New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-08-02
MUST OBEYLAWS,
SAYS PRESIDENT
WILSON. IN PERSONAL STATE
MENT. DENoUNcEs MOB &C..
TON AND MOB SPIRIT.
GREAT ENERGY IN war
SAYS LAWLEss PASSION Is VERY
THING AME RIGA is NOW
FIGHTING AGAINST.

Western Newspaper t Mon News Service.
Washington. President Wilson. Fri
day, in "a personal statement ad-
dressed to his fellow countrymen, de-
nouncing mob spirit and mol action.
called upon the nation TO show the
world that while it fights for deinoc-
racy on foreign fields it is not de-
stroylng democracy at home.
The President denounced most en-
phatically mob action OF all sorts, es-
pecially %lynchings, and while he did
moi refer specificall! TO ~lynchings OF
negroes in the South. it is known that
he included them in his characterize
ton of mob spirit as "a blow at the
heart of ordered law and humane JUS
tice."
The President saiG, in part:
My Fellow COuntrymen-I take the
liberty of addressing you upon a sub
ject which SO vitality affects the honor
OF the nation and the very character
and integrity OF Our institutions that
trust you will think me justified in
speaking very plainly about il.
Il allude to the mob spirit which
has recently here ard there very fire.
qu+ntly shown its head amongst US,
not in any single region, but in many
and widely separated parts Of the
country. There have been many lynch
ings and every one OF them has been
Z blow al the heart of ordered law
and humane justice. No man who
loves America, no man who really
cares for her fame and honor and
character Or who is truly loyal TO her
institutions can justify mob action
while the courts of justice are open
and the governments of the states
the nation are ready and able 10 do
their duty.
We are at this very moment fight
ing lawless passion. Germany has out
herself among the nations be-
she has disregarded the sacred
obligations of law and has made lynch
ers Of her armies. Lynchers emulate
her ~disgraceful example. !, from my
heart, am anxious to see every COM
in America rise above that
level with pride and a fixed resolution
no man or set of men can afford
TO despise.
Il therefore very earnestly and sol
rmnly beg that the governors of all
The states, the law officers Of every
-, and lnl all tho nlnn |
and women OF every community in the
States, all who revere America
and wish 10 keep her name without
Of ~reproach, viii seek-not pass
Ively merely, but actively and watch
'ully-to make an end of this disgrace
'ul evil. 1t cannot live where the
does moi c~ountenance 1t.
Il have called upon the nation TO
out it's great energy into this war and
t has responded responded with a
,pirit and a genius for action that has
the world. ! now call upon 1t,
lpon its men and women everywhere,
O see to 1t that its laws are kept in
it's fame untarnished. Let us
how our utter contempt for the things
hat have made this war hideOus
lmong the wars of history by showing
low those who love liberty and right
md justice and are willing TO lay down
heir lives for them On foreign fields,
tand ready also to illustrate to all
mankind their loyalty to the things at
lome which they wish to see estab-
everywhere.
II can never accept any mar as a
hampton of liberty, either for our
elves or for the world, who does not
and obey the laws of our
wn beloved land, whose laws We our
have made. He has adopted the
tandards of the enemies of his coun-
ry, whom he affects to despise.