EDITORIAL NEEDLESS SQUABBLING.

IT'S hard to understand why, exactly, Republicans and Democrats in Washington fought so fiercely and angrily over anti-gang legislation the House of Representatives passed Wednesday. Couldn't this be a rare situation where both sides are right?

Republicans argued that modern gangs are the 21st century equivalent of Al Capone's Mafia, if not worse, because they terrorize entire communities. It's hard to argue with that, or with Republicans' contention that gangsters ought to be treated like gangsters - subject to federal anti- racketeering laws and tough, mandatory penalties for serious offenses.

That said, Democrats are also right to note that law enforcement is by no means the single bullet that will eradicate gang violence. We can lock up gangbangers in jail, but they are likely to be replaced by younger generations until society can comprehensively address the social problems that lead so many young people to lives of crime.

And there are many such problems.

There's the breakdown of families, poverty, failing schools and a lack of opportunity and constructive activities for kids. There's a popular culture that glamorizes the thug lifestyle, and there's a lack of a strong social and cultural network to look out for kids in trouble and intervene where necessary.

So why - other than ideological stubbornness and sheer partisanship - should Democrats and Republicans be at odds on this issue? Both sides' approach is needed in a full-fledged war on gangs. We need to reach out to those at risk and come down hard on those actively terrorizing their communities.

As Los Angeles Police Department Lt. Paul Vernon put it, ``Anything that puts more teeth in helping to interdict gang crime is good.'' By that standard, this new legislation is a positive step.

Rather than fighting a good but incomplete effort, Democrats would be better served pushing for legislation that better addresses the social causes underpinning gang violence. And Republicans would do well to join them in that effort.