The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1923-08-25
ADMINISTRATION
FAVORS FEDERAL
CURB ON ALL MOBS
Reign of Terror in Southern
States Causes Talk in
Washington.
DYER BILL NOW ENDORSED
Plan to Extend Dyer Measure
to Include all Mobs as FlOg-
ging Increases

dSuluS IOu, Aug. LU.-T reQuenCly
recurring outbreaks of mob violence
throughout the nation today caused
officials of the Coolidge administra-
tion to consider enactment of legis-
lation making these offenses a crime
against the federal government.
With governors of four states
alarmed by mob uprisings and mar
tial law proclaimed in one locality,
President Coolidge was reported
deeply concerned by the apparent in
creased disregard for law and or
der. The President and other gov
ernment officials were said to be con-
sidering the advisability of enacting
an anti-mob bill in the next con-
gress. The proposed legislation
would apply not only to lynch mobs
but to all organizations of masked
men who take the law "into their
own hands,"
To Press Dyer Bill.
The Dyer bill, passed by the last
house but talked to death" in the
Senate by a Democratic filibuster,
will be re-introduced next congress,
it was learned today. The Coolidge
administration is expected to support
this measure inasmuch as the exec
utive was elected on platform
which pledged it's enactment.
Federal authorities. however, hope
to extend the Dyer bill to include all
masked organizations attempting
mob violence of any nature. The
DYER bill, in it's original form, ap-
piled only to lynching mobs. 1t pro-
vided a penalty of $4,000 fines upon
counties in which lynching occurred
and would have punished all state
and county officers, held responsible
for the outrages.
A movement now under way would
amend the bill to make any act of
mob violence a federal crime. Un-
der this inventory would come the
"whippings, deportations and tar and
feather" outrages frequently attrib-
uted to the Ku Klux Klan.
Hopeful of Passage.
Although the Dyer bill was bitterly
fought in the last congress, Republi-
can leaders are more hopeful of it's
enactment after next December. The
solid democratic South" was lined
up against the bill on a racial prin-
ciple and the bills opponents were
victorious in their filibuster when Re-
publican leaders stopped the fight in
view of the fact that other pressing
legislation was being delayed.
However, new issues are now pre-
sented ard the legislation should he
nassed without strong opposition. 1T
has slreadv been indorsed bv the
American Bar association and similar
statutes have been enacted in the
states Of South Carolina. Pennsyl-
vania, West Virginia and Ohio.
Applies to All Mobs.
The Over bill will be reintroduced
in the House by it's author, Repre
sentative Dyer. Republican, of Mis-
souri, and in the Senate bv Senator
Shortridge, Republican, of California.
81 will re-introduce my bill in prac-
ticallv the same form as it passed
the House last year." said Dyer to-
dav. at will apply to all mobs, con-
sisting of three or more men. but in
it's present form would provide pun
ishmant only when the victim is
killed. 1t anplies to the Ku Klux
Klan as we'll as any other body of
men.
"Under existing conditions. state
authorities are helpless to stamp out
mob violence. State laws make it
necessary to obtain indictments in
the county where the crime occurred
and experience has taught us local
Grand juries will not return indict-
ments. Enactment Of my bill would
transfer the cases into the federal
courts where Justice would be more
easily obtained.
Confers With Coolidge.
zone conviction in a federal court
and mob violence would be ended.
81 have talked to President Cool
idge about my hill and I am prepar-
ing a memorandum for his use. With
a plank in the Republican platform,
which pledged this legislation, I ex-
/ pect the President will support its
enactment"
Reports from department Of JUS
tice agents at the scene of mob out
RACES meanwhile are reaching gov
eminent authorities. Federal agents
now are investigating the crimes in
Texas, Ohio, Georgia, Oklahoma and
West Virginia.