The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-07-31
CONDEMNS MOB SPIRIT.
SAGE TO FELLOW COUE-
TRYMEN,
He DenOunces Lawlessncss by Mobs
and Calls Upon Loyal Amsricqns to
Preserve Democracy at Home While
Fighting Frightfulncss AbrOAd.

Washington, July 25.-PHesident
Wilson today, in a personel sthtement
addressed to his fellow coudtrymen.
denouncing mob spirit and knob ac-
tion, called upon Che nation to show
the world that while it lights for de-
mocracy on foreign fields, N is not
destroying democracy at home.
The president referred not alone to
mob action against those suspected of
being enemy aliens or enemy sympa-
thizers; he denounced most emphati-
cally MOI action of all sorts, especial
ly lyEcnings and while he did not
refer specifically to lynchings of ne
groes in the South, it is known that
he included them in his characteri-
cation of mob spirit as "a blow at
the heart Of ordered law and humane
Justice
1t is known that the lynchings of
negroes, as well as attacks upon those
suspected Of being enemies or sympa-
thizers, have been used by German
propaganda throughout Central and
South America as we'll as Europe, to
contend that the pretensions of the
United States as q champion of de-
mOcracy are sham.
Deeply concerned by the situation,
the president decided to address his
fellow cOuntrymen and to declare that
every mob contributes to German lies
about the United States what her most
gifted liars cannot improve upon by
way of calumny"
The presidents statement in full
follows:
MY Fellow Countrymen:
Il take the liberty of addressing
you upon a subject which so vitality
affects the honor of the nation and
the very character and integrity of
our institutions that 1 trust you will
think me justified in speaking very
plainly about
Il allude to the mob spirit which
has recently here and there very fire.
quently shown it's hand among us, not
in any single region, but in many and
widely separated parts of the country
There have been many lynchings, and
every one of thom has been a blow al
the heart Of ordered laws and human
justice. No man who loves America
no man who really cares for her fame
and honor and character, or who Is
truly lYal to her institutions, can
justify mob action while the courts
of justice are open and the govern
mentsOf the states and the nation are
ready and able to do their duty. We
are a khis very moment fighting law
less $sion. Germany has outlawed
hersen among the nations, because
she disregarded the sacred OBJ
ligatths of law and has made lynch
ers tJher armies. Lynchers emulate
her Hsgraceful example. I, for my
part hm anxious to see every COM
muyW in America rise above that
lev4' with pride and a fixed resolution
WHIP no man or set of men can afford
to spise.
Fe proudly claim to be the cham
pill OF democracy. If we really are
D inl eed and in truth, let ush see to
: it'll hat we do not discredit our own
" plainly that every American who
I'd $es part in the action of a mob O,
g es 1T any sort of cOuntenance is moi
] ru' son of this great democra but
btrayer. and does more to dis.
edi her by that single disloyalty tC
er tandards Of law and Of righ,
d harthe words of her statesmen ol
he tcrifice of her heroic boys in the
trorheS can do to make sufferine
peOes believe her to be their savior
Ho' shall we commend democracy tc
\ thacceptancc of other peoples, if VIC
4 diSace our own by proving that it is
afr all. no protection to the weak :
n ETy mob contributes to German
lie about the United States what he,
INST gifted liars cannot improve up-
I by the way of calumny. They can
n a.least say that such things cannot
o hppen in Germany. except in times
revolution, when law is swept
&ay.
II therefore very earnestly and
clemnly beg that the governors of all
. he states. the law officers Of every
Fommunity, and, above all, the men
Pnd women Of every community in
the United States, all who revere
America and wish to keep her name
without stain and reproach, will CO.
!, operate-not passively merely, but
actively and watchfully-to make an
end of this disgraceful evil. 1t can
not live where the community does
| not countenance it.
II have called upon the nation to
| put it's great energy into this war and
it has sponded-responded with q
spirit and a genius for action that
thrilled the world. l now call upon
it, upon its men and women every
where to see to it that it's laws are
Kept inviOlate its fate untarnished.
Let us show our utter contempt for
,he things that have made this war
1ideous among the wars Of history by
showing how those who love liberty
and right and justice and are willing
% lay down their lives for them upon
foreign fields stand ready also to il
'ustrate to all mankind their LOYALTY
to the things at home which they
wish to see established everywhere as
blessing and protection to the peo.
pies who have never known the priv.
ileges of liberty and self-govern-
ment
81 can never accept any man as
81 H. Nc