Evening star., 1922-07-29
RUSE TO PREVENT
LYNCH|NG PRAISED
Virginia Officials Action in
Harris Case Follows Plea
by Woman.
STAIN ON STATE AVERTED
Writes to Star Urging South to
End Mob Rule-Asks Church
to Launch Crusade.

On Saturday, July 90, the daily
papers brought reports of the prob
ability of lynching near Manassas,
Va. A negro, Alvin Harris. had killed
an officer of the law attempting to
arrest him. and mob, numbering 500
or more, was hunting him. with the
avowed object of lynching him.
A prominent Virginia woman. now
married and living in Washington,
read OF this incident. AS this outrage
was about to be perpetrated in her
native state. she felt that she per-
sonally was concerned in ii. Not only
was the name OF virginia about TO De
sullied, but every Virginian would
be lowered in the esteem of righteous
men everywhere. Seeing her duty
clearly. she did everything possible
to prevent this crime and exhausted
every means of getting in touch with
the sheriff of Prince William county
over long-distance telephone. Late
Saturday evening she succeeded IN
locating the commonwealth.s attor-
ney, Thomas II. Lion. at Manassas.
and urged him with all the arguments
at her command to do everything In
his power to forestall such horrible
crime.
Mr. Lion gave her his word that he
would enlist the cooperation Of all
the good citizens of the community
in safeguarding the criminal when
apprehended In this he was entirely
successful. BY a clever ruse Mr.. Lion
evaded the mob and conveyed the
prisoner to Alexandria. where he was
mmediately placed on a passing train
and finally lodged in jail in Rich
mond. No doubt he will be electro
cuted, but it will be in accordance
with the law.
Praises States Attorney.
feel that Mr.. Lion is deserving Of
the sincere thanks of every Virginian
and all law-abiding citizens every
where, and officers of the law
throughout the south should emulate
his example.
The example we set by our own
lives influence others. How can we
expect the negro to observe and re-
spect the laws we made for him when
we break them ourselves? Often have
asked southerners. DO you believe
in enforcing the laws of your state?"
They all insist that they do. but If
YOU ask them, DO YOU believe In TAX
ing the law in your own hands and
permitting a mob to torture. burn and
hang a negro in the presence of
crowd of thousands of men. women
and children" they will not answer.
There are but two possible answers
either the southern people believe
in lynching and breaking the law. or
they believe in observing the law and
preventing lynchings. To think that
the south would stand for the lynch
ing of a child-a boy only fifteen
years old, And yet this happened
recently. When I hear of the inhu
man atrocities practiced at lynchings
bow my head in shame for the
southern men and women. How can
the southern people be guilty of
burning and torturing human being
these savage cruelties? Adding the
white mans crime to that of the
negro does not mend matters. Two
wrongs never vet made right.
fAT l.
no matter what his crime Is.
and as southern woman and vir-
sinian I sincerely hope my state at
least will always grant It TO him.
Lynching Is Social Disease.
This letter Is not written to con-
vince any one that lynching is
crime. for you know II already. Not
only does 1t rob the victims of their
constitutional rights and their lives
II lynches law and justice and civili
cation and outrages all the finer hu-
man sentiments and feelings Lynch
ing is a contagious social disease. and
ss such Is of deep concern to every
American citizen and to every lover
of civilization. The wrong that 1t
does to the wretched victims Is almost
as nothing compared to the injury
It does to the lynchers themselves.
TO the community and to society at
large. One Of the bad features of
lynchings is that II quickly becomes
a habit. and. like all bad habits.
deepens and widens rapidly.
Formerly lynchings were mainly IN
cited by rape and murder, but the
habit has spread until now such out
RACES are committed for much less
serious crimes. and lynching has be-
come so common in the United States
that such occurrences create but lit
tie sensation and evoke but slight
comment Is there no remedy? Have
we not sufficient legal intelligence
and machinery to take care of every
crime committed? Must we fall back
on tho methods of the jungle? Civili- |
zation rests on the obedience to law,
which means the substitution of rea-
son and deliberation for impulse, in
stinct and passion. 1t is easy and
tempting to obey the latter. but to be
governed by the former requires self |
control. which comes from the Inter- |
position of thought between impulse
and action.
Opportunity for Service.
Herein lies the educated mans op-
portunity to serve his fellows. to in |
terpose deliberation between their i'm |
pulses and action, and in that way to |
control both. Society has a right to |
expect educated people to help in |
molding and shaping conduct in mat
ters of this sort. 1t Is their privilege
and duty to cooperate with others
in leading crusades against crime and
mob rule and for law and civilization. |
The educated person belongs in the |
'front.' rank Ol tnOSt ut utlHS IOr moral
and social progress. Speak out boldly |
when speech is needed and let your |
influence be felt against 1t IN decided, |
unmistakable measures and manners.
1t Is a source OF deep regret and
sorrow to many good Christians in !
this country that the church puts
forth so few and such feeble protests |
against lynching. Thousands of dol |
lars are raised by our churches every |
year to send missionaries to chris |
tianize the heather in foreign lands. ,
Would it not be WELL In addition to
this, for our churches to inaugurate
crusade against barbarfsm at homo, |
right here in the United States? |
Surely 1t is time for the ministers
In their pulpits and the Christians in
their pews to fall upon their knees
and pray for deliverance from this
rising tide of oarbarism which |
threatens to deluge the whole land.
Vigorous Protest Urged.
Raise your voices in immediate pro- |
eest when lynchings or mob violence
10 threatened.
Encourage every effort to detect
and punish tho leaders and partici- |
pants In mobs and riots.
Encourage the white pulpit and
press In creating a sentiment amongI
iaw-abiding citizens and urge out