The forum., 1917-06-02
RIOT in E. ST. LOUIS
Organization and Co. Operation Alone
Eill Prevent Race Riots In All Sect
ielis Of the North Where Large Mum
bers Flock.
A Disgrace To American Civiliza-
tisn That American Citizens Should
Be -nobbed Simply Because They
Seek To Improve Their Industrial
Condition.

Condition.
Reports of the Race riot in East
St Louis this week only substan-
tiate the editorial statement made
in The Forum some weeks ago tC
the effect that the flocking of large
numbers of the Race from the
South into the North meant fric-
tion and clash between the races
i'll the North unless through or
ganization and cooperation the
best interest of both races could
be made the subject of community
dealing. There is no question in
the world about what is bound to
follow unless intelligent steps are
taken to adjust matters and the in
terest of all looked after in way
that will produce harmony and
satisfactory adjustment. The
Northern Negro will pay the PEN
atty in this and all other northern
cities for his ruthless Indifference
ON this great subject by having
swept from him the respect and
esteem in which he is now held in
THESE communities unless he wakes
~ 5nd takes the initiative in an
effort TO protect himself by help
ing to properly adjust the thous-
ands of his race now coming in
from the South. Reports show the
rapid change in sentiment in vari-
Gus sections into which large num-
bers of our people are hocking,
against the entire race. The East
st. Louis riot is bound to be fol-
lowed by many others. There are
two fundamental processes under
lying all education and life they
are Impression and Expression. A
man, though innocent of crime,
would be a fool to allow himself
to be brought to trial on serious
charge without providing himself
with witnesses and means of pro-
perly impressing the Jury of his
good standing and innocence. A
set of people charged with most
every conceivable crime, with the
public press molding negative SEN
timent against them every day,
with agency after agency contri-
buting toward creating bad i'm
preston against them without
combining aud through organized
effort trying to protect themselves,
simply testify to a stupidity, u
brutality and an Indifference that
is amazing. II the Negro wants
the respect of the community in
which he lives the time hGs come
when he must pay for it thru
intelligent effort. The cost of
eriminalty, riot and bloodshed
must be paid by the tax payers OF
II community. White pigots who
think that might instead of right,
is theirs to use as they please are
Il menace to any community, and
should be discarded by decent
members of society. The time has
come for the decent and respect
able members of the race in
Springfield to wake up and help
support community effort in be-
half of themselves, their race and
the city in general. The st. Louis
Globe Democrat says editorially
of the riot:
1t is astonishing that consid-
cradle number of East st. Louis
workingmen could have been mis-.
led into suehsa manifestation OF
race hatred as disgraced the faiI
name of the city Monday night.
Mayor Mollman and the sheriff Of
St. Clair County acted properly
in promptly asking Gov Lowder
for troops to preserve order, al