Evening journal., 1922-07-13
CHICAGO, July 10, 1922.

To Members of National Founder
Association:
Break Down of the Law in I'LL
nois-Have we reached the point IL
the United States when the law ha
broken down completely? II would
seem as If something of the kind mas
happened or is impending. The
country was startled a few days age
by the announcement from Herrin
Illinois, of the massacre of nearly
forty workers, and the details were
the most gruesome 1t is possible tC
imagine. No action has been taken
looking to the punishment of those
responsible, and a grotesque ver-
dict has. been rendered which says
in effect that the murdered men
were responsible for their owr
deaths.
In comic opera on the stage some
thing of the kind might be portray
ed and received with amusement,
but in the ery-day-record of in
dustrial life in the United States this
thing is horrible. What is the mat
ter with the Governor of Illinois i?
Let us eliminate the local petty Off
clals who are afraid of their skins or
else contributed to the murder.
There remains. however. the Cover
nor and the other executive officials
of the State of Illinois. Have they
nothing to say concerning this fear
full tragedy? Is any explanation to
be given for the failure to being to
Justice those responsible? 1t is such
criminal negligence on the part ol
public officials that brings the law
into disrepute and lays the heaviest
burden on our institutions. When a
nation loses respect for law, dis
integration begins. Today in the
in the disregard of many laws be-
cause OF our contempt for the en-
foroemept OF one particular law. But
murder has very seldom been con-
doned in this country and It re-
mains to be seen whether the State
of Illinois will condone It or not
The whole country is expecting some
kind of an answer. When one cour-
ageous Senator denounced the out
AdEt Ou AAAt AAOOA VI lAle sD6lAdAtr At
was not applauded heartily by his
colleagues. but his demands for the
of justice were belittled
by the suggestion that the operators
or the workers who were murdered
might have been responsible. The
situation is a tragedy in more ways
than one. If the Herrin massacre
Is not avenged by the public officials
Of the State of Illinois, there will
come a time of reckoning when law
and order will give way to the Wig
Ilante methods of former days. But
rigilante methods are only to be
tolerated when there Is no recog-
lized law or order. What will the
state of Illinois do In the matter OF
the Herrln massacre? Again we ask
he question.
Union Political Inhuences-One of
The difficulties that confronts a Re
public is the inability at times TO
,ecure public officials who are inn
nune from relationships which in
.erfere with their enforcement of the |
aw. From time TO time mobs take
he law into their own hands 1nd il !
S seldom that there is interference !
Or punishment by public officials |
This is because such officials 10 not !
Ike to interfere with mobs or classes
because of their voting
power. We are drifting on deadly
lines when classism controls legis-
lion, controls law enforcement, and
when murder, riot and rapine result
rom classism. runs mad. Still the
answer is the same. Public officials !
are elected by the people, and ara as
good as the people ought to have.
Union Law Put Above Govern !
following editorial in the |
New York Times which has the atle |
The Massacre of 'Scabs' presents a
'ery direct view of the situation in |
illinois. Murder was committed, /
he authority OF the State was fiouted |
md Government was challenged:
Some men were working in a |