Evening star., 1925-08-09

nfedrmS, SpecldI. committee on a
uniform act TO accomplish this pur-
pose Will present to a meeting OF the
National Conference of Commission
ers on Uniform State Laws in Detroit
the latter part of August d draft of d
code which will be brought before
Congress in 1926 to serve as fire
arms code for the District of Colum-
bia. Taking up all the points covered
III the present District regulations
pertaining to firearms, the draft of
the new code forbids the carrying of
firearms without licenses, forbids
sales of arms to miners and goes at
length into the situation from every
angle.
While it is intended primarily for
adoption by the States in the absence
of a national firearms law, it will be
recommended by Congress after the
1926 conference to apply only to the
District of Columbia and a District
firearms law. Many of the points COW
cred in the Capper bill regulating sale
and possession Of firearms in the Dis
trict of Columbia, which failed OF
passage in the last Congress, are COW
cred in the proposed code. E.
Urged for All States.
1t will be presented to the State
commissioners conference by a com
mittee headed by Charles V. INLAY
OF Washington, who. with Walter C..
Clephane and f. s. Tyler, will repre-
sent the District of Columbia at the
conference.
Briefly, the proposed code does not
aim to interfere with the manufac-
ture Of firearms, nor does II aim to
require a license to purchase fire
arms. a method of regula ton adopt ed
by some States. II does not aim at
SO drastic a regulation as the State
wide registration of firearms in eff
feet in Arkansas.
Opening with a definition of "pis.
tol or revolver" as firearm with a
barrel less than II inches in length,
the law seeks to impose a heavier
penalty for a crime by one Illegal
armed, making Illegal possession of a
pistol or revolver prima facie evidence
or intent. 1t forbids felons possess
ing arms at all: 1t forbids every one,
with suitable exceptions, from carry
ing arms concealed without a license
and forbids sales to minors.
1t regulates sales generally, requires
or dealers licenses to sell, imposing
special rules for such licenses intended
to insure proper precautions as to de-
livery OF weapons and as to records.
These purposes are furthered by pro.
visions for penalties for false informa.
ton and alteration Of identifying
marks on weapons. Some minor pro.
visions are also included.
Makes No Radical Changes.
The committee holds that the pro-
visions or the proposed law present no
constitutional objections. constitute
no drastic changes in the law of anv
Jurisdiction, and If adopted generally
Will not only secure uniformity, but
VIII remove the evils of the present
lack of uniformity. One of the most
serious of these evils. the committee
holds, is the ease with which a crimi-
nal may now go from A State where
the laws are stringent to one where
there is little Or no regula ton and
after purchasing weapon return
with 1t to the former and accomplish
his purpose.
Some of the provisions of the pro-
posed code follow: Committing crime
when armed. If any person shall
commit or attempt to commit felony
when armed with pistol or revolver
and having no permit to carry the
same, he may in addition to the pun
ishment provided for the crime. be
punished by Imprisonment for not less
than one nor more than five wears.
No such statute is now in effect in the
District of Columbia, although the
Capper bill proposed such a law.
Being armed prima facie evidence
of intention-In the trial of person
for the commission of felony or of
an attempt to commit felony against
the person Of another, the fact that
he was armed with a pistol or re-
VoiVer and having no permit to carry
the same shall be prinna facie evidence
of his Intention to commit such
felony.
Carrying pistol conceaIed-No Der.
son shall carry pistol concealed in
any vehicle or on or about his person.
except in his dwelling house or place
of business. without q license there
for as provided. Violation of this sec
ton shall be punished by imprison.
ment for not less than one or more
than five years. The present District
Code forbids any dangerous or deadly
weapon concealed about the person;
also il not concealed when carried
with intent to ''unlawfully use the
same" II is classed as misde.
meanor. with punishment of from
$50 to 800 with a Jail sentence of one
year.
Limit on Licenses.
The code plans 10 transfer authority
to issue licenses to carry weapons to a
justice of a court of record, the chief
of police of city or town and the
sheriff of a county. In. the District of
Columbia police court judge may
issue such a permit for not more than
"A month at a time upon proof of ne
cessity and upon filing a bond to keep
peace, with sureties to be provided by
such judge in such penal sum as he
may require.
Adequate penalties are suggested for
dealers or persons who sell, lend or
give pistols or revolvers to a minor
under Is years of age, and penalties
are provided for those who know
ingly sell pistols or revolvers to con
victed felons.
Dealers must be licensed and bond
filed, while for giving lalse informa-
ton or false evidence of identity. i'm
prisonment of not less than ojand not
more than 10 years is provided.
From time to time the. Washington
police have loaded on water craft
bushels of confiscated weapons. taken
them out III the middle of the Pv-
tomac river 10 a place known only 10
them and dumped them overheard.
The Capper bill provides that weapons
Illegally carried shah be confscated
and destroyed.
Coipcidjpr IN poapy uavs with the