Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-11-03
DIVERGENT REPORTS
ON [YNCH|NG BILL

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1.-Widely
conflicting views on the anti-lynch-
ing bill, now before congress, were
presented in the house in majority
and minority reports from the jul
dietary committee.
The bill, introduced by Represen-
tative Dyer, Republican, Missouri,
would undertake to wipe out lynch
ing by heavy penalties to be imposed
on persons participating and Of
ficers charged with enforcing the
peace. Counties in which persons
are put to death by mobs also would
be subject to heavy fines in the fed
eral court.
Citing the demand in the platform
adopted by the last Republican ma
tional convention to end lynching,
the plea of President Harding in an
address to congress Ito wipe out this
barbaric strain" ana the appeal or
President Wilson in 1918 to citizens
to help stop mob law, the majority
report. prepared by Mr.. Dyer de-
clared that these and similar appeals
"have gone for naught and lynch
ingS continue"
Congress must have the means
for ending this cowardly crime" the
report continued. ut is in punish
ing those who take part in it or
who permit it.
1.-The prevalence in many states OF
the spirit which tolerates lynching,
accompanied too often with inhuman
cruelty, and the inability or unWlll-
ingness of the public authorities to
punish the persons guilty or TINS
crime, threatens very seriously the
future peace of the nation. Lynch
ing blots our fair name as ma
ton, for we cannot claim to be CIV
ilized until our laws are respected
and enforced and our citizens Sc
cured against the hideous cruelt1es
of which we are constantly furnish
ing fresh examples"
The report added that while it had
been impossible to get accurate tlg-
ures, available records showed 5,224
persons had been lynched in the last
thirty years, of which 2,522 were ne
groes. -,
Declaring the bill unconstitutional
the minority report presented by
Representative Summers, Democrat
Texas, contended it would tend to
destroy the sense OF local RESPONSE
bility without adding to the protec-
ton of the people.
"This bill in the judgment of the
minority, is witho.< constitutional
warrant" said the report. 1t is
definitely and directly antagonstlc
to the philosophy of our system OF
government and within the limit OF
it's effectiveness if it should be held
constitutional would be destructive
to that system.
"If enacted and operative it would
not add to the protection OF person
or general efficiency of government
nor strengthen the relationship De-
tween the federal government ana
the states. On the contrary TINS
proposed intervention OF the federal
government directed against local
power, supplanting and superseolng
the sovereignty of the states, wouid
tend to destroy that sense OF local
responsibility.
'"This bill, challenging as 1t does
the relative governmental efficiency
of the states and che Integrity OF
purpose of their governmental agell'
cies, placing the federal government
as it does, in the attitude OF an ar
bitrarv dictator assuming coerc1ve
mower over the states, their officers
and their citizens in matters OF To-
cal police control would do lncom'
parable harm to the federal gov
eminent and the states essential to
the efficiency of government"
Mr.. Dyer will ask for rule to
bring the bill up for consideration,
probably this week.