The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-10-24
LET GEORGE DO TT

The riots that have swept over the country, enguling Bos-
nn, Washington, Knoxville, Gary, Omaha, Seattle and other
places, have shown the unwlGngness or inability OF the local
authorities to cope with disorders. They prefer TO "et George
do il" and George" means state or fedora. troops
This is a confession of weakness on the part Of the home
people and local authorities that does them small credit, There
are always more I~aw-abiding, peaceloving people in every Amer
lean community than there arc violent l~awbreakers, and when
the ~law-abiding people band themselves together, as they will do
when called upon by the sheriff, who has the authority to sum
mon every man in the county into a posse conitatus' this torce
can overcome any number Of l%awbreakers, One mar, with the
law and public morals behind him is equal to tour or tive men
who are attacking the law and seeking to promote disorder.
The home people can protect the home and qutll any turbu.
lenee that may arise. They should not lose heart nor courage and
look to someone else to come in and do for them what they should
do for themselves.
There are times during periods Of great excitement when it
may be necessary TO invoke the aid Of the state troops temporarily,
but federal troops can always be dispensed with. Calling in
federal troops is a reflection upon the dignity and power OF
the state, and it teaches people to lose confidence in themselves
In case OF trouble the sheriff Of Shelby county could summon a
posse large and determined enough to qhell any disorder that
may arise. Other counties should elect as their sherlis men i'll
whom the people have confidence, and in this way preserve order
The soldier is armed and equipped. and as his trade is fight
inc, he would be more likely to shoot than would policemen or
civilians, who would be dealing with their n%eighbors or perhaps
kinsfolk. For this reason the soldier Is feared and respected,
When called upon to defend the law the civilian also be-
comes a soldier, and when properly commanded will be as severe
and drastic as the occasion requires. If we lose confidence in
ourselves, and continue calling upon troops to protect us, the
time will come when the worst conditions of Europe before the
war will be with us--a soldier will be bileted in every house,
.and the uniform will be seen at every turn.
The soldier is for war Oh the battlefield. Civil life should
be controlled by civilians, In this country, ana tue, =, ~ -~
TO maintaining law and order, every citizen is a potential soldier,
Boston, among all the cities that we're ovcfrun by rioters,
had a valid excuse for calling in soldiers, Her police force had
gone on a strike, and the people were left undefendtd. Other
cities could have and should have taken care of themselves, and
kept up the practice OF doing for themselves,
When we shirk our duty in one thing we are more than like.
~ to shrk it in other things. Those who were here lust after
the war will remember that they did not rehsh the presence Of
federal soldiers sent in TO maintain order. The soldiers them
selves were Objectionable, and the principle Of soldier rule, which
Is martial law, is Objectionable at all times and should be avoided.
1t Is much easier to call for soldiers than it ID to 60 out
and do ones part in preserving order, but calling in agencies to
DO for us what we should do for ourselves produces lassitude
and a softening Of the muscles, which is inimieal to sturdy man
hood and resolutc selfconlidence. The more things we have
other people do for us the fewer things will we be able to do
for ourselves, and the power which we transfer to other hands
will ultimately slip from our own, never to return,