The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-11-05
u. S. TO PROTECT
VOTERS TUESDAY
No Threats or Intimida-
tion to Be Tolerated
Lee Declares
Special to The world.

Special TO The World.
MUSKOGEE, Nov. A warning
from the United States government
that threatening or intim.dating vot-
ers Will not be tolerated at the cleo
tion Tuesday. when members Of
congress viii be elected as well a.
state and county officials. is con-
talned IN q signed statement issued
today by Frank Lee, United States
district attorney for the eastern dis.
trict OF oklahoma. Mr.. Lees state
ment, which is self explanatory. fol-
lows.
Many Inquiries have been made to this
ONCE as to how far the laws OF the
United states Will protect citizens tn the
Ilght OF suffrage II Is the duty Of the
Gerning the Ave when requested TO do so
relNed, II has become impossible to write
separate answer In each case. There
fore, contrary to custom, ! have consid.
cred II proper Tor the guidance Of citizens
generally to submit this statement to the
Section 10 Of the federal criminal code
reads rs follows;
N two or more persons consplre TO
inIure, oppress. threaten, or intlmi-
date any citizen In tho free exercise
or enjoyment OF any right or privi-
loge secured TO him by the .constltu-
r. ,l"h OF Avs OF the United states, or
because OF his having so exercised
the same. ... they shall bs
iihed not more than five thousand
dollars N5,oo0) and Imprisoned not
more than ton years, and shall, more
over. be thereafter ineligible TO any
Office, or place Of honor. profit. or
i'ust created by the constitution or
avs OF the United States
In Ac1el VS. United states, 737 Federal.
page 6bb. the court said:
~ has been repeatedly hold by tho
FEDERAL courts, and particularly in
cases where conspiracles under sec
Ton 10 were charged, that the right
or voters to vote at elections for
members OF congress Ia secured by tho
constitution and laws OF the United
states"
From tho opinion In the very recent
Mosley case, which involved an Indictment
under section 10 for conspiracy to injure
ana oppress citizens OF Oklahoma In their
right to vote for member OF congress
We quote the following:
II Is not open to question that this
statute ls constitutional and constion-
ally extends some protection. at least,
TO the right to vote FOR members OF
T!nissd IT!IngrSss: s,S. ES pHr'e 9areroush. 10
. Sc. ~ l., I'd. 27D: Logan W United
states. iit United states 2ss, sg3
ti2 supreme Court Gil. 9s l.. I'D. i2o).
We regard It as equally unquestlon-
able that the right to have ones vote
counted In as open to protection by
Sensrtss as the right to put a ballot
Thus the law N settled and declared by
penal statute and by the supreme court OF
me United states. 70 inlure, oppress.
threaten or intlmiiate any citizen in The
tree exercise or enjoyment OF the right
TO vote IN criminal act This Ia true
whethor the act IL perpetrated by officers
OF the election or private citizens and IL
Is wholly immaterial whether the crimin-
AIS be democrats. republicans or soc!allsts
ne Nineteenth amendment has lately be.
come part OF tho constitution and pro
lects citizens generally in the right OF
suffrage without regard to sex.
IL VIII, therefore. be seen that voter,
are simply projected by the laws OF the
United States In the free exercise of thsIr
rights.