Evening star., 1921-04-08
Editorial Digest
American Serfs.

NO feature Of tho Armenian atroc-
tiles that have made the world thrill
with the incredible cruelty of tho un-
speakable Turk" Is lacking in the
story OF the Georgia peonage hor-
rors." declares the Knoxville Sentinel
independent democratic). Similar dis
gust Is expressed by most Of the press
| over the revelation Of the murder of
eleven enslaved negroes at the insti-
CATION of modern Simon Legree" in
Jasper county. 1t Is not merely the
crime, however, but rather the insti-
tuition OF peonage which 1t was in
tehoed to conceal. that causes some of
the most bitter criticism. Connivance
or Georgia authorities and passive
toleration of the crime by the commu-
nifty are declared by some to warrant
immediate and drastic federal action.
From Georgia itself comes stern
condemnation Of the deed and a call
In Georgia." says the Atlanta Consti-
tuition (democratic), will not permit
thing Of this kind to go unnoticed,"
and the Augusta Chronicle (demo-
cratic) makes a similar demand, but
"refutes. with all the vigor Of its
lawlessness" In the state.
T., But the brutality of the exposure
IS only secondary" the Pittsburgh
dispatch independently points out,
thus rejecting the opinion Of a num-
Der of writers. ito the fact that slav-
cry was not abolished in the south
by the Lincoln proclamation and con-
stitutional amendments"
The New York Mail independently
says: Negroes are put to work un-
der conditions no better than slavery.
wages are low and men easily get
into debt, No doubt their weakness
es are exploited to get them into
debt. They borrow small sums to be
paid back in labor. But they never
get an accounting. They ask for one
work. and the debt is never reduced.
Charges of law-breaking are framed
against them, and they are black
mailed into hugging their chains. We
fought war to end what Is now TAX
Ing place in Georgia, and it must be
ended"
The blame "for this cumulative
brutality" lies on the state Of Geor-
Ria, the New York World (democratic)
believes. since 1t '1egalized the sub
letting Of convict labor" and the re-
lation of the employer to these mes
gang. in the days before the civil
war" Such conditions. indeed. as
the murders revealed. could not
exist unless the local authorities
were either Indifferent or connived at
this barbarous practice" declares the
democratic). 'Traves,y." says the
Chattanooga Times independent
democratic). will be written over the
laws Of Georgia II this peonsge sys-
TEN. besides which "the peonage sys-
tenn of Mexico was tame" Is not
eradicated.
That public opinion" could remain
'1ethargic" In the community in which
such conditions existed is ''disquiet-
ing" to the Pittsburgh Sun demo
cratic). and the New Haven Journal
Courier independently calls it "a
could occur. and adds. ut is note
worthy that though this modern Le-
gree is credited with disposing OF a
number of blacks no one proposes to
lynch him."
The Utica Press dndependent) also
evident that state and local officers
were doing nothing to end peonage,
which suggests virtual, II not ac-
tual, collusion by them with Of
tenders"
The Nebraska State Journal din-
the viewpoint that the Georgia at
fair is merely representative Of the
attitude OF the country as a whole |
toward the negro. The Norfolk Vtr-
KiniAn Pilot independent democrattc) |
feels that no one will be SO unjust !
as to assume that the agricultural |
serfdoI, that eliminated in the Jas !
per colaty horror is general through !
out the state" But 1T is one OF the !!
sore spots which can be reached |
not by the laws but by the schools"
The Detroit Free Press independently |
also believes that .'of course the Gus
tom must be stopped where 1t Is
found. but none but a hasty person |
will suppose that any such practice |
Ii common"
The Louisville Courier Journal (in- |
dependent democratic) believes that |
while grave danger might we'll attend |
any such strengthening Of the federal |
powers" still there Is only one way to
check the trend in that direction: the |
states must see that justice is DONE"
The Brooklyn Eagle independent dem
ocratic) remarks that the country ex-
poets Attorney General Daugherty to
10 his duty" and thinks he will" The |
New York Tribune, too, finds some
hing here vital to Americas good
name for Mr.. Daugherty to accom-
plish" and 1.-The law-abiding citizens of
The south will surely assist the gov
ernment to the limit in that task"
The New York Times independent
is not SO sure that such a
step would mean a cure-all for this i'll
n the body-politic. Until local op-
ion is aggressive" 1t declares, "peon-
lge will go on. with periodic activity
by the federal authorities to check It, II
L dies hard because the community !,
s not horrified enough to make an end |!
If such atrocious practices"