
year.
Identifying persons who are fol-
some reason unable to prove who they
are is the most obvious use OF the
nroposed finger print bureau. Other
uses would undoubtedly be found ones
| the system was established. An I'M
poster would find it difficult to keeI
M his bluff once he was suspected. II
refuse to show official finger print
nroof of his identity would be to invite
suspicion. and sooner or later nj
prints would be obtained by some rust
and checked up officially.
Claimants for the fortunes OF Ions
missing heirs could be made to prove
their claims by the finger print rec
ords. Insurance cases could be set
tied BY reference to the official tiles
That is, for instance. if an insnre'
man were killed in an accident, and hi
widow we're put to the necessity, Q
p~roving that the dead man was lndee'
her husband in order to draw has III
surance, finger prints might be utl
izad