Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1920-08-14
THE PER|SCOPE:.
LYNCHIEG-TIIF NATIONS PET
CRIME.
(Associatcd Negro Prcss.)

The pet crime OF the nation
LYNCHING---has reached it's zenith.
More than twenty years OF continual
protest on the part OF the American
Negroes, through the leaders, organ
idations and newspapers Of tho group
has at last found apostleship within
the circles OF power.
Lynching was born, nourished and
cherished in the South. The hellish
power Of its virule germs has been
carried with malice aforethought"
into the rcmotest corners of the
nation by the carefully DISCRIMINATE
ing news wires Of the Associated
Press and tho painstaking propa-
ganda of its writer's. The baneful
disease has demonstrated. beyond
contradiction, its ability to thrive
and flourish OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES, every
where.
1t has blazcd its way with sinister
and jocular indifference through the
"color line through youth and age,
through men and women of honor
and innocence. through the sacred
tissues of cXpcctant mothers, and
through the peaceful quiet Of the
country side, rs we'll as the busy,
busting centers Of the great city.
TO the low moan OF the praying
Negroes, their outstrctchcd hands of
righteous appeal, the soft but steady
and mighty tread of the migrating
tens of thousands to climes of pro-
lection and safety, have recently been
added the roaring voice Of the daily
newspapers, North. South, East and
West; the walls Of anxiety OF the
white clergy and political leaders,
and the unyielding bullets Of equal
and exact justice. under the general
direction of the great commonwealth
of North Carolina and its fearless
Governor II. w. Beckett. With such
II combination of effort, lynch-law
has reached its crest. 1T MUST GO!
The most powerful fundamentally
In the world 10 public sentiment. In
the face Of 1t. empires and Kingdoms
have crumblcd to earth; human
slavery has been abolished; bolshe-
vism has marched westward with
terrible potentialities, and with it,
lynching must go.
Without public sentiment definitely
crystaliZed against lynch5ng, there
has becn but meagre possibility of
success in thrOttling the onrush OF
these barbaric performances. Now
that recent events have sickened the
most pessimistic onlookor. the hour
for action has come, and with I'M
1linching unity OF purpose. something
worth while will happen for all time
to come.
1t is very plain that our power in
the promises, is unlimited. We,
now, today, must use every ounce Of
our ability and strength to back up
the forces now in action. We must
rise to the opportunity and let there
be nothing regarded as more import
ant at this hour than settling this
damnablc business forever. There
must be no ninching-and there will
III and there must be no cquivo-
cation. The blood of the innocent
dead cries out for action; and unborn
generations hold us to account.
Certain proposals are made. They
all look forward to a final settlement
Of the terrible evil. Some say let
the state be supreme, others say, let
the nation. We say: Lynching must
he stopped now. The respect for
law must be supreme. If the state
is not equal to the occasion, the
nation must be. LYNCH lNG-THIG
NATIONS PET CRIME-MUST BE
WIPED FROM THE FACE OF THE
EARTH. 1T has cut the heart
strings of humanity and startlingly
rocked the foundations of American
civilization.