Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-07-07
THE EAST ST. LOUIS MASSACRE

The massacre OF colored men, wo
men and children at East st. Louis
Illinois two days before the celebra
ton OF the American Declaration OF
Independence is without a parallel in
the history Of this country. On the
afternoon Of July 2, 1917, the bloody
work began and the estimate is that
from one hundred to three hundred
colored people persisted, many OF
them being burned to death by mob
Of white men and women, who coolly
witnessed their dying agonies and in
many instances added to their mis-
cries. The account paralyzes the
comprehension of the thoughtful AMI
reflects upon the civilization in this
country.
East St. Louis is in Illinois, but
right across the Mississippi River Is
st. Louis, Mo. One is virtually q
part Of the other. In Democratic
Missouri, the colored people were
being protected, while in Republican
Illinois, they were being ignominious
ly slaughtered.
Probably many Missourians took q
part in the massacre, but the I'LL
noisans were in the National Guard
deputized to defend these helpless
American citizens. Talk about Bel
GUM, what chapter in it's history
will surpass in horror tho plain re-
cital Of the Associated Press cores
pondent as he tells the story?
The American sense of justice has
become brutalized. These colored
people were not Of the worthless type.
They did not belong to the hoSdlum
elements. They were not crap
shooters, gamblers and the proprie-
tors Of "blind tigers" They were
Of the Industrious sort. Men were
there, who had brought. with them
their fa@ilies, living together in lnpy-
full wedlock and the little crying
urchins with fire behind them and
mob Of white men and women in
front of them, with prayers upon
their lips for mercy and pleas for
help and safety, died in the most re-
voting manner and In the most
painful agony.
The crime surpasses human under.
standing. Where was the Governor
Of Illinois, then? Certainly, he was
in telephone communication with the
authorities at East st. Louis. We
know where he is now, but death has
taken place. The people are being
laid away in their graves and silence
reigns. Where was the Eighth ILL
nois Regiment? What service was
that crack regiment rendering in Chi
cago, when their people were being
slaughtered In East St. Louis,
Illinois? We have radical opinions
rs to the remedy for evils of this
character. Investigations that fol-
low do little or no good. The punish
ment should be meted at the time of
the outbreak.
After nearly three hundred colored
people have been killed, the members
Of the National Guard are given or
ders to shoot to kill. The white mob
did this before the orders were given
to the soldiers of Illinois and the
mute faces, the mangled bodies, the
little babes cremated in burning
buildings tell the whole story. 1t is
a gruesome story and its reality adds
to the horrors Of the crime committed.
1t seems to us that the troops sent
abroad are needed here. Colored
men have recently returned from
Mexico, where they distinguished
themselves and thousands have Of
fered their lives to the service of
their country, which country does not
move to protect them until scores of
them have been ANONYMOUSLY tor
tured and butchered.
1t will not do, gentlemen. This
crime IL too heinous for it to be
passed by with an exclamation
Of horror or with few lines
of condemnation. There Is an
electric chair In the State OF
Illinois and 1t should be used ener
getically and fearlessly until every
white man and white woman guilty
Of completely In this merciless mas
sacre have been made to pay the
penalty OF this heinous exercise OF
depravity which has staggered ihu
manity. Citizens, regardless Of color
should make the demand that thi.
course be followed and every effor
should be made to make this "crimt
Of the century" so odious that a re
petition Of 1t in this country agar
will be impossible.
These are troublous times and col
ored men might as we'll make up thei