National Affairs: Real Guns

The town of Woodward (pop. 8,000) in the heart of northwest Oklahoma's wheat country is a quiet kind of place, typical of farming regions where elbowroom, sunshine and plenty of fresh air are as free as the wind in the fields. There, last week, Robert Smith, 12, and his brother David, 10, got home from Sunday school at the United Brethren Church, ate their lunch and set out together for the movies. On the way, Robert broke into a local surplus supply store, stole four .22-cal. pistols.

Later that afternoon, they showed up at the...

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