Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1930-11-15
LNNCHlNG HIT BY LEADERS
on COJTTu,C WOMEN

OF SOUTH'S WOMEN
Atlanta Ca, Nov. S. Twenty-one
women, prominent in the religious
educational and social life of the
south, met in Atlanta Saturda.
broadcast to the wo4.~
of lynching as "a q,
hood" and called upon America to
make an end of this crime (which
discredits our CIVILIZATION and our re-
liglon around the glcbe." Eight
southern states were represented in
the meeting.
I'VE are convinced that lynching
is not defense of wof
anything else," said the women in
tnelr statement, "but rather a me.
mace to private and public safety and
and a deadly blow at our most sacred
institutions" Lynching, according
to the group, lis not alone the crime
of ignorant and irresponsible mobs,
but every citizen who condones it,
even by his silence, must accept
share of its guilt"
Anti-Mob Crusade Planned.
The meeting, called by the Com
mission on Interracial Cooperation,
spent the day planning sustained
southwide crusade through all avail
able agencies, against mob violence.
Efforts will be made to enlist the
organized body of women, religious
and civic, and a special appeal will
be made to the governors OF the va
rious states, in the belief that their
influence may be made an effective
factor in the prevention of lynching
as has been demonstrated in Alaba-
ma, North Carolina, and other states
Most of them p1l icially connected
with large and influential bodies o.
women, those present at the meeting
were:
Mrs. Una Roberts Lawrence, st.
Louis, No.; Mrs. j. Morgan Stevens
and Miss M. M. Lackey; Jackson,
Miss. Mrs. Earnest Moore, Clarks-
dale, Miss; Mrs. W. C. Winsborough,
Shreveport, La; Mrs j. II. Mccoy,
Athens, Ala.,; Mrs. Maud Hender-
son, Birmingham, Ala; Mrs. w. A.
Newbill, Greensboro, N. C. Miss
Miss Gertrude We'll, Goldsboro, N. c
Miss Louise Young, Nashville, Tenn: /;
Mrs. R. L. Harris and Mrs. G. v.
Patterson, Knoxville. Tenn; Mrs.
Willie Harris and Mrs.Snow Ethridge
Macon, Ca; Mrs. w. Frank Smith
Mrs. w. r. Martin, and Miss Eliza
beth Head, Atlanta Ca; Mrs. L. Fl.
Jennings, Columbia, S. c.; Mrs. p.
O. Arrowsmith, Kingstree, S. c.:
Mrs. w. A. Turner, Newman. Ga:
Miss Abigail Curlee and Mrs. Jessie
Daniel Ames, who is director of the
woman's work department. OF the
Interracial Commission, presided at
the meeting. Following is the state
ment which was unanimously adop-
ted and given to the public.
Oppose Lynch Defense"
DISTRESSED by the recent upsurge
of lynchings, and noting that people
still bendone suth crimes on the
ground that they are necessary to
the protection of womeniiood, we,
group of white women representing
eight southern states, desire publicly
to repudiate and condemn such de-
tense of lynching, and to put oursel,
YES definitely on record as opposed
to this crime in every form and url-
der all circumstances. :,
owe are profoundly convinced
that lynching is not a defense OF
womanhood or of anything else, but
rather a menace to private and pup
lie safety, and a deadly blow at our
most sacred institutions. Instead OF
lettering irresponsible and criminal
classes from further crime, as it is
argued, lynching tends inevitably to
destroy all respect for law and order.
1t represents the complete breakdown
of government and the triumph of
anarchy. It brutalizes the communi-
ty where it occurs, including the
women and children who frequently
witness its orgies, and particularly
the youth who are usually conspl-
cuous participants. In it's indiscrimi-
nate haste for revenge, the mob
sometimes takes the lives of innocent
persons, and often inficts death for
minor offenses. It brings contempt
upon America as the only country
where such crimes occur, discredits
our civilization, and discounts the
Christian religion around the globe.
"We would call attention to the
fact that lynching is not alone the
crime of ignorant and irresponsible
mobs, but that every citizen who
condones it, even by his silence, must
accept a share of its guilt.
owe fherafnra call llnnn all our