Phoenix tribune., 1919-12-20
Same Suggestions For Ad-
vancement of Lynching
BY Unbiased Writer
tBy Associated Negro Press

NEW 1Ohh, Dec. ll.-Wlat, IN
your opinion, should be the lowest
age at which Negro could be lynched
without destroying our best tradi-
tions?
Georgia, always in the van for in
novation, has just completed, with its
usual taste for finish, the dispatch of
nine-year-old The boy was hauled
through the streets by rope and then
carefully and chivalrously shot
Now this gives rise to several ques-
tions in the matter Of lynching, and
we feel that the art can take its place
with other purely American customs,
which, so we understand, is the envy
of the whole European continent and
has already taken its immortal niche
in Madame Tussaud's Waxworks.
Our third-degree system has been
brought to perfect state. We know
that our police force can be depended
upon to deliver the goods and our
American pride is satisfied with that
department of democracy. But in our
lynchings we still seem to he cropping
around in haphazard fashion. One
state, for instance, will take ND the
fashion of burning a Negro in oil.
another will merely hang him and
then, when the rope seems about
ready to stifle his breath, shoot him
in order to end his sufferings. This
is a compromise. we feel. with the
original spirit of our national con
science. Again, other parts of the
republic have seen fit to declare holi-
days when the lynchings were larger
than ordinary and women as well as
men were scheduled to furnish the
amusement
The latter plan, it seems to us, ap-
proaches nearer, in a spiritual way.
to the best things in lynchings. But
there is a drawback even to this, for
in the states where it has been done,
while thousands were given the
chance to enjoy the spectacle, the
children could not be present, as the
cotton mills did not close down dur
ing the executions. However, that is
a mere detail and no dorht the ir-
gcnu'ty Of orr public officials will
rectify the oversight
But how shall we determine the
minimum age?
At nine. as Georgia has selected, the
Negro child, it seems to us, offers lit
tie attraction as a lynchee In the
first place. child at that age is too
easily killed and the sport ends much
too quickly Why, dragging a mere
child over cobblestones is apt to kill
it before the tree or lampost is
reached, and what then? Disappoint-
ment for all concerned and probably
long walk lack to the house. with
the dinner grown cold for practically
nothing.
We believe the proper way to lynch
a child, assuming that the Georgian
age is a good one at which to begin,
would be to hand the youngster over
to the white children for practice.
Let them take the victim into a
school yard, for example, where the
see-saws and other toys are placed
The Colored boy might be placed un.
der one end of the see-saw which
could then be raised and allowed to
fall upon his head. After he comes
back to consciousness, the act could
be repeated until the white children
tire of this, when. let us say. good
object lesson in biblical history be
hannv and satisfying end
With the rronar instructors. our
children would then grow into man.
hood and womanhood with an expert
knowledge Of the t"isiness and be
canahlc of getting everything out N
lvnching that is nossihIa. Not ONLY
fhe pure iov of the whole thing. hut
the unnuestiopshlv. with the assist
arce Of some ex-Y M. c. A. directors
who lost their jobs on getting hack
from France. the commercial instinct
would be fostered and the children
taught to treat CORPSE in such a way
that portions could he sold as souve
rirs tn those whose age does not per
nit them to attend the event AS a
suggestion. a good ear or portions oi
the scaln. an arm or foot might be
svndicsted to the Maxon Telegram
the Cbattanooea Times, or the At
lanta Constitution for nhotoorn nric
reproduction and the children thns
taught to earn their own min money
We have no desire to be the su.
preme arbiter in this matter and our
columns are onon 10 suggestions fol
fhe advancement and Improvement ri