European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 20, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 4 the stars and stripes counterattack on controls thursday Rifle group Alining mall blast at Conor Ashington a the gun control Laws says one con word for word in subsequent let no serious restrictive proposals he said Jonal Rifle association Gressional aide. But about a ters to congressmen. Were . The High Washingto National traits amazing record of blocking strict Federal gun controls in jeopardy has begun it counter attack. And if the gun lobby lives unto its past successes hundreds of thousands of letters opposing gun controls will rain Down on deluge of mail will be in go Gressional week later the Era mail takes Over and continues for Era s monthly Magazine the american Rifleman an various special bulletins keep members abreast of the Battle against gun Are supplied with Point by Point interpretations of proposed legislation interpret i let serious Ster after president Kennedy s but the present drive for gun Taf m the in Ted assassination in november 193, controls appears to have a Mil i awl a better Chance of succeeding president Johnson governors and mayors have joined in the scores of gun control Bills we reintroduced in Congress. None passed. In 1%4, 189 gun control Bills Call for Strong legislation an were proposed in state legis some key members of con natures and City councils. In its Gress Are shifting their Posi-1964 annual report the nations. Noted that members reacted Era chief Classen appears a proper torn of stored with Essl Ujj re Gist. By fifa me i Piug 01 Man win u m Pius wot Tift Oil Mai i. A i .,�.,. ,Ixv.H�Ti Vii Orocu Cipy Jean Nunn Nanle o j .2 by response to a weekend plea by nations that Are often quoted promptly firmly and in Force worried. In his letter saturday a Wicio other wet a Ivy a f to non non a Nonh ivc. Les mauve Servia the Era for its 900,000 members to express their views without delay to their senators and con the leter writing Campaign a favorite gun lobby tactic is the Era s answer tothe demands for Tough gun controls flowing from the assassination of sen. Robert f. Kennedy with a $30.95 pistol. In the past even after pres ident John f. Kennedy was Mur dered with a mail order Rifle the Era and its allies have successfully smothered proposals to regulate gun sales or require registration of guns. This comes in the face of overwhelming Public support of such legislation. This Spring for example pollster Louis Harris reported 71 per cent of Ameri cans favored stricter gun control Laws. Founded in 1871 by a group of National guard officers inter ested in improving their Marks Manship the Era has grown Over the years to an Organiza Tion with 900,000 members and a net Worth of nearly $12 Mil lion. It operates from an eight Story Glass and Marble head quarters building in downtown Washington. Emblazoned in Gold letters above the main Entrance is the Basic Era Credo the right of the people to keep and Bear arms shall not be in this is from the second article of the Bill of rights Awell regulated militia being necessary to the Security of Afree state the right of the people to keep and Bear arms shall not be inside the building Era pres ident Harold w. Classen puffs on his pipe and proclaims make no mistake about it there is a step by step move foot to accomplish the ultimate deprivation of the american right to keep and Bear Classen a Lansing mich., lawyer gets very annoyed by references to the Era As a gun this talk about the gun lobby is baloney he said in a interview. We Don t Tell anyone to write to their saturday a two Page letter signed by Classen went to All Era members. Unless the sportsmen of America clearly express their views with out delay to their senators an congressmen it said individuals will be prohibited from acquiring Long guns rifles and shotguns in interstate com Merce and general firearms registration will become a Era s ability to generate mail is a major ingredient to its gun control Laws. Era officials have boasted in the past that they can depend on their Mem Bers to flood Capitol Hill with up to 500,000 letters within 72 of earlier Battles Over gun control legislation Don t doubt Era s claims. The first surge of mail after an assassination is always overwhelmingly in support of strict i flt of 9131.0n in a recent House rep. Richard d n.y., said the have to hire sense. It h members Classen said know How May belonged to the a ref Hollywood up five mated abut movie stars urged citizens tuesday to ask their senators and congressmen Tovote for gun control Laws. Gregory peek c h a r 11 o n Heston Hugh o Brian Jam Sstewart and Kirk Douglas who have been seen on the scree Many times squeezing off shots at the villains made the of us belonged to the National Rifle association Heston said and it s done a lot of Good re not asking for gun registration said o Are asking essentially the same kind of legislation that president Johnson suggests Peck actors asked in the name of humanity conscience and common safety for us All that senators and congressmen support Senate Bill 3633 and House Bill 17735. Surveys show half of households in America one or More firearms Anra says millions of use weapons peaceably pleasurably. However Era member Ijames h. Scheuer says i am As As any the Era but f totally ithe Era s stand on gun the registration of All is no More an infringe of an individual s Pinali rights than the regi Stratia cars and the licensing Fri director j. Edgar takes the same View. Have to get a License for Ujj dog he told Congress year. You have to License to drive your car. Have to get a License Togo various business ventures. Ii firearms kill 61 in three Days by the associated press firearms have killed 61 per sons in the United states since Midnight sunday a Survey showed of the deaths were homicides 22 were suicides and 4 were accidental killings. Discussion of legislation to control traffic in guns has directed attention to the number the Bills would outlaw the no great problem to the div dual in requiring All i to be statistics show it by 60 per cent of Thein this country Are coi with guns. In 1966, to Vear for which figures available. 5.680 person murdered with suns. In. There were 5,015 gun Mim Classen argues murderers had no i would use some other w a Man Bent on Honde commit homicide m a the availability of a it nothing to do. Overall homicide rate. In its 1967 annual report j Era listed its net fort $11.9 million and said pc income for the year Law Boston up the suf sible without weaponry and 441. Of its income to Whas that the Best police forces came from lu"j"1" mail order Sale of shotguns an rifles and sales to minors and require dealers to keep careful records of weapon sales. The purpose of the Legisla Tion is to keep firearms out of the hands of the wrong people Heston said. And As individuals who know something about the subject we Felt it was our duty to help interest americans ingesting this legislation on the Lay that pistol Down sheriff tells deputies of tonalities caused by Johnson said after the assassination of sen. Robert that guns Are involved in More than 6,500 murders inthe nation each year. That figure represents 125homicides a week. And addition Al lives Are lost through suicide Sand accidental firing of guns. The associated press is surveying such deaths this week. The count began at Midnight sunday and will rim through sunday june 23. Folk county sheriff ordered his deputies to Down their arms hoping to create the prototype of peacekeeping Force which re lies on anything but John Sears said tuesday the order Banning his officers from carrying guns except in rare instances ineffective immediately. In Washington a Justice department spokesman said he believed it was the first Effort in the United states to create a weapon less police Force. Police in Britain nor Mally do not carry guns. Sears recently appointed sheriff acknowledged that not All his deputies Are Happy with the order. But he added frankly Idon t believe that weapons mean Well never carry guns. Nicil m Waif. , a Iii i a. ,. Lay find that most of their time $5 a year for devoted to preventive medi 25 per cent for a the american the 200 Deputy and special sheriffs on sear s Force take part in Law enforcement in Boston and the surrounding towns of Revere Chelsea and Winthrop. Sun dealers Anthe Era is class internal reve social welfare. It its income thus is european edition col. James w. Campbell Usa. It. Cou. F. 8. Michael jr., Usa Mert Proctor Elmer d. Frank Henry i Epstein an unofficial new up a the ,h newspaper it no i an commander in chief . European command Ana there might be just that rare instance when Well want to. York office my Wahnaton st., new York 1Ty App ran i r,.endowment to the department of defender by our men will still be Able to shoot and shoot , he added he wants to reassure the Public that really great police work is pos ". The United states is a to know m cherished and guarded
