The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1911-06-01

of Crime
SUNDAY LYNCHLNGS AT SOUTH
GIVE BROOKER WASHING-
TON MUCH CONCERN.
Pleads for Justice
Law Enforcement and Elimination Of
Criminal Glasses Need of The
Hour, Says the Foremost Negro in
Lengthy Interview.

Lengthy Interview.
Tuskegee, Ala, May 25-Booker r.
Washington today expressed himself
to representative Of The Times that
as man deeply concerned in the wei
fare of the south, he was very much
SrleVed and humiliated because of
the carnival Of crime that swept over
FLORIDA and Georgia last Sunday. He
said that such things ought not to
happen without challenging the re-
buke and condemnation not only of
the immediate sections where these
lynchings occurred but Of the entire
south
The lynching Of eight human be-
ings on the Sabbath was a disgrace
to Christian civilization. 1t is hard
TO understand haw any nation of
people can expect to retain the con-
hdence and respect of the world
when such occurrences are permitted
to take place in our midst, especially
on the Sabbath day.
I'm connection with the. men lynch
no case was any one charged with an
assault, upon woman. There was
not the slightest reason why every
person lynched might not have re-
ceived full and fair trial before the
courts.
1T is such lynching outbreaks as
this that give the people of Europe
llized. barbaric people. Every one Of
these lynchings is widely reported in
foreign papers.
III 1T is asked why | do not con-
demn, in this statement, the persons
lynched, I would state that I have mo
right to condemn any human being
Tor crime until the law says he is
guilty of a crime.
The United States is placed in a
very awkward position just now in
attempting to lead the way in the
matter Of bringing about flterna-
tlonal peace, when in one day-the
Sabbath-eight persons are put to
death without any semblance of a
trial.
Let this truth never be forgotten
THAT Whatever a man or a nation
soWs that they shall also reap. The
Whlte man who murders a Negro to-
day and goes unpunished, is likely
10 murder white man tomorrow and
go unpunishcd. There is but one rule
that will stand the test Of the GEN.
turleS and that is the enforcing of ali
laws in every section of the country
without regard to race, class or color.
especially commend the stand the
governor Of Alabama has taken with
regard to lynchings and the efforts he
IS now making to put down mob vio-
lence in this state.
These outbreaks on the part of
the mobs result not only in the moral
degradation of the people, but they
serve as a setback to business in an
alarming degree among both races. I
plead every where for the exact en-
torcement of the laws not only t1 the
interest Of the colored race but In the
interest of all races. AS | have said
elsewhere there are in my mind two
let us unite in a determined effort ev-
eryWhere to see that the law IS ell
forced; let all people at all times
and in all places see that the man
charged with crime is given a fair
trial. Secondly, let all good citizens
unite to rid the community, especially
The large cities of the vicious and
gambling and. criminal element
Such an effort should have the
heartiest cooperation Of the better
class Of Negroes. They should use
their influence, especially in cites, to
see that idle element that lives by its
Wits, without permanent or reliable
occupation or place Of abode. is either
reformed or gotten rid Of in some
manner; for in most cases it is this
element that commits the crimes for
which the entire race has to suffer"