The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-30

newspaper man to come around
here"
Federal Government Refuses to Act
Just after Gilmore told his story to
me, however, the Department of JUS
tice disclosed that it is not even con-
sidering federal action in Maryland
or in any other lynch territory, an Of
fetal of the department privately
guessed" that the department has
dismissed pleas for investigation on
behalf Of many mass organizations.
After delegations had brought de-
rnands for federal intervention on the
heels of the lynching of Armwood,
officials here promised "to act if we
have authority" Today. however,
they indicated that they can see no
connection between mob violence in
Alabama, Maryland, California and
Missouri. In short, they consider
each case separately, a State matter
Lynchers Tried to Suppress News
Gilmore and the other reporters
and photographers became the OBJ
ject Of the shrieking mob's rage after
national guardsmen and Maryland
State troopers had been frightened
out of town. Furious because the
troopers had managed to take away
to Baltimore four Of seven suspected
lynch leaders, the Salisbury citizens
decided to revenge themselves by
beating up newspaper representatives
and thus preventing news from reach
ing outside the town limits, I'VE want
those newspaper men," the mob
shouted, pressing on towards the
Wicomico Hotel where the press were
II know now what it means to be
hunted by mob yelling for your
blood" Gilmour declared emphat-
ically.
DO you think g Negro reporter
would have had any chance to
escape?' asked.
Negro Residents of Town Terrorized
Not half the chance We had.
There wasn't one Negro in the whole
town outside the hotel"
What did the mob want to do to
you and the other reporters and
photographers"
Beat us up, tar and feather us
and ride us out Of town on a rail-"
Just how did this mob look to
you?'
"They looked like irate country
men, poolroom buns and young
hoodlums."
Eddy, how do you account for the
fact that hundreds of soldiers
equipped with trench helmets, fixed
bayonets and tear gas, couldn't keep
mob at bay
Because Of the fact that they
didn't shoot and also because the
guardsmen were young kids who
turned white as sheep before the
mob"
Would the soldiers have acted diff
ferently toward peacefully Com
munist demonstration; suppose some
stool-pigeon hidden IN the Commu-
mist demonstration had thrown a
brick, as did the Maryland mob, at
the soldiers, what would have hap
pened?"
"T'he soldiers, IN that case, proba-
bly, would have let CO."
1t was then that Gilmore repeated
his information from one of the
Armwood lynch leaders. He added:
1.-THE foulest ep!thet the mob
hurled at the soldiers was God damn
Baltimore Jews. When the soldiers
were leaving town the mob told them
to bring something stronger than tear
gas next time"
Don't you think that the laxity
in dealing with the Armwood lynch
ing encouraged the Salisbury mob?"
Yes, that and Governor Rolph's
barbaric lynching message. Now,
with yesterdays mob victory, II the
slightest suspicion is cast on Negro
it's going to be just too bad for him.
what would you recommend2'
1.-THE only thing is for President
Roosevelt to intervene with federal |
troops-if the authorities really want
to prosecute lynchers!