Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-07
Notorious" Gun Traffic.

In the lnVeStlgatlOn OF Ine Doot-
Logging operations in Philadelphia 1t
has been brought out that a certain
dealer in firearms has been supplying
members of the rum running gangs
with rifles, shotguns, machine guns and
bullet-proof vests, and that this traffic
in weapons and arm6r has been
notorious. Members of the staff OF
the district attorney, who is conducting
this inquiry say that this dealers trade
has been we'll known for some time.
just why the authorities in Phila-
delphia, if this traffic in deadly weapons
is so notorious" did not act in preven-
ton is a question that probably the law
abiding citizens would like to have
answered. Here was dealer in firearms
who was known to be selling weapons
Of an unusual type to men who were
known to be engaged In nefarious
enterprises. Was it nobody's business
to move against this trade? Was it of
no concern to the police that lawbreak-
ers were being armed and armored?
The same situation has prevailed In
Chicago, where the rival gangs have
armed themselves without the least
dificulty with machine guns and other
weapons of a type not supposed to be
employed by any but the defensive
forces. The manufacturers of these
guns go through the motions, it would
appear, of trying at least to find out
who buys them. But as in the case Of
the Philadelphia vendor, names are not
forthcoming, or, If given, are probably
fictitious. No care is taken, it would
seem, to make sure that this armament
was not reaching the criminals. 1t is
fair assumption that the manufac-
turers do not really care who buys their
guns so long as they have the money"
with which to pay for them.
A large part of the resistance to the
efforts to secure effective weapons
restriction laws comes from the makers
of firearms. Here in the District OF
Columbia a dependable weapons law
has been sought from Congress for
years and no result has been effected.
At every session OF Congress when a
bill to this effect has been pressed for
action resistance has occurred that,
however camoufiaged, is traceable to
the influence of the manufacturers Of
guns. Surely the criminals themselves,
the thieves, burglars, hold-up men,
gangsters and rum-runners have not
had the nerve to lobby against such
measure Of public security. The deduc-
ton is evident that the resistance comes
from those most interested in keeping
the market for their products wide
open.
Recently there has appeared sign
of a change of attitude on the part Of
the arms manufacturers, who have in
dicated to the National Crime Commits
sion, which is seeking means Of
lessening lawlessness in this country,
their willingness to cooperate in secur-
Ilk dLlO cIliOlCAlk lCBloidtAOLi AoOhAi6 w
the limitation of criminal armament.
But this Philadelphia disclosure shows
that the change of heart is not complete
or that it does not reach all the
producers.
Perhaps one way to cure this evil
would be to require the publication of
the names of all purchasers Of deadly
weapons, under a penalty for conceal
ment imposed upon both purchaser and
vendor. Proclamation In the public
prints Of the fact that boo Hoo" Hoff,
Philadelphia's we'll known gang leader,
had bought large number Of machine
guns, a veritable Arsenal of sawed-off
shotguns and an outfit Of bullet-proof
vests would have made the fact Of his
preparedness so notorious" that the
police would have been compelled to
intervene.