Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-03-02
PRESIDENT is SILENT ON MOB
VIOLENCE IN TEN NESSEE.

John II. Shillady of New York
Secretary of the National Association
for tho Advancement of Colorcd PEG
pie, makes public his second appeal
OH behalf of the Association to Prcsi
dent Wilson through Secretary Joseph
p Tumulty, that the President speak
out i'll condemnation of the burning
and torturing at Estill Springs, Tenn.
Of a Negro accused Of murder.
Mr.. Shillady calls attention to the
fA''; t, at the United States Attorney
General, to whom the President re-
fc' red the Associations first appeal
states that the Federal Government
has no jurisdiction and that the
Governor Of Tennessee has made no
response to the Associations telc-
gram requesting information as to
what steps the State Of Tennessee
will take to apprehend the mob viola
tors of law. The letter to the Presi-
dents Secretary follows:
Mr.. Joseph p. Tumulty,
Secretary to the President,
Executive Mansion, Washington
ID. G.
Dear Sir-I am in receipt Of yours
Of February II informing us that the
President had referred to the Auor
ney General our appeal for Il word of
condemnation Of the torturing and
burning at Estill Springs. Tenn, Of
Il colorcd man accused Of murder.
This morning we have n letter from
the Attorney General. by William c..
Fits, Assistant Attorney General, i'll
forming us that "undcr the decisions
OF the Supreme Court of the United
States the Federal Government has
absolutely no jurisdiction over mat
tiers Of this kind; nor arc they col-
ncctcd with the war in any such way
as to justify the :cticn OF The Federal
Government under the w:r lower"
On February Is we telcgraphed
Governor Rye of Tennessee, copy
OF which is attached. On the 14th Gov
crnor Rye is reported in the Knoxville
Journal and Tribune and other Ten
nessec papers as saying tha1
he did not know what authority he
had in the matter. No reply or
acknowledgment of our appeal to tho
Governor of Tennessee has yet been
made.
In view Of this statement OF the At
torney General and the silence Of the
Governor Of Tennessee, we beg you
TO lay this matter again before the
President lest tho laws be floutcd and
justice denied. A statement from the
President at this time, IL he would
be disposed to make it, would have
tremendously stimulating effect on
the morale Of the colored people
whose sons ere preparing to give their
lives for America and who in sadness
Of heart and some disturbance Of
mind are looking appreh ensivcly to-
ward Tennessee to see whether i'll
our own nation law or mob violence is
to be supreme.
The Presidents inspiring moral
leadership as n man no less than
his position as President gives him
tho opportunity end may we suggest
respectfully the responsibility OF
speaking out Hundreds CT thousands
Of Colored soldiers in the army and
millions Of their fathers, mothers,
sisters, and brothers would receive a
new baptism Of devotion to their coun
try if it were made clear that the
equal protection OF tho laws was to
be afforded all men, whether white
or black.
Thi Association wishes it. undEr-
stood that it does not and will not
condone the crimes nor apologize for
the offenses of colored mon.
Sincerely.
(Signed) JOHN r. SHILLADY.
Secretary