The tribune independent of Michigan. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1933-1935, 1934-06-09
THE WHY OF LYNCHING

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Those who hnow and read the
scholarly and legally trained and
experienced editor of the Norfolk
Ledger Dispatch. will agree with
us when we say that he holds nc
brief for lynchers, nor would he
defend or excuse lynching under
any circumstances. His readers,
or many of them, will not be so
sure. however, that he is not fol-
lowing too closely certain popular
conceptions in ascribing and set
forth the reasons for the preva-
lence of lynching.
There are two causes frequent
ly set forth. One Is so stated. usu-
ally. that the public. not so famil-
lar with current literature cover
ing exhaustive studies OF the sub
ject, get the idea that all lynch
ings are due to attacks upon wo-
men. the other is that the courts
are dilatory in dealing with Offend
ers.
The Ledger-Dispatch, in an edi-
torial captioned. THE Why Of
Lynching." disposing first of the
now suspended practice of lynch
ing of horse thieves in the far
flung, undeveloped West in the
formative stages of the develop
ment OF that section, proceeds fur
Their to explain the causes OF
lynching as follows.
I'm following years. and In GER
tain areas. because men were un-
willing that horribly mistreated
women should have to go on the
witness stand and testify to re-
voting details. But the law runs
everywhere i'm his country now,
and in nearly every state. II not
every state, such details of Of
lenses against women need not be
related In open court as the law
formerly required. Attempts are
punishable just as commissions
are. for one thing. and court /
rooms are very largely cleared. for
another"
The Ledger Dispatch devoteS /
the rest OF its discussion of the |
causes of lynching to what IL
terms THE intolerable delays that !
mar the administration Of Justice.
especially in the matter of kidnap- ,
ing. The delays are indeed oftimes
and sometimes do mar
the administration OF Justice. but
a careful study of a report made
by the Southern Commission on
the Study of Lynching, of which
the conservative George Fort Mil
ton. of Tennessee, is chairman.
and recorded in the volume THE
Tragedy of Lynching," by Or. Ar
thur Raper. shows that in the
great majority of cases undue
haste in the administration of
Justice has sent any number Of
innocent men To the gallows or
electric chair. Legal lynching is
just as bad as permitting law
less crowd to put an innocent
person to death
In "Lynching and the Law a \
volume published in 1888 by James /
II armon Chadbourn, assistant |
professor OF law at the University
of North Carolina, IL is shown
that 3.7l4 persons were lynched
from 1889 to 1890, inclusive. OF
that number. 1899 were charged
with homicide, 267 with robbery
and theft. PA with fighting or fcl-
onous assault, GO with insulting
white people. and miscellaneous !
charges lodged against S97. a Ne
gro was lynchcd last year for I'm
stituting civil suit against a
white man.
or 3.l74 persons lynched In the
United States in 80 years less
than % per cent were accused OF
rape and attempted rape. Just how
many of those lynched for the
usual crime" were innocent. il Is
hard to say. but an intelligent
study OF cases compiled by the
Southern Commission for the
Study of Lynching since 1890
would convince most any person
not unduly emotional on the sub
ject that n majority OF the rape
cases have no foundation in
fact
There is only one substantial
why OF lynching. That is
grounded in economic competition.
racial intolerance. and connivance
OF peace officers with mobs. Ii is
significant that Southern white
women have sensed this truth, and
that they have formed an organi-
zation for the prevention OF lynch
ing, $4,000 having already signed
their names as members. AT Lake
Charles. La. few days ago, a
convention of 109 peace officers
from all parts of the state heartily
endorsed the women's movement.
That Is the best way to cure the
lynching evil.
Norfolk Journal and Guide