Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-07-28
ice done the working men.

lice u0ne the WORKING men.
But the first consideration is to
stop and to punish lawless and muir.
derous violence. Lawless violence
inevitably breeds lawless violence in
return, and the first duty of the gov.
eminent Is relentlessly to put stop
to the violence and then to deal
firmly and wisely with all the condi.
items that led up to the violence. If
black men are law)essly and brutally
murderer, in the end the effect is to
produce lawlessness among brutal
blacks.
I'VE hope to advance throughout the
world the peace of Righteousness and
brotherhood; surely we can best do
so when we insist upon this peace of
Righteousness and brotherhood within
our own borders.
In procuring such peace the first
essential is to guarantee to every man
Tie most elementary of rights, the
right to his own life. Murder is not
debatable.
have just received business let.
ter from an organization styling it.
self the Industrial Council Of Kansas
Clty.' and claiming to be affiliated with
the Federation Of Labor, which states
that l accused organized labor of be.
ing responsible for the outrages of
East st. Louis. l made no such accu.
satlon until the fact that there was
at least measure of truth in the
accusation had been in effect set forth
III the speech by the special represent:
ative OF organized labor at the meet
ing at which I spoke and by the tele.
gram quoted in that speech.
whenever | have the power l will
protect the white man against the
pIack wrongdoer, and the black man
against the white wrongdoer; | will
as far as | have the power. procure
justice for the laboring man who is
Wrohged by the man Of property, and
LOT every man, whether he has Drop.
er'y or not, II he is menace by law
less violence; and when haven't tho
power, l VIII at least raise my voice
III protest If there IS at least chance
OF that protest doing good.
we are at this moment at war with
Il most formidable and ruthless enc.
my. we are lighting for our dearest
rights; we are fighting for the rights
OIL all self-rcspecting and civilized ma
tlohs TO liberty and self-governmcnt.
we nave demanded that the Negro
submit to the draft and do his share
OF the fighting exactly as the white
man does. Surely, when such is the
case, we should give him the same
protection by the law that we give to
the white man. All Of us who are fit
to fight are to serve as soldiers, shoul.
der to shoulder, whether we are farm.
ers or townsfolk, whether we are
working men or professional men, men
who employ others or men who are
employed by Others
We fight for the same country. We
are loyal to the same flag; we are all
ailke eager to pay with our bodies In
order to serve the high ideals which
those who founded and preserved this
nation believed it our mission to up-
hold throughout the world. Surely.
IN such Il case II is our duty to treat
all our fellow countrymen, rich or
poor, black or white, with Justice and
mercy, and, so far as may be. In n
spirit Of brotherly kindness.
The victims Of the mob i'm East ST
Louis were very humble peoplc. They
We're slain, and thn' H'''-' '~,,~,nos
fiots ~ New Io,n curing the a.. -.
war, Lincoln, addressing a working
mems association, singled out as tho
saddest features Of the riots the kin.
ing or some working people by Their
working people,"