Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1919-08-02

has been reorgani2ed in Richmond
and intends 20 drive out the Negro
CS.
Neither Of these rUmors has the
slightest foundation in fact.
Every Negro who has purchased or
rented a house III Clay street has Il
right i'll which he will be protected.
inc white people Of Richmond will no
more permit Negroes 20 hc oustcd un
lawfully from their homes than they
would allow themselves to be elected
without law. The whole idea is so
obSurd rs scarcely TO deserve mcnt-
ion.
AS for the reported revival OF the
ku kluX Khan The News Leader lie
gun an invcStig CATION Of this rumor
the day after it was printed in the
coiorcd paper the Richmond Planet
cur inrSjgu,ion shows that the or
gan .2ation Which is popularity sup
roSd TO be the Khan is an uSSccia
ton, the ayowch objects Of which arc
very wide. The order stands for
Ancricanism and does not represent
thC slightest threat to any lawabid
ing Negro or 10 any other citizen. Thls
is our conviction. But. if at any fl
turc time the order should set under
IN jmprorcr agitation of any sort We
should certainly call upon the cor
poTntion commission to rc,tl,e its
Chrrtcr. We regard such contingcn
cy. however as remote in the OK.
trcmc because the membership Of the
order as anyone can ascertain is
made up of mon whom. every rcpu-,
table citizen would be willing to
trust. I
The News Leader does not cherish
the dcluson that the exposure OF
these rumors will put an end to
them. \ lie always outruns the truth.
We know OF Richmond Negroes, wor
thy Gf I'll trust, who believe these
absurd stories 20 he founded on fact
and who. in consequences are talking
of leaving Richmond. We know or
cases where Richmond Negroes who
are honest worllmcn are afraid TO
come home because they have heard
these Wild reports. Every night, As
the police and the white citizens
know perfectly we'll from intelligent
sources. groups gather in tic colorcd
districts and discuss these rumors.
Tho result is that while decent color
cd people are urging the unruly to
keep their heads, the ignorant are
excited and the vicious are' threaten
ing. Among the Negroes. us among
the whites there are thus two class
cs--tHosc who seek to prevent and
those who seek to fomcnt race trou
blcs. II
Determined that the good sense
and good will Of tile better classes
shall prevail, Richmond people have
agreed upon very definite policy.
The precise details of this we shah
not OF course, disclose; the main
facts should he set down here ana
now that every many may understand
Richmond is to do strict Justice, but
is to impress with the utmost scvcriay
every disturbance. If white rowdfes
pick II quarrel with Negroes, they
are TO, be punished Instantly. IF Me-
groc.s. should start trouble. precisely
the same punishment Will he met"d
out to them. The News Leader OK
poets Colonel Myers TO Instruct MS
men to shoot without hesitation IN
to thc ranks of any, mob that may
start. We expect him to use all the
reserve forces art his command ana
to continue rs long rs may he noe
cssnry the prudent arrangements
made in recent days. We expect nm
further, to Keep the machlhe' guns
supplied with abundant ammunition
and in perfect order as at present
so that il trouble starts i'll amy street
the machine guns may he brought up
instnatly in the waiting motor trucks
and after warning has been gwen
can be used to sweep the street from
end to end. We endorse all the dlrcc
tor has done in preparing to use IRE
apparatus but We ars frank to say
We do not expect him to stop WITH
water. if any mob opens Tire. roftu
notcly we need not call upon nm 10
avoid the mistake made in Washing
ton of placing a single officer or
sing'c sentry on a street cor ner: we
have enough forces nj hand to throw
n Gordon around any district whero
disorder may start and then to Sc"hr
every street and every alley.
But above all else, Richmond Peo
pie insist that 'precisc,y TN" same
treatment be measured out to all
that may attempt trouble. Ihe Nc
crocs should understand that II thelr
undesirable elements start rlotlhG'
the ample forces at hand Will put
them down instantly and without
mercy. But the Negroes should ike
wise understand that if they should
be the objects Of an nnproVokca at
tack, the men who assall them Will
be handled with equal severity me
coual protection Of the law can be
afforded every man. whit or colored.
The News Leader has gone into
this subject fully and frankly, not
because we expect trouble--that can
easily he handlcd-but because we
do not wish the thousands of self re
specting Negro citizens who nave
done their duty to labor under the
fear that Richmond people Will al
low them to be mistrcaicd. Self dc
Tense will he no excuse for rowdyism
tn law in Richmond is strong enough
to he every mans defense.
Richmond, Va. News Leader.
FULTON NOTES.
hal n