The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1936-05-09
NAACP SENDS
TELEGRAM
URGES ACTION

New York-President Roosevelt
was reminded this week that the
lynchings Of Lint Shaw in Colbert.
Georgia, on April 2S and of Willie
KEGS in Lepanto, Arkansas, April
20, were the seventy-first and sew
enty-second since he has been In
the White House.
The telegram citing the lynching
record was sent by the National
Association for the Advancement
of Colored People and it urged
the President to see that the
Costingan-Wagner bill is brought
to the floor of Congress for ac-
ton.
Telegram Urge Action
The Associations telegram, sign
ed by Roy wilkins, assistant Sec
rotary, declared once more that
the recent lynchings demonstrate
the unwillingness or inability of
the states to curb lynching. The
telegram read:
"At Colbert, Georgia on April
twenty-eighth and at Lepanto,
Arkansas on April twenty-ninth
occurred the seventy-first and sew
enty-second authenticated lynch
ings since you took office March
fourth, nineteen thirty-three. These
killings by mobs have occurred at
an average of one every fifteen and
one-half days since you have been
the chief executive of the nation.
During this period as in previous
years the state and local govern
ments have demonstrated conclu-
sively that they are unable or un-
willing to curb lynching by arrest
ing and furnishing leaders and
members of mobs. Since January,
nineteen thirty-four the govern
ment has had it within its power to
pass a federal anti-lynching law
but thus far the Costigan-Wagner
bill has been sidetracked while
unchecked mobs stage grisly pa
rades every Fortnight. The Ma
tional Association for the Ad-
vancement of Colored People to-
gether with more than forty mil
lion persons who have endorsed
this legislation urgently request
your administration to bring this
legislation to the floor of both
houses so that it may be consider
ed upon its merits"
The N. A. A. c. P. holds that the
filibustering tactics on a federal
anti-lynching bill are unquestion-
ably encouraging mob sentiment
in the South.
- Fears Lynch Increase
At the N. A. A. c. p. office here
the fear was expressed that the
two lynchings of this week are but
the beginning Of a wave of mob
violence which will continue
throughout the summer unless
Congress takes some action on the
federal anti-lynching bill.
In the House of Representatives
the petition calling for a Democra-
tic Caucus on the anti-lynching
bill has been snagged by the ILL
ess of Caucus Leader Edward T.
Taylor. There are thirty-nine sig
natures on the petition, fourteen
more than the required number,
and as soon as it is presented a
Caucus must be held within seven
days. The presentation is to be
made by Congressman Thomas F.
Ford of California and is expected
to take place today or tomorrow
MAY p.
Congressman Joseph Gavagan
of New York, author Of one Of the
anti-lynching bills in the House
is expected to return to Washing
ton from California about May 4
and is expected to take a promi-
nent part in the Caucus on the
bill.
Supporters of this Legislation
still are being urged to send let
ters to the Democratic Congress
men from their states and districts
urging them to be present at the
Democratic Causus and vote to
bring the bill out on the floor and
to support it after it reaches the
floor.