Imperial Valley press., 1923-08-25


four, which, is new. Section four
prohibits convicted person from
being granted probation or sus
pended sentence.
Section five changes the present
law by making statewide the pro
hibition against carrying concealed
firearms upon the person, which is
now applicable only within the
limits of incorporated cities. 1t
also prohibits carrying such fire
| arms concealed within q vehicle.
The latter provision of course, is
| directly aimed at the automobile
| bandit, who has become an estab
lished feature of modern civiliza-
tion.
Section five contains another pro
vision which, while it does not
change the present state law, will
have the effect of superseding nun
icipal ordinances in San Francisco
and q few other cities. which re-
quire citizen to obtain a permit
from the chief of police before he
can even buy pistol, revolver Or
other fiream capable of being
! concealed upon the person. In pro
curing the passage of these ordi-
nances, police departments have
succeeded in inducing municipal
legislative bodies to do what the
California legislature has consist
entity refused to do during a period
of time extending back for approx
imately 20 years. Moreover, wheth-
er Willingly or unwittingly, they
have played into the hands of the
mail order houses in Chicago or
elsewhere, by which the attempt to
procure legislation of this sort was
| originally instigated The only ef-
feet of such ordinances is to drive
away from the cities the business
Of the legitimate dealers. Fully so
per cent of the business of the re-
| putable dealers in San Francisco
has been taken away from them by
the ordinance of that city. Law
4 abiding people naturally resent leg
islation Of that sort, and naturally
resent being required to answer the
impertinent. questions propounded
to them by the police authorities
before such permit can be OBJ
tanned. Consequently, rather than
submit to such inquisition, intending
purchaser sends or goes elsewhere
to buy what he wants, even if he
does have to send to New York, Chi
cago or Kansas City to get it, or to
any city outside of the one in which
he lives.
no Crime Deterrent
A criminal does not obey any
law Fear of punishment is the
only deterrent. 1t is childish to
think that a criminal will 90 to the
chief Of police for a permit to go
into a gun Store to buy an arm
the underground channels will take
care of his wants. The former laws
in some of the municipalities re-
quiring an intending purchaser to
first obtain permit from the chief
of police, were exactly what Grim
inals wanted; laws as restrictive and
annoying to the law abiding Gle
ment as it was possible to make
them. 1t is plain to anyone that a
law of this kind does not deter a
criminal. 1t helps the criminal,
and penalties the citizen who obeys
the law, hence suCA laws are useless
for the purpose intended.
Section six is practically the same
as the corresponding section of the
present law, with the addition of
| hunters and fishermen TO the classes
of persons who may carry firearms
capable of being concealed upon the
person, while engaged in hunting or
, fishing, or while going to or re-
turning from such hunting or fish
ing expedition.
Section seven Bepeats the pres
ent law, but adds to it definite
| date within which confiscated fire
armys must be destroyed, and an
other which provides for summary
| destruction of. the characteristic
weapons of the thug, mentioned in
| section one. 1t also carries q new
provision, eXempting from destruc-
| ton firearms stolen from reputable
citizens, and found in the posses
! sion of the thief or his transferee.
| Firearms are stolen as frequently
as any article of personal property,
and always find Il ready sale to
pawnbrokers and second hand deal
| ers.
Section eight refers to permits to
carry concealed weapon and is
! eNbstantiallV thp same ms the pres