Evening star., 1932-02-27
ANT|-WEAPON BILL
PASSAGE DUE At
PRESENT SESSION
Prospects Appear Bright Fol-
lowing Senate District Com
mittee Hearing.
FlNGERPRINT PROVISION
IN MEASURE ELIMINATED
Inlay, Reckord, West and Evan
Tucker Explain Objects
of Proposal.

The prospect for enactment of a more
effective dangerous weapon law for the
District at this session of Congress
appeared bright today following hear
ing on the subject before the Senate
District Committee yesterday after
noon Final action by the Senate
group was deferred until the next meet
ing to enable Assistant r Corporation
Counsel Vernon West TO draw up sew
eral suggested amendments, after which
indications are the committee will re-
port out the bill The same bill is be-
ing considered at both ends Of the
Capitol
The bill establishes severe penalties
for persons who commit crimes of vio-
lence while armed 1t prohibits the
carrying of concealed weapons, except
upon a permit issued by the police. 1t
would not prohibit a person from keep
ing pistol in his home or place OF
business.
Licenses for Dealers.
Dealers in pistols would have to OBJ
tain license from the Commissioners.
Customers seeking to buy pistols would
have to sign in duplicate an application
giving name, address and a statement
that he has never been convicted of
crime of violence. 1t was agreed by
supporters of the bill yesterday to elm
mate a requirement for fingerprintS.
The dealer could not deliver the pistol
to the customer for 48 hours, mean
while sending a copy of the prospective
purchasers application to the Police
Department
The bill contains a section prohibit
ing the possession of machine guns and
certain other weapons including black
jacks, billies and Sandbags, except by
law officers and certain others duly au-
thorized to have them. The advocates
of the bill agreed yesterday to exempt
tear gas guns and tear gas bombs from
the list of banned weapons.
The bill was explained and supported
by Charles V. Inlay of the National
Conference of Commissioners on Uni
form State Laws; Gen. M. A. Reckord,
executive vice president of the National
Rife Association; Assistant Corporation
Counsel West and Evan H. Tucker of
the Northeast Washington Citizens
Association. Robert F. Jones explained
to the committee the operation of
tear gas billy, for use by watchmen and
others as a defensive weapon.
Copeland Gives Views.
Senator Copeland of New York said
that even with the States enacting local
dangerous weapon laws, he believes
there will still be need for a national
measure to regulate the shipment of
dangerous weapons in interstate COM
merce. He has such bill pending in
the Interstate Commerce Committee
Others who took part in discussing the
dangerous weapon bill were Chairman
Capper, Senator Carey of Wyoming and
Senator King of Utah
With regard to Senator Copeland's
bill to require the closing of barber
shops here on Sundays Chairman
Capper was instructed to poll the COM
mlttee to see if a majority favors re-
porting it. The bill has been opposed
by Seventh Day Adventists and by
anti-blue law organizations. The bill
was supported by the local BARRIERS
Union.
The committee voted to report
favorably on Senator Kings bill to
broaden in several respects the charter
OF the Firemen's Insurance Co. of
Washington and Georgetown.