The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-07-26
MOB SPIRIT IS
SHOWING HEAD
President Issues Proclamation Askinu
That People Help Stamp
Out Lynch
Law.
TOO MUCH LIKE GERMANY
No True Son Of Democracy Would
Take Part in Such Unlawful
Affairs, Says
He.

UNITED Press Leased Wire Service.l
WASHINGTON, July 26. - Force
fully denouncing an apparent growth
of mob spirit" emulating the law
less passion" of Germany, who has
! "disregarded sacred obligations of
law and make lynchers of her
armies" President Wilson today ap-
pealed to the country ito make an
end of this disgraccful evil"
Lynchings he said constitute "a
blow at the hearts of law and human
justice" and contribute ito German
lies about the United States what her
most gifted liars cannot improve upon
by the way of calumny.'
| The text of the presidents procla-
nation follows:
my Fellow Countrymen:
/ Il take the liberty Of addressing
you upon subject 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 it.
Il allude to the mob spirit which
has recently here and-there very ire
quently shown its head amongst 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 them has
| been a blow at the heart of ordered
law and human justice. No man who
loves America, no man who really
& G.,
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 nation are ready to do their duty
We are at this moment fighting law
lessneSs and passion. Germany has
outlawed herself among the nations
because she has 'disregarded the sa-
cred Obligations of law and has made
! 1ynchers of her armies. Lynchers
emulate her disgraceful example.
| for my part, am anxious to see ev-
cry community in America rise above
the level, with pride and fixed reso-
luton which no man or set of men
can afford to despise.
1--WE proudly claim to be the cham
pions of democracy. If we really are,
indeed, and in truth, let us see to 1t
that we do not discredit our own.
say plainly that every American who
takes part in the action of mob or
gives it any sort of countenance, is
no true son of this great democracy,
but its betrayer, and does more TO
discredit her by that single disloyalty
to her standards of law and of right
than the words of her statesmen or
the sacrifices of her heroic boys IN
the trenches can do to make suffering
peoples believe her to be their savior.
How shall we commend democracy
to the acceptance of other peoples II
we disgrace our own by proving that
it is, after all, no protection to the
weak? Every mob contributes to
German lies about the United States
what her most gifted liars cannot I'M
prove upon by the way OF calumny.
They can at least say that such
things cannot happen in Germany ex-
cent in times of revolution, when law
is swept away.
81 therefore very earnestly and sol
EMMY beg that the governors OF al
the states, the law othcers or every
community in the United States all
who revere America and wish to keep
her name without stain or reproach'
will co-operate-not passlvely mercy
but actively and watchfully-to make
an end to this disgraceful evil. 1t
cannot live where the community
does not countenance 1t.
81 have called upon the nation TO
put its great energy into TINS war
and it has acknowledgements with
shirt and a genius for action that
has thrilled the world. l now call
mon il. upon its men and women ev-
sr,yhere. to see to it that its laws
arc kept inviolate, its fame unfair
nished. Let US show our utter con-
tcmnt for the things that have mace
th;s war hideous among the wars OF
history by showing how those VINO
love liberty and right and justice, ana
are willing to lay down their hVes
frr them upon foreign fields stand
re,dv also to illustrate to all man
kind things at home which they WISH
to see established as blessing anu
protection to the peoples VINO ,, nave
never known the privileges OF ioerty
and self-government. can never AZ AZ
cept any man as a champion vi "
ertv either for ourselves or Tor the
world who does not reverence ana
obev the laws of our own oeioVeu
I,nj whose laws we ourselves nave
rnade He had adopted the STANDARDS
- +be enemies of this country, whom
he affects to desp1se.
America Above Party.
| coo-etarv of the Navy Daniels, IN