Imperial Valley press., 1923-08-25
new CALIFORNIA FIREARMS LAW is i
MOST SATISFACTORY EVER ENACTED .
BY ANY STATE, SAYS HIGH OFFICIAL
BY ROBERT T. McKISICK
= Deputy Attorney General

oSPUJy AttOIiley GSAicidl
The new California firearm law,
effective August II, as introduced
into the Assembly by Fred G..
Hawes of San Francisco, was model
ed upon, and followed almost lit
orally, bill introduced into con
gress by Senator Capper of Kansas.
Prior to the opening of the recent
session Of the California legisla-
ture it had been advocated by
various associations of persons in
terested in the manufacture, sale
and Legitimate use of pistols and re-
volvers, as n model for uniform
bill to be introduced into the legis-
lature of each state throughout
the. country. The Capper bill was
an effort upon the part Of those
who know something about fire
arms. to forestall the flood of fan
atical legislation intended to de-
prive all citizens of the United
States of the right to own and use
for legitimate purposes firearms
capable of being concealed upon
the person, and to make the eXer-
else of this right dependent upon
the whim, caprice OR favoritism of
the chief of police in the communi-
ty wherein such citizens resides.
1t is apparent to every person
with common sense, that the only
effect of such legislation is to dis
arm the Jaw abiding citizen, and
to place him more completely than
ever, at the mercy of the thug OF
burglar, who will pay no more at.
tention to law prohibiting him
from carrying concealed weapons
than he pays to law which pun
. ishes him for highway robbery OF
burglary.
The intent of the Hawes' bill
was to introduce an element of san,
ity into firearms legislation, so as
to provide adequate punishments
upon an increasing scale for the
habitual gunman, and at the same
time permit law abiding citizens
to continue to buy and own such
firearms for home defense and
other legitimate uses.
Principal Changes
The principal changes in the
present law are in the direction .of
Strengthening the penalties imposed
upon persons found in possession of
the characteristic weapons of the
thug, namely lackjacks, slingshots
billies, sandclubs, sandbags, metal
knuckles, dirks and daggers. I'm
der the present law, this offense is
u misdemeanor; the Hawes bill
makes it felony. A new provision
is added i'll section one, to punish
any person who may be, caught,
carrying concealed upon his per-
son, any explosive substance, other
than fixed ammunition.
The provisions of sections two
and three are new and are taken
from the Capper bill. 1t may be
that the constitutionality of that
feature of section two, which pro.
hibits the ownership by an sun
naturalized foreign born person" of
firearms capable of being concealed
upon the person-may be attacked
upon the ground that is in conflict
with the treaty rights of some
aliens who may reside within the
state.
However, Robert T. MeKisick,
deputy attorney general, who re-
vised the bill before its passage,
does not attach much Importance
to this point, for the prohibition
against such alien ownership should
be entirely eliminated from the
bill, without injury to its remain
ing provisions. 1t is said that Penn
sylvania has had such statute
upon its books for number of
years, and has succeeded in enforc-
ing it. If it can be susutained, it
will have Il salutary effect in check
ing tong wars among the Chinese
and vendettas among our people
who are of Latin descent, for both
races employ firearms in their
private wars If it cannot be sus-
tanned, present conditions will re-
remain unchanged in that one re-
spect.
Severe Penalties
The provisions of section three,
imposing severe penalties, with a
rapidly increasing scale, upon per-
sons who have been convicted two
or more times of committing felon-
les within the state, will have de-
terrent effect if it is possible to
produce such effect by legislation.
1t makes the carrying of a fireaFm,
while attemnting to commit q fel-