Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-08-04

destroyed, and six thousand refugees
crossed the bridge into st. Louis.
The st. Louis Branch of the N. A. A.
G. p. Immediately began relief work.
Our members, prominent in profess
sions and In business, for nearly ten
days gave almost their entire time to
the succor Of the victims. A mass
meeting was called and special
Finance committee appointed. Con-
tributions came from as far as Kansas
City and Chicago and some $500 or
$500 was Immediately collected. The
Association worked in conjunction with
tho white Red Cross and with other
colored individuals In the city. The
Municipal Lodging House was open
ed and hundreds of individuals
homes.
Immediate steps were taken to pre-
pare legal cases against the city and
county. Tho Legal Committee of
the Association held open doors and
hundreds of declarations of losses
were received by Attorney Phillips.
DR.. w. p. Curtis and others gave
much time to the wounds Of the vic
tins. From the National Office, DR..
Du Bots was sent ito make q thorough
study of the situation, and Miss
Martha Gruening to inquire into the at
titudc Of tho employers and labor
unions.
DR.. Du Bots organized a force of
twenty-five volunteer workers and
five paid workers. Chancellor Lloyd
OF the knights of Pythias kindly do
mated the parlors of the Pythian Hall,
and DR.. Curtis donated an office on
Market Street Clerks were installed
and the Gtories Of nearly two hundred
victims carefully taken down. De-
tailed statistics covering 1ftenn hun
drcu of tho refugees were also COM
piled. Visits were made TO the va
rious sections of East st. Louis and
to the Golored settlements OF Brooklyn
and National City. Several meetings
Of the executive committee of tho
lBranch were held and one mass meet
ing of citizens which overlooked the
beautiful Presbyterian Church on Pine
Street. Every effort was made to CO.
operate with churches and other or
CARNATIONS with notable success. We
also got in touch with leading white
citizens like Ex-Sccrctary Nagcl and
Mr.. G.. NJ. Hubbard and Miss Pulliam
OF the Red Cross.
The Chicago Branch contributed
5000 to the relief funds and also, un-
der Judge Brown, Is preparing to give
legal aid to the prosecution Of the
county and city. 1t will be remembered
that Illinois has two statutes which
bear upon this riot first an "Act to
indemnify the owners Of property for
damages caused by mobs and riot"
PASSED In 1887, and the other, an "Act
to suppress mob violence" approved
In 1906. Tho Association, through Its
National Office and through the Chi
cago and st. Louis Branches. proposes
to leave no stone unturned to bring
ito Justice the guilty perpetrators Of
the East ST. Louis outrage. The st.
Louis Branch in still active, the in
vestigations of the National Office are
proceeding, and the Washington Branch
Is pushing the resolutions for .investi-
cation introduced by congressman
Dyer and Dallinger and Senator Sher.
man. All members and friends Of tho
race are urged to write to their Con-
gressmen demanding passage of these
resolutions which are H. J. Res. 11S,
II. ]. Res. 1874, and s. Con. Res. 10.
Detailed stories of the truth about
East st. Louis will appear shortly in
various magazines and IN the Crisis.
PERSONS who are convinced by our OK
perience In East st. Louis and else
Ih'pI uStWonal HRnIlnB DOdy
or this Sort Is absolutely Indispensable
are urged to join the Association and
TO contribute to our Anti-Lynching
and AntirMob.Violence Fund. A check
for $500 has been received from the
knights of Pythias Of the Grand
Jurisdiction of Illinois and other
contributions have been sent by va
r1ous organizations and individuals.
Literature and information may be
mad by writing to James w. johnson,
Acting Secretary, Room SIS, 70 Fifth
Avenue, New York.