Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-26
Barring of Guns From Mails
Praised by Press of Nation

In forbidding the use of the mails
for transportation of small firearms
the Federal Government, in the opin.
Ion of the press, has taken a step in
the right direction. While it is recog-
nized that professional criminals will
continue to get the tools of their trade
without difficulty, any move toward
limiting the circulation of pistols is
welcomed, and 1t is pointed out that
suppression Of mail order business will
keep weapons out of the hands of
many boys and ir-responsibles.
Those who have been fighting the
battle, according to the Detroit Free
Press, have been obliged to fight
members of the body (Congress) who
have among their constituents weapon
| manufacturers that are thriving by
making and selling instruments of
murder to assassins and do not want
their business curtailed. And 1t was
only by keeping on the job all the time
and making strong. continuous efforts
that the men working in the interest
of public safety were able to get
through even the legislation they have
secured, and they did that by taking
advantage Of a strategic opening"
There Is growing opinion that such
dangerous weapons should be kept
out of the hands Of all but an author
lied few Certainly they should not be
obtainable merely for the asking and
the price" declares the Winston-Sa Salem
Sentinel, while the Springfield Qllinois]
State Journal contends that 1.-The
closing of the mails should be followed
by the closing of other avenues, after
which local laws governing the sale of
pistols could be enforced The Fort
Worth StarTelegram remarks that
"gunmen will still have no trouble in
getting any kind of f1rearm they de-
sire: that they are already plenti-
fully supplied, and always will be able
to bootleg pistols in sufficient quantity
for their purposes. The anti-mail-order
law, however," continues the Star
Telegram, will very materially help
keep pistols out Of the hands of any
and every youngster:'
X v
There will always be a market in
America according to the Arkansas
Democrat, where weapons may, be
bought by persons who have just
cause for buying them. But the day
is passing when six-shooters can be
almost hawked about the streets like
hot tamales or peanuts" The Adrian
Telegram points out that Canada Is
contemplating a much longer step In
the form of complete regulation of
all weapons" but that lin this coun-
try the power of Congress in such a
matter Is very limited. and action by
all the 48 States would be necessary
before the subject could be completely
dealt with" The Texarkana Gazette,
however, holds that unless uniform
state legislation can be obtained to
correct this evil, the Federal Govern
ment will be obliged to go the whole
distance and exercise Federal control
over the entire firearms industry
The Chicago Daily Tribune observes
that 1.-THE professional crook Is going
to get his pistol legally or Illegally,
but the new law will help keep guns
out of the hands Of youths who glory
in the possession of a regular: cowboy
shooting iron. These romantic young
sters are not going to break any laws
to get q pistol" adds the News. land
the saving in accidental death and
homicide viii be considerable. Even
more important, the law Will help
keep guns out of the hands of nitwits,
for whom firearms seem to have
fascination that is fatal in the exact
'senso of the word" The Kalamazoo
Gazette recognizes "a standing temp
tation 10 wayward youths and jeal
ousy-maddened damsels who might
never have. resorted to the use of fire
arms, IL such weapons could not have