Twin-City herald. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1927-1940, 1935-10-19
N.A.A.C.P. Answers
Mitchell Attack

Replying to a recent attack made
upon it by Congressman Arthur w.
Mitchell, in which he declared that
the organization had "deteriorated
into a bunch of Communists" the
National Association for the Ad-
vancement of Colored People, in an
announcement this week, asserted
that the Congressman's open hostili-
ty to the Costigan Wagner Anti
Lynching Bill made them realize it
was useless to seek his cooperation.
Mitchell was asked to support the
anti-lynching bill on December IA,
1884, said the association, but he re-
fused to commit himself and shortly
after taking his seat in Congress, in
troduced his own anti-lynching bill
and denounced the Costigan-Wagner
bill.
The Illinois legislator recently
complained that the association had
not sought his aid and was insincere
in its fight for the anti-lynching bill.
The Statement
Pointing out that far from being
communistic, the association has
been the object of repeated attacks
in all the radical newspapers, the
NAACP statement characterized
Mitchell's assertions as SILLY"
Charging that Mitchell received their
overtures very coolly, the associa-
ton offered proof of their statement
which ran in part:
'Ulder date of December IA, 1884
before Committeeman Mitchell was
sworn in, this association sent him
letter enclosing copy of letter
telling of Claude Neal at Mirianna,
Florida, on October 26, 1884, and in
that letter, the NAACP said
GAS a member of the Seventy
fourth Congress before which will
come proposals for Federal aid to
the States in suppressing lynching,
through a bill to be introduced in
the Senate by Senators Edward P.
Costigan of Colorado and Robert F.
Wagner of New York, we ask you
to read and ponder the enclosed de-
tailed report of an investigation of
the lynching of Claude Neal at Mari
anna, Florida, on October 26.
"'We respectfully urge your deep
interest in and ardent support Of
Federal anti-lynching legislation to
the end that the bill may be passed
Immediately upon the converting Of
the Seventy-fourth Congress-
"To this letter Congressman
Mitchell replied on December 10,
1884, avoiding any reference to the
Costigan-Wagner bill, saying nothing
about whether he would support it
or not, and giving no opinion on the
subject of lynching whatsoever. His
letter reads as follows:
"I acknowledge receipt of your
letter of December IA with an en-
closure on the lynching of Claude
Neal, for which l thank you most
heartily
Campaigned Against Bill
"This Association was consider
ably taken aback at the cool, non
committal attitude of Mr.. Mitchell
in contrast to the pledges of sup
port received from other senator's
and congressman. Nevertheless, II
could not believe that the only Ne
gro congressman would do other
than support the federal anti-lynch-
ing bill which had made such head
way in the previous congress. But
the association had not correctly es-
timated Mr.. Mitchell.
Immediately upon taking office,
and before the campaign for the
Costigan-Wagner bill got fully un-
der way, Mr.. Mitchell announced
that the Costigan-Wagner anti-lynch-
ing bill was unconstitutional and
that he was going to introduce his
own anti-lynching bill. This he did
in the latter part of January. I'm
der date of January 80, 1885, the
association wrote him asking him to
send in a copy of his bill. From
that time on Mr.. Mitchell made nu-
merous speeches in various sections
of Il e country stating that the Cos
tigar Wagner bill was no good and
that any bill were to pass it would
be his, and that Democratic leaders