The Chicago whip. (Chicago, Ill.) 1919-19??, 1922-02-04
ANTI-LYNCH
BILL PASSES
LOWER HOUSE
Ten Year Fight To
End When Measure
Passes Senate

WASHINGTON, d. &, Feb. A.
Al $3.50 o'clock on January 20, l9lZ,
after eleven years OF effort by the \.
A. A. {. p. and by other bodies, the
Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill was enacted
by the House OF representatives IN
Washington, by a vote OF 80 to llY.
Congress has issued message TO the
mobber and the lyncher which he can
no longer ignore A long step has
been taken toward ending what has
been The shame OF our country Tor the
last iiity years.
Furnishes Lynching
The bin as passed by the House OF
Representatives Is called A bill TO as
sure to persons within the jurisdiction
OF every state the equal protection OF
the laws. and TO punish the crime OF
lpnehng 1t defines mob or riotous
asscmblagc' as three or more persons
acting IN concert 10 deprive any per
son of his life, without authority OF
law, as punishment for some crime,
or TO prevent commission OF some ac-
tua or supposed public offense.
The Dyer bill was introduced in
the House OF Rcpresentatives'o April
Il. 1921. and was favorably reported
by the committee on the judiciary on
October 20, 192l II was made the
subject OF special rule, which was
passed by a two-thirds vote OF the
House. General debate on the bill
was begun on the reconyenlng OF Con
trcss IN January OF 1922, fourteen
hours of debate being assigned to II.
In G. o. P. Platform
The efforts oi the y A. a. {. ?.
10 have this bill enacted were begun
when Mr. Harding was elected Presi-
dcut. lanes Weldon Johnson, secre-
fary oi the y. A. A. {. 7. repeatedly
called on the President and prevailed
upon him TO introduce IN his message
10 Congress a plea that the stain OF
lxrbarlc lvnching be wiped from the
f,nners oil American democracy. Mr.
Johnson was instrumental in having
inserted in the Republican National
platform a pledge that lynehing would
be- dealt with.
Vt every step during the progress
of fhe bill. Mr.. Johnson was in closest
conference with the leaders IN the
House Of Representatives. OFTEN
leaders stepped off the floor OF the
House OF Representatives to consult
,,iih Mr.. Johnson on tactics TO be pur-
sized or on arguments TO be advanced.
The statistics prepared by the N. A.
4 T. we're quoted on the floor of
thg HOUSE of Representatives and were
rad INTO the Congressional Record for
i tribution throughout the United
States.
ono OF the most effective steps
ts.rn bv the Advancement Associa-
t.an sas the organizing OF sentiment
throughout the United States among
voter both white and colored, To-
card, demonstrating to Congress the
desire Tor enactment of anti-lynchina
legislation. l his was done through
the association tour hundred
branches. through churches. clubs, fra
ternal organizations and other BODIES
The effectiveness of this work IS dem
on.trated by the repeated charges
nadc on the floor OF the House o
representatives by Southern members
,bat the DYER bill was not the bill o
Inc Republican Party, but was beins
forced through the House by the Ma
t;nnsl Association for the Advance
ment OF Colored People.
Abstract of the Dyer Bill
After committee amendments tn
Dvcr bill carries the following pro
section /. Mob is defined as fv
ar n5r,re persons acting in concert +
Kin without lawful authority, as
punishment or an attempt to preven
some ofense.
section ?. Any state or divisio
thereof neglecting or refusing to pro
rect any person against a mob is con
sidered TO have denied that person tn
e1ual protection of the law. To guar
sdtce this protection it IS provided;
Section s. Any officer with powe
or duty to protect, or having in charg
nv reasonably to protect such a pri'
o1er on any officer neglecthg to arre'
and prosecute any person part'cipatin
in mob or to make reasonable effort
70 do so, shall be guilty of felon.
nunishable in the Federal Distri'