The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-21
DOUGLAS REPLIES ID EDITORIAL IN
 CHICAGO TRIBUNE Birmingham Man Resents Unjustified Sur on Whole South for Lynching of
 Leo M. Frank

fingered by an unjustified and uncalled for slur on the south as a whole by the Chicago Tribune. Judge Alvin M. Douglas of Birmingham, now visiting in the Hi. nois city, has written letter to the edl. tor of the Tribune in which he resents the fling of the editorial
 Judge Douglas letter, addressed to the editor of The Tribune follows:
 LEO M. FRANK.
 Please allow a few words from a southerner, who feels keenly the attack you made on the south this morning in an editorial published under the above head. l live in Birmingham, Ala. and was in Atlanta just after Governor Slaton commuted the sentence of Frank Many people thought Governor Slaton made n mistake, but they were submissive to the law and the action taken by Slaton It was rough, lawless and rowdy element that. at the time would do violence to the governor. as 1t was in those who brutally murdered Frank. The good people of Georgia and the south do not approve of lawlessness and condemn the actions of the mob who took the life of the Georgia prisoner This act is to be very much deplored and condemned and. while I was away from home returning from the Pa citic coast when l heard of the tragedy. l am sure do speak for the south when l say they do condemn and disapprove of such acts of lawlessness.
 There may be fault on the part oi the authorities at the prison; there may have been fault in lack of organiza ton, there was fault and bad spirit In the breast of the mob, but does this war rant you in attacking the southern people as you have? It Is to be regretted that the editor of great paper anywhere in our country should so forget himself In the heat of passion and attack and con demn all the people of any section of his own country because of the violence and mob spirit of about 20 men, who were not willing to let the law take it's course.
 You say: The south Is half educated. It Is a region of illiteracy. blatant self righteousness, cruelty and violence. Until 1t is improved by the invasion of better blood and better ideas 1t will remain a reproaoh and a danger to the American republic Shame on you! Do you know the southern people? Have you ever been south of the Mason and Dixon line? Someone has said Do the best you can with what you have where you are grant the south Is not as highly ed,i- cated as some other sections of our great country, but have we not done well with the opportunities given us?
 Blatant self-righteousness.' The Lord have mercy on your soul, Judge not that ye be not judged Who put you up to judge the southern people? Oh, thou self appointed judge and critic! Why not write something on this deplorable affair that would help the south and the coun try to correct the evils of this kind rather than slap in the face a great people. loyal and true to state. nation and righteous ness and good government?
 Better boodi' God forgive you for this, the most unknd words of all. I know not what kind of blood courses through your veins-and care not. Your unwise and uncalled for words probably burst forth from lack of training and education and regard for the feelings of others, rather than from the cause of blood. Moreover I challenge you to show in this country any purer Anglo Saxon blood than flows through the veins of our southern people. They are a great people. though they labored for years m der adverse circumstances They are loy- al to country; true to state; obedient to law; chivalrous to women and hospitabIe to ma ankind everywhere.
 "As the mob who lynched Frank does not in any way express the sentiment of the southern people, am sure your edl- torial does not express the sentiment of your section of our country. I have heard expressions tn1s morning m Cnieago con demning the editorial. The mob commit ted a great wrong; you have erred. Do editorials of this kind help to make our common country better or worse? You should use your brain for the uplift of the nation and the betterment of man. kind. rather than expressing sectional feeling Think 1t over.
 ''I resent with all the force of my soul this attack on the people among whom I was born, with whom 1 live, and with whom I expect to die.
 "ALVIN NJ. DOUGLAS"