The northwestern bulletin., 1923-01-06
]. v. JOHNSON SAYS.
NOSUBST|TUTEFOR
DYER BILL WANTED
Johnson Serves Notice That Sub
stitute for Dyer Bill Is
Not Acceptable.
CLAIMS LYNCHING FACTS
ARE KNOWN IN AMERICA
Proposed Commission Calculated
to Delay Action on Bill or
AROUSE False Hopes

New York, Jan. 5.-Proposal by
Republican senators to institute a
commission for the purpose Of inves-
tigating lyinching in the United States
has elected a sharp letter to Senator
Frelinghuysen, author of the resolu-
tion. from James Weldon johnson,
secretary of the N. A. A. G. p, In
which notice is served that substi-
tute for the Dyer bill will not be
acceptable to colored people.
Mr.. Johnson's letter asserts that
the essential facts concerning lynch
ing in America, are known throughout
the world, that commission to Gin
vestigate" will be interpreted only as
a plan to delay action and to "lull
the nation and the Negro with false
hopes" The letter in full is as fol-
lows:
December 21, 1922.
Hon. Joseph 8. Frelinghuysen,
United States Senate,
Washington, d. c.
My dear Senator Frelinghuysen:
wish to confirm my telegram Of
today as follows:
Your letter with enclosure received.
Have given the matter careful study.
Am writing you giving reasons why
we do not consider proposed measure
adequate. request that you delay
action until you receive my letter.
/ have carefully examined your
proposed Joint Resolution establish
ing commission for the purpose OF
conducting a general inquiry into the
subject of lynchings in the United
States, including the number occur
ring and the causes thereof.
We would interpose no active op-
position to any steps leading toward
the abolishment of the crime of
lynching but the National Associa-
tion for the Advancement of Colored
People in this case as in half doz-
en- similar proposals in the past Is
unable to see any necessity whatso-
ever for such a commission, nor can
we endorse the proposed measure as
a substitute for the Dyer Anti-Lynch-
ing bill. Such a commission as you
propose could gather only statistics
and facts such as have already been
presented by this association and
other agencies and which have been
repeatedly and at great length read
into the Congressional Record, where
they are available to the United
States Senate as well as to other cit
izens.
The essential facts in regard to
lynching are well known and undis-
puted. The gathering Of such facts
for an additional year would have no
appreciable effect upon the question.
We would. therefore, view this COM
mission plan, with its year OF inves-
tigation, only as a further delay to
the one thing we believe to be es-
sential in the circumstances, and that
is legislation giving the Federal gov
ernment jurisdiction where states
fail, as they have failed in the past
thirty-five years, to secure the per-
sons accused of crime trial by due
process Of law. or to prosecute and
punish members of mobs.
This commission plan. therefore.
seems calculated only to delay action
or lull the nation and the Negro with
false hopes.
The National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People will
not be actively interested In COM
mission to investigate lynching.
Rather, we insist upon revision of
the Senate rules of procedure and the
passage Of the Dyer Anti-Lynching
bill.
Yours very truly,
(Sgd) JAS. WELDON JOHNSON,
Secretary.