The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1919-09-04
own citizens-it encourages ignor-
ance-it steals from us-it insults

duCe-t SledlS IIOul ue-1l 4ISullS
US
The espionage law still in force
provides that no one shall wilfully
print, write or publish any language
intended to incite, provoke or en-
courage resistance to the United
States, or who shall publish any
abusive language about the form of
government of the United States,
shall be punished by a fine or i'm
prisonment. If this editorial which
refers to this as shameful land
charging the government with; lynch
ing, disfranchising it's citizens, en-
couraging ignorance, and stealing
from it's citizens, does not constitute
a violation of the espionage law it
would be difficult to conceive Ian
guage sufficiently abusive to consti-
tute violation. Believing this to be
true I have called this editorial to
the attention of the attorney general
with the request that he have pro-
ceedings instituted against Dubois.
No greater service can be rendered
to the negroes today than to have
them know that this government will
not tolerate, on the part of its lead
ers, action which tends to array them
against the government under which
they live and under which the ne
gro race has made greater progress
than it has under any other govern
ment on earth.
Letter From Officer.
''In the same issue of this maga-
zine, page 20, is carried with the ap-
proval of it's editors, letter written
by negro officer in France contain
ing this statement:
"'I am beginning to wonder wheth-
er it will ever be possible for me to
see an American (white) without
wishing that he were in his satanic
majesty's private dominion. I must
pray long and earnestly that hatred
of my fellowman be removed from
my heart and that I can truthfully
lay claim to being a Christian
"But if the policy of these men and
these newspapers is calculated to
bring about race conflicts in this
country, what can we expect of the
Challenge, edited by William Bridges,
and of the Messenger, which boasts
that it is the only radical negro maga-
zine in America. The Messenger is
edited by A. Philip Randolph, and
Chandler Owens. It is printed upon
paper Of as fine, if not finer, quality
than any magazine in circulation to-
day. 1t does not carry a half dozen
outside of it's own.
It is therefore, evident that it is be-
ing supported by contributions, from
some source, and the material in the
magazine is conclusive that the
source from which the support comes
is inimical to the existence of this
government. It appeals to the es-
tablishment of a Soviet government.
1t praises the treatment of the negro
soldier by the Germans, as contrasted
by the treatment of the negro by the
allied forces. 1t urges the negro to
join the I. w. W., pays tribute to
Debs and prays for the establishment
of a Bolsheviki government in this
land.
'In view of these statements pub
lished in July and similar publica-
tions, it is not very difficult to ascer-
tain the source of the trouble that
brought about these recent riots in
Washington and Chicago, and threat
ems to disturb the peace of other large
cities. (There can be no other re-
suit from the continued publication
and circulation of these magazines.)
''This is the propaganda being cir
culated among the negroes. 1t can
only result in the shedding Of blood,
not only of the white man. but of
many innocent ignorant negroes, who
are misled by these men into commit
ting acts OF violence. If the espion-
age law does not empower the de-
partment to suppress such publica-
tiens, then it should be'so amended
as to confer that power. I believe
in free press, but just as some of
our people are unable to distinguish
between liberty and license, there
are those who are not able to dis
tinguish between a free press and a
revolutionary press, whose object is
to overthrow governments and de-
stroy the happiness, peace and pros
perity of our people.
s'It took us a long time to realize
t1,o or;1 of tho foroion lon o11aoo OroSS