The broad ax., 1925-09-26

In Detroit, Michigan, the same law
which defines mob az being an in-
'strumentality Of Iawlessness has held
eleven race people for first degree
murder, ali because two alleged units
OF mob, said TO be bent upon shatter-
ing the hopes and the home Of Ne
gro who had exercised his constitu-
tional rights by purchasing property
upon site which suited him best,
were shot To death somehow, some
where, by alleged defenders of the
home and the Constitutional rights Of
the colored tenant The mob was
Hell-bent upon 1awless errand. The
police wing Of the law was, as usual,
too heavy for light work and too light
for heavy work By precedent, police,
sheriff and other makeshift protection
usually available to parties confronted
by mobs Casually Negroes) is very,
very thin; and colored people are, lit
tie BY little, realizing that self preser-
walton is the first law of nature.
Anyhow, the Law, which failed
miserably in the great city Of Detroit
to prevent the formation OF a coward
" mob, failed equally in giving full
and equal protection to the citizens
Of its Commonwealth. And in some
way, two souls were prematurely
given the password to the cemetery.
Now, says the Law, this is murder in
the first degree, which is unlawful in
this state; and its perpetrators must
be duly punished. One Of the de-
ceased, says the Law, was an innocent
bystander, bent upon a peaceful mis-
sion and within his full constitutional
rights was entitled to protection-as
much, we presume, as the Negro ten
ant, bufeted and terrorized BY the
mob, unhampered by the Law.
The Law also says that just one
step by mob looking to the consum-
nation Of an unlawful objective is
ground for defense. The law does
not define just what that defense shall
be. That is a question for a jury.
But child of tender years just what
defense eleven terrorized Negroes,
could, would and should make when
opposed by five thousand Brave"
patriots who were trying to protect
their block from invasion BY the IN
welcome members of a prescribed
race.
The Law will decide the fate Of
these eleven "murderers" who tried to
defend their lives and property. Who
knows but that like Loeb, Leopold
and Harry K. Thaw, they may have
been insane; or that they, as principals
Of the first degree, and accessories BE-
fore and after the fact, without just
cause therefor, with fe1onious intent
did entice the mob to their midst and
there and then did wantonly take the
sacred lives of two Of its most ar
dent members, against the peace and
dignity Of the state Is a mans home
no longer his castle? Has the full and
equal protection OF all the citizens Of
the state and Of the United States
gone to the four winds? Before jump
ing into the Atlantic Ocean, we will
await the answer Of the Law.
Lusty Harlem, New York, reports a
tremendous drive for organization Of
the faithful Pullman porters; and in
two weeks it is estimated that two
thousand Of these colorful railroad
men have banded themselves together
for the promotion Of their united work
welfare. Similar drives, it is said, are
contemplated in six or eight other
metropolitan areas, with the ultimate
view Of enrolling every Pullman por-
ter into a compact body for the pur-
pose Of being able better to bargain
collectively. When, some time ago.
the Pullman Company appointed
special agent, c. Cornelius Webb, to
perform mediatory work up and down
the lines operating Pullman cars, it
was probably evident that no united
petition or appeal could be forthcom-
ing from the more than 10000 train
and Pullman porters, who had neither
head nor tail to express their united
wishes and desires. The unihcation Of
the Pullman porters is the answer to
this need, in order that the wealthy
Pullman Company can be made to see
itself as its employees see il.
In all, there are approximately 1856
600 Negro rail hands who are directly