The Dallas express. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1893-1970, 1921-04-30
MANY ANTT-LYCNHTNG
MEASURES. BROUGHT. TO
CONGRESS.
Four Bills Against National
ScOurage Have Been Intro
duced by Congressman Of
Different States.
(By A. N. P.)

Washington. d. c.. April 2S.-Presi-
dent Harding's message to Congress
mas spurred senators and Represen-
tatives to action. Bills and resolut-
uons are being introduced hither,
thither and you seeking to carry out
his laudable suggestions. BY the same
token. members of the Democratic
minority are bestiring themselves
with sensational vigOr and efforts to
SHINE Tor their constituents by intro
ducing measures ridiculous in their
purport of prejudicial and antiquated
demands
on the subject Of lynching there
have been at least four. bills introduce
ed The first by Senator Mccormick
calls for a commission on lynching.
Accompanying the bill Senator Nc
Cormick has sent a communication to
senator Nelson. chairman OF the ju-
has been referred. In it the Senator
SAYS: THE appalling number of lyn-
chings since the New Year: the con-
dition Of peonage and the horrible
murders consequent thereon, disclosed
In the Williams trial In Jasper coun-
ty, Georgia, cry out for immediate ac-
ton by Congress-" After quoting that
portion of President Harding's mes
sage to. Congress on the race question,
Senator Mccormick continues:
''1f there be doubt as to the Consti-
tutional powers of Congress to legis-
late for the punishment of lynch muir
ders, there can be none as to the
Constitutional powers to create such
a commission as my bill contemplates.
If by inaction we continue to coun-
tenance lynching we shall invite the
reprobation of the people of the I'm
tied States, and indeed, of the civiliz-
ed world"
Senator Mccormick seeks to have il
distinctly known that he prefers a
bill on lynehing that Will punish the
llynchers, 4 this can be worked out
He says: "If the lawyers on the Com
mittee on judiciary can draft a bill
to confer upon the national govern
ment, under the constitution, the pow
er to apprehend and punish meters
to mob violence and those who muir
der in the name of lynch law. | hope
patch. If the committee deem IT wise
to broaden the scope of the bill in the
sense suggested in the Presidents ad-
dress well and good, but above all
the end that the President may ap-
point commission which by public
presentation of the uncontroverted
facts, may organize and mobilize pub
the people for the law officers Of the
states and imbue them with the cour-
age and the sense of duty necessary
TO guard men and women from lyn-
ching"
Other bills Introduced.
Other bills on lynching have been
introduced, as predicted by the Asso-
ciate Negro Press, by Congressman
Dyer Of st. Louis, and Congressman
nallinger, of Massachusetts Their
bills. are somewhat similar. and seek
to hold the county responsible to the
extent of $4,000 to dependent families
where citizens have been put to death.
They also provide for fine and i'm
pSisonment, Imprisonment not to eX-
ceed five years. and fine not to eX-
coed $4,000 or both.
Senator Spencer. of Kansas, has in
troduced bill calling for a Commits
sion of nine persons to be known as
the Commission on the Racial Ques,
tion in the United States. This bill
divided into three groups of three men
each. two white and one Colored;
serving one two and three years re-
spectively, that the composition of the
commission shall be three white men
from the North, three white men from
the South, and three Colored men. An
appropriation of s50,O00 per year is
asked for. The Commission shall have
the authority to inquire into and
thoroughly investigate the condi tions
surrounding the Colored people OF the
United States. ascertain. If possible:
the cause of the misunderstanding II
there be racial friction, the cause of
the same. and to suggest such RENE
dies as they may deem best calculated
to relieve the situation and to bring
about harmonious relations between
white and Colored Americans
Representative Layton, OF Delaware
has introduced a bill calliuS for a
Negro Industrial Commission" of
five members, lat least three OF whom
Continued on page S)