The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-07-26
WILSON ASKS
ELIMINATION
0FLYNCHLAW
Declares While Fighting Lawiess
Passion Abroad We Must
Hit 1t Here
TEUT0Ns USE PROPAGANDA
President Says Every Lynching
Here Damages Our Cause
Abroad r.
TEUTONS USE PROPAGANDA

0UAV0U
Washington. July 26.-President
Wilson today in personal statement
addressed to his fellow countrymeh
denouncing mob spirit and mob ac.
tion. called upon the nation to show
the world that while ii fights for de.
mocracy on foreign fields 1t is not de.
stroying democracy at home.
The president referred not alone to
mob action against those suspected
OF being enemy aliens or enemy sykl.
pathizers; he denounced most EN-.
phatically mob action Of all sorts, es.
pecially lynchings Of negroes in the
south, 1t is known that he included
them in his Characterization OF mob
spirit as "a blow at the heart OF
ordered law and humane Justice
Used as German Propaganda.
1t is known that the lynchings OF
negroes, as well as attacks upon those
suspected of being enemies or sym
pathizers, have been used by the Ger
man propaganda through Central and
South America as we'll as in Europe.
to contend that the pretensions Of
the United States as a champion Of
democracy are a sham. Deeply con-
cerned by the situation the president
decided to address his fellow country
men and declare that every mob con-
tributes to German Hes about the Unit
ed States what her most gifted liars
cannot improve upon by way Of cal:
unny." '13s5 y
The presidents statement in full fol.
lows. ~
my, fellow countrymen:
Il take the liberty OF addressing
you upon SUBJECT which 50 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 it.
Il allude to the mob spirit which has
recently here and there very frequent.
ly has shown its head amongst US, not
in any single region, but in many and
widely separated parts of the coun.
try. There have been many lynchings
and every one of them has been
plOw at 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 and the ma
oh IN do In
duty. n.
Fighting Lawiess Passion.
1--WE are at this very moment fight
ing lawless passion. Germany has out
lawed herself amongst the nations be.
cause she has disregarded the sacred
obligations of law.and has made lynch
ers Of her armies. Lynchers emulate
her disgraceful example. ]. for my
part. am anxious to see every COM
munity in America rise above that
level, with pride and fixed resolution
to despise,
1--WE proudly proclaim to be the
champions Of democracy. If we real.
ly are, in deed and in truth. let us
see to it that we do not discredit our
own. say plainly that every Ameri-
can who takes part in the action OF
a mob or gives any sort Of cOunte-
nance is not rue son OF this great
democracy, but it's betrayer and does
more to discredit her by that single
disloyalty to he standards of law and
of right than the words of her states
men, or sacrifices of her heroic boys
in the trenches can do to make suffer
ing peoples believe her to be Their
savior. How shall we commend de-
mOcracy to the acceptance of other
peoples, If we disregard our own by
proving that it is, after ALL no pro-
lection of the weak. Every man con,
tributes to the German lies about the
United States what her most gifted
liars cannot improve upon by way
Of calumny. They cat at least say
that such things cannot happen in
Germany except in times of revolution,
when law is swept away.
Asks Active Cooperation.
81 therefore very earnestly and
solemnly beg that the governors of all
states. the law officers of every COM.
and, above all, the men and
women of every community in the
United States all who revere America
and Wis hot keep her name without
stain or reproach, will cooperate-not|
passively merely. but actively and
to make an end to this dis
graceful evil It cannot live where
the community does not countenance
it.
Il have called upon the nation to put
its great energy into this war and it
has responded with spirit and gen.
ius for action that has thrilled the
world. I now call upon it, upon its
men and women everywhere, to see
to it that its laws are kept inviolate,
It's fame untarnished Let US show
our utter contempt for. the things that
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