San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-06
LAWYERS ON CRIME

The criminal law section OF the AmcTi-
at Minneapolis adopted a number OF
recommendations for the purpose Of
making crimes less frequent. One OF
the first things mentioned by the law
yers engaged in criminal practice was
this: Firearms are too easy To procure
their sale should be controlled rigidly.'
There has been repeated declarations
of this sort from a variety of sources.
No results have been obtained from such
regulatory measures as have been
adopted. The only way to solve the
firearms problem is to prohibit the max
ing of any weapons except such rs are
used for military and police purposes.
Even in such an event. certain proper
ton will get into the hands OF criminals.
AT first glance it would seem desir-
able to restrict the sale of firearms. But
perhaps an examination of the situation
will disclose that little relief may be
expected from such an attempt.
When it is difficult to obtain pistol
or a gun, the law-abiding citizen will
comply with the law and refrain from
trying to obtain weapon. The crook
on the other hand, caring nothing for
the law, will arm himself by fair means
or foul. Thus we will gradually pass
into a condition wherein the law-abid-
ing citizens will have no weapons and
every crook will have a gun.
Moreover, take away the pistol and
the shotgun from the householder and
he is at the mercy OF the thug armed
with a piece of lead pipe or black
jack. The small man is the victim OF
the strong man. The regulation OF The
sale and use of firearms is a delicate
question. The old fetish OF merely
passing a law" will not solve it. The
American people always have used fire
arms. 1t is one OF the safeguards Of
the nation today, that most Americans
know how to shoot. >
What is needed, with due respect TO
the learned gentlemen of the bar, is
more effective punishment for Cooks
who Use firearms for robbery and nlur-
der. There is no harm merely in posses
sion OF firearms. The harm consists in
the misuse of firearms by criminals.
The fault rests with those charged
with the formulation and carrying out
of the criminal code. There are TOO few
criminals punished where use OF fire
arms are involved. In recommending
the regulation OF the sale of firearms,
the attorneys are not getting at the
meat of the problem. What is needed
are fewer technicalities in court proce-
dure whereby such a large proportion
of those guilty of robbery by firearms
and homicides, succeed in escaping
prompt and effective punishment. Ii
the crook knew that to rake gun ir
hand for purpose Of committing crime
was tantamount to putting his neck III
moose, there would be fewer evidences
of firearms as first aids to crime. A:
matters stand today, the crook has &
fifty-fifty chance OF getting off ii apprc
hended and perhaps better. If arraignet
in court, he can escape quite lightly
with the aid OF a good lawyer
1t is extremely doubtful if any relic
can be expected by regulatory measure
other than complete suppression of al
firearms which is not possible nor de
sirable under existing world conditions
The true remedy rests with enforcement
of law and order in the courts of thi
land and a ban on technicalities b.
which so many criminals escape jus
and immediate punishment.