The Washington herald., 1922-12-15
.DESCR|bESH0W
RUM RUNNERS
.ENTERD|STR|CT
Macdonald Tells of Armed
Whiskey Conveys Which
Dash Through R. !. Avenue
HUMAN LIFE HELD CHEAP
Declares Law Forbidding Gun
Sales Here Would Do Much
to End This LawIess Traffic


"With no regard for life or
property, a murderous band of
bootleggers virtually has declared
war on the people of the District
of Columbia"
So asserted U. S. Commissioner
George H. Macdonald last night
before the public order committee
of the Board of Trade at the
Raleigh Hotel in an address urg-
ing PASSAGE of a law forbidding
sale of firearms In Washington.
SHOOT TO KILL.
These bootlegging cutthroats.
when cornered, shoot and shoot to
KILL" he said, land the innocent
bystander or officer has no chance
whatsoever"
Commissioner Macdonald told how
liquor is brought into Washington.
He said: Liquor trains may be seen
coming into Washington via Rhode
Island avenue almost any night. A
pilot car leads, freighted with
dozen men armed to the teeth with
| high powered rifles. pistols, and
!
Let me impress on you that any
person. he he an officer of the law
or plain citizen. is almost sure of Il
hospital cot if he crosses the path
of these p:ratical gentry. Following
the pilot car come the fire. ght' cars.
laden with liquor
INDORSE MEASURE.
Members of the committee. includ-
/ ing Inspector Clifford Grant. indi-
! vidua,ly :ndors>d a bill now before
! Congress forbidd.ng the sale of fire
arms in the District. The objection
raised with regard to tn" h'll was
/ the fact that it provided for a mini
Tum as We as maximum punish
| ment for viola -ors. The committee
| held that minimum punishment
/ should be lef; 10 the discretion of the
| Judge The matter was referred to
a subcommittee headed by Walter
| H. Johnson.
The plan of bonding autoists, in
| order to promote safety. was en-
| Enthusiastically received by the COM
| nlittee. w. Pearce Rayner stated
| that because il is go easy to get
! hacking tags in the District. and
because we have no bonding system,
that business is greatly Overcrowded.
| with the result that a large number
| cf these men resort to white slavery,
soliciting and b0Otlegging to make
| 4 living"
WANTS BONDING LAW.
II am absolutely in favor of the
bonding plan" said Thomas Brad
| .ry. former president of the Wash
| rgton Board of Trade. because it
| will only affect the irresponsible,
| undesirable drivers. ! should like
very much to see comprehensive
| scheme enacted"
The plan has many staunch sup
nrters in both the House and Sen
| rtc. Herbert l.. Davis said. MIR.
Davis in an address favoring the
| .ractment of such legislation said
hat many cities throughout the
ountry. including Chicago, have
such a plan. and asserted that 1t
'ad met with marked success.
.ubcommittee, headed by Merritt
}. Chance. will prepare a tentative
hill and present II to the pubic
| order committee.
URGES IMPOUNDING LAW.
II will get an impounding law
'or the District if / have to sac
rifice my job for it," declared In
Spector Albert Headley, officer in
,harge of the Traffic Bureau.
"Every car parked In a spot longer
than the law allows should be re-
moved by the police department and
its owner forced to pay fine
before it is returned to him."
The general traffic conditions
throughout the city were discussed
detail. the consensus of opinion
in nf
great improvement. Fines coupled
With Jail sentences were advocated
or reckless. irresponsible motorists.
ASKS SHRINE WEEK FUND.
Maj Daniel Sullivan. superinten-
lent of police, asked the committee
% do all in its power to prevail
upon Congress to appropriate $685.
400 more to secure additional po-
lice protection during the week of
ne Shrine convention. The pres
mt appropriation of s25.00O for this
work. he declared insufficient"
The District Fire Department is
n dir" need Of new motor apparatus
was declared by Capt. Edward Con-
inor. He said that a large num-
her of pieces were damaged badly
Turing the blizzard of last winter,
and the supply should be repien-
ished.
The service which Robert Law
lrence. director of community sing
ing. is rendering was stressed by
William F. Ham. president of the
Washington Railway and Electric
Company. He pointed out the
value of music and the work which
Mr.. Lawrence is doing in the Dis
trict to forward 1t.
Edward F. Colladay. president of
the Board of Trade. in an address
stated that there was less fric-
ton in the police and fire depart
ments now than ever before. CIV
ing a great share of the credit for
this condition to the fine person
alities of the two chiefs. Maj. Dan
iel Sullivan and Chief George Wat
son. Odell s. Smith presided.