The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-23
The Costigan Wagner Bill.
Whose WEAPON?

WHAT is the purpose of the present maneuvers IN
the U. S. Senate around the Costigan- Wagner anti
Iynchng bill? What happened the first dav of the
hearing on this bill reported to have the support Of
the government? Negro witnesses at the hearing we're
forcoy elected from the Senate restaurant when thew
attempted to exercise their constitutional rights to eat
in public restaurant!
Lynchtng dramatizes the brutal oppression Of the
negro people under American democracy Lyncbing
Is an expression of the whole system of social and
haIional suppression Of the Negro people. The gov
eminent supports jimcrowism and discrimination It
elects Negroes from the Senate Restaurant as 1t
elected Negroes few weeks ago from the House Res
tauant 1t gives the stamp of approval to discriina-
non proving once more its role as the chief instr1-
ment OF the oppressors Of the Negro Masses
It is in this government that the Negro masses
are urged to have faith by the reformist eaders IT.
Is before this government that Walter White Charles
H. Houston and other leaders OF the National Asso-
citation for the Advancement of Coored People crawled
IN AFFECT servlity warning 1t of the rising mass fight
OF Negro and white toiers against lynchng warning
OF the Increasing difficulties with which thew are beet
by reason of the governments jim-crow policies in
mooitzng the Negro masses behind the fascist and
war policies of the Roosevelt New Deal" These gen.
temen aojecty complained to their imperiast masters
Of the efforts "to convince the American Negro that
his hope Of justice under the present form of govern
ment was useless" Walter White declared before the
Is
LOT the Congress either to demonstrate that this hope
Is not futile one else to give weight to those who
contend that such hope is futile"
What is the purpose Of the reformist leadership
OF the NAAC.P. in sponsoring this iIluSionary hope
OF justice and fair play for the Negro masses under
capitalism, without struggeP What is their aim in
putting forward the reformist Costgan- Wagner anti
ynching bill at this moment? Senator Costigan in
advertenty lets the cat out of the bag in the follow
ing statement the San Jose (Calif1 double lvnch
ing:
Late last November tidal wave of sentiment
and indignation swept across America when Governor
Rolph OF California publicly defended inacton by him
self and other peace officers in that State In flash
our peoples wrath visionng the cumulative horror of
two generations of such slaughter spread from sea
to sea-"
Not by accident did Senator Costgan fail to men
ton that this seething indignation against the
growing fascist lynch terror preceded the San Jose
lynching Of two white men, and had thundered It's pro-
tests against the hideous lynching of George Arm
wood, Negro worker, in Maryland and against the
legal ynching by that State of the innocent Negro
farmland, Fuel Lee. Not by accident did Senator
Costigan cover up the role of the Communist Party
and the revolutionary organizations in mobizing
tens OF thousands of white and Negro toers in in
dignant protest against the lynch wave and for a
militant, united front fight against the ynchers
rs THE Costigan- Wagner anti-lynching bill sincere
measure against lynching? Is it not murder to
lynch Negro? Then, why is the bill silent on the
death penalty which is exacted for all other forms of
murder not committed by the State itself and it's
agents? Will its provision for fine of $4,000 against
counties in which ynching occurs stop lynchng? The
statutes of the State of West Virginia have such pro-
vision, Yet the families OF Negroes lynched in that
State never have been able to collect the provided
indemnity. But even this provision in the Costgan-
Wagner bill the reformists willing to drop:
Arthur Garfield Hayes and Walter White agreed
that 1t would be better to change that section of the
bill than to risk rejection of the entire measure"
Thus the CoStgan-Wagner anti lynching bill al
ready silent on the death penalty for ynchers is to
be further castrated to make it completely acceptable
to the lynchers!
But there is sinister purpose behind the
bill in addition to its aim to wreck the mass move
ment against lynching by combining It to legalistic
channels harmless to the lynchers The bill provides
weapon for the lynchers for the physical suppress
sion of the movement by It's definition of mobs"
which it defines gathering Of three more per-
sons. 1t offers new weapon to employers and the
courts for the smashing Of the strike struggles of white
and Negro workers Under this definition, the bill
would be used to legaze the policy of the imperaists
OF smashing antilynchng demonstrations of breaking
down the growing unity Of Negro and white workers
in joint struggle against their oppressorS.
Is there bill that really seeks to root out lynch
ing? Yes, the Bill Against Lynchng and for Civil
Rights for the Negro People sponsored by the League
Of Struggle for Negro Rights. This bill was taken to
Washington by the historic Scottsboro march It
demands the death penalty for ynchers. It seeks to
wipe out the breeding ground of ynchng in the present
social ostracism jmcrowism. discrimination and eco
nomc robbery of the Negro toilers. But this bill
would be ineffective unless the toiling masses and
all elements opposed to ynching rallied around
it, to force its enforcement.
Answer the maneuvers Of the ruling class and
EfpIr ~I&1
against lynching Demand the passage and enforce
ment Of the LS.N.R. Bill No faith in the capitalist
government the instrument Of the lynchers! Build
the militant fight under the leadership of the
Communist Party and the revolutionary organi-
cations against the ynchers and their government
the only means Of effectively combating the growing
fascist lynch terror