New-York tribune., 1919-05-07

negro still labors in this country were
itemized. The need for thorough
public airing of the situation was
stressed A committee was appointed
to draft an address to the public set
ting forth all the details and signifi-
cance of the nations lynch record.
Bruce R. Payne, of Tennessee; j. R.
Bingham, OF Mississippi; DR.. William
P. Pickens, of Maryland, and L. Hol-
lingsworth Wood, Major J. E. Spin
garn and Mary White Ovington, Of
New York, were named to serve on this
committee. A resolution to provide
funds for educational propaganda work,
introduced by Dr. Talcott Williams, of
Columbia University, was passed unani
mously.
Thomas Nelson Page, United States
Ambassador to Italy, was sharply
criticised for an alleged rtterance
years ago, urging that Southern stu
dents carry on campaign in the
Southern whites toward the negro and
the real reasons for lynchings. Judge
Terrell, Of Washington, who raised the
point, said that as a result positions
were found for a number of South
erners on Northern papers.
"These men have now risen to edi
torial positions" said Judge Terrell
"from which they continue to attack
+ho pooro opd avorUorofa "a h;e off nnces -
Praise for President
Contrasting with this was reiterated
praise of President Wilson for his
recent open stand against lynching.
The avowed attitude of the President
in the matter, many speakers felt,
should greatly facilitate the proposed
passage of Federal anti-lynch laws.
Further satisfaction was expressed
upon receipt of n message from the
Federal Council Of Churches of Christ
in America, now in convention at
Cleveland, announcing it's support Of
Federal laws to combat this form Of
mob violence.
Moorfeld Storey, former president
of the Bar Association, presided at the
sessions. He denounced lynching as a
form Of cold-blooded murder which
dlSgraced the country.
eve have allowed this thing to go
too far" he declared "All over the
country men of light and learning have
closed their eyes and ears to the prev
alence of this crime. The time has
come when it must stop"
Must Eliminate Prejudice
William Pickens, dean of Morgan
College, Baltimore, protested that no
real progress can be made until the
General prejudice against negroes is
eliminated.
"That man is dreamer" he cried,
"who hopes to degrade the negro po-
litically, economically and socially, and
vet defend him from the mob. There
is no use for a Congressman in Wash
ington to say to the lyncher, You
should not deny g negro fair trial in
court if that Congressman, at the
his opinion that no negro, whatever his
merit, should be a Congressman like
himself.
There is no use for an Executive
of the nation to tell the white peo-
pie of Georgia that their negroes
should have white mans trial in
Georgia if at the same time he takes
the position that the negroes in gov
ernment departments at Washington
SuOulu uOL nave WHltS man > JOO.
Rabbi Wise Speaks
Rabbi Wise, Dean Pickens and John
R. Shillady were the chief speakers at
the evening meeting. Dr. Wise, re-
ferring to the prevalence Of lynchings
as blot on the national escutcheon,
begged for their cessation on the score
of democracy and Americanism, adding
that he believed the temper of the
country was now such that this end
will presently be brought about.
Mr.. Shillady referred to the beating
of Lawrence strikers by masked men
and declared that this sort of violence
must be stopped as we'll as the as
saults on the black man.
A telegram of regret was read from
Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer
who explained that he was speaking in
the same cause in Mississippi. Senator
Medill Mccormick sent the convention
q letter of sympathy.