Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-13
Give Washington Protection!

So numerous have been the demon
strations OF the danger from unrestrict-
ed. unregulated pistol sal1s in Wash
ington that It seems idle to cite another
case as an argument for corrective
legislation. But the latest local pistol
tragedy is so plainly to the point that
It should be added to the long-contin-
ned plea for protection from this men
ace to life in the District. Yesterdays
tragedy at wardman Park Hotel was
a case precisely of this character. Ac-
cording to his own story. the slayer OF
Can't Norman armed himself after a
uuarrel. The first encounter between
the two occurred on Saturday. On
Tuesday, it is now established, the
doorman bought q gun at store In
this city. There was, 1t is plain. only
one purpose for such q purchase, and
that was the use of the weapon against
the man who had, as he conceived, m
jured him and possibly whom he be-
lieved to be dangerously hostile. This
is not to discuss the question of guilt.
court. The fact of vital Importance to
the community is that 1t was possible
for a man with 4 grievance or with
fear to arm himself with deadly
weapon, and not only possible, but easy.
The Star has pleaded for years for
the enactment Of law which viii pro-
hibit under severe penalty the selling
or the giving of deadly weapon to
any person who has not obtained a
permit to possess such a weapon, issued
by a competent public authority. The
concealed weapons" law is ineffective
for the prevention Of shooting crimes.
Many hundreds of weapons are being
carried at this moment in this city
without the knowledge Of the police and
with no risk to their bearers, weapons
for which they have no legitimate need
in defense. Only when such person
is arrested for some other offense is the
Illegal carrying of gun discovered.
The vendor of a weapon is required
merely to keep record Of names and
addresses and from time TO time to re-
port sales. But are these reports effec-
tive to check the trafic2 Not in the
least. The names and addresses given
are usually fictitious The only valuable
feature of the law as 1t stands is that
Q record Is kept of the manufacturers
number stamped upon the weapon.
which may serve as means Of tracing
ownership and possession after the
crime has been committed.
Make the vendor not only report the
names and addresses that are given
him, but a coupon from permit for
every weapon sold-this after requiring
the buyer to apply TO the stated au-
tl1ority for a permit, TO establish iden-
tity and demonstrate good faith OF
purpose Of use-and the Illicit trafnc
in small arms, murder weapons. viii
dwindle to a small percentage Of the
present volume. Had the unfortunate
man who is now In custody for killing
Capt Norman been required to go to
one Of the Police Court judges, or TO
the chief Of police or TO some other
oficial named by the law, to obtain
permit, without which he could not
have bought a gun, he never would
have armed himself short Of buying
through some "bootleg" source Of sup
ply or In another jurisdiction. The
fact that it might stu be possible to
get a gun in Maryland or Virginia
does not lessen the necessity Of making
It impossible in the District Of Co
Iumbia to arm with murderous intent.
This country is suffering from
weapons evil that has cost uncounted
thousands of lives. This District has
suffered from that evil for years. IT
has seemed impossible to get the BEN
EFT Of any kind Of truly protective leg
2slation. viii not the Commissioners,
undiscouraged by prior failures. lay
before Congress at the next session an
urgent requisition for such q law?
----- $50