The Colorado statesman., 1918-12-07
MOORFlELD STOREY ON
LTNCHlNG

Where an INJURY 10 lne meanest
citizen is regarded as an injury
to the state
The admirable manner in which
the Negroes OF this country have
met the test of war should be Il
source of pride to every Ameri-
can, white or black. Divisional
commanders OF the eXpeditionary
forces have been warm in their
praise of the military qualities of
the colored soldiers. American
Negroes have proved themselves
true sons of the colored troops
who fought so gallanty in the Civil
war; black men have been award
ed American, French and British
decorations for valor in the field.
German propaganda not only
failed to incite Negroes to resist
the draft; it was impotent against
the loyalty of colored workmen.
At home as well as at the battle
front, the Negroes stuck to their
jobs and helped to make victory
possible.
But there is another side of the
picture-a shameful one. In a re-
cent speech before the Wisconsin
lJdI loooNidllOll 4iooiA oNol'Ss
president of the National Associa-
tion for the Advancement of Col
ored People, pointed out the fact
that while Negro soldiers were
giving up their lives in the battle
for democracy, members of their
race were being slaughtered by
ruffians at home. Since this coun-
try entered the war. Mr.. Storey de-
clared, 243 Negro men, women
and children have been killed and
lynched by mobs. In addition to
these cases 175 men, women and
children were tortured, burned
and killed in East st. Louis in
July 1917. At East st. Louis
twenty white and ten colored lnen
were given prison terms; in all
other instances the murderers
have gone unpunished.
One lynching, not included in
those enumerated by Mr.. Storey,
did bring official notice. 1t was
that of Robert Prayer, a German,
murdered by mob in Illinois.
Immediately following that crime
the attorney general of the United
States issued a statement de-
nouncing mob law and calling for
the punishment of the perpe-
traitors. The cabinet held a leng-
thy discussion of the effects OF
the Prayer killing: as the Crisis,
a Negro publication put it, "A Ger
man is lynched and the cabinet
holds a four-hour session over it.
Since 1885, 1000 Negroes have
been lynched in the United States.
No cabinet ever met for four min
utes over them
Mr.. Storey's speech was made
as part of a national campaign to
influence popular opinion through
out the country on the subject.
AS Mr.. Storey explains, the fact
that most of the lynchings take
place in the South does not make
the problem a sectional one; the
shame is national, and the only
way to prevent repetition of the
horrors is through educational
propaganda. So long as lynchers
are allowed to go unpunished this
country will not have fully
achieved those high ideals for
which so many of her sons have
laid down their lives.-Denver
Times.
The above ought not. at this time
o stir the hearts of the average Mis-
Georgian or any of tn
,ther bloodthirsty states of the SoutI
llone, but, as Mr.. Storey says, "THI
NATION TO A SENSE OF SHAME.
We agree with the writer that tn
question is not sectional because tn
of the victims are in and o
ime, suggested as well as put
'quarely up to the chief executive o
he nation to put a stop to this bar
)arism which still darkens the page
If Americas progress. Think of al
average per year of nearly 122 pei
sons victimized by the lawless ele
nent of this nation for thirty-thre
years; and with all the proofs in TIL
'ecent world conflict that the blacl
american has shown. has proven him
;elf the equal of his brother in loyalty
lighting ability, etc, the frightful in
'idents increase. But a few days ag
| colored sergeant of the military
18th infantry, stationed in Arizona
vas shot and killed by white lieu
enant because the former saluted TIL
white officer with a cigarette in hi
mouth, and this white assassin. Fin
ley by name, confessed TO his mill
ary superiors.
We are thankful for such fearless
as Moorfield Storey, AM
We earnestly believe that an educa
ional propaganda will help as a pre-
but How long, oh Lord
low long!" we ask, must we await re
orm? Until another WORLDS CON
TLICT or mother earth flies off he
axis and swallows all hu
the end for which W,
Will give praise and thanksgiving?