The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-11-26
WHAT IS THE ANTI-LYNcH LAW?

What is the federal anti-lynching law?
The measure is before Congress with fair
chances of being enacted 1t is new deal
measure. opposed by an overwhelming ma
iority of southern Congressman and Sen
ators and supported by majority OF
northern Democrats and many Republl-
cans. As far as the public has been able
TO determine it has the unqualified endorse
ment of President Roosevelt. Here is what
Gen. Hugh Johnson says on the subject OF
the nature of the anti-lynching bill:
at defines ynchng as three more people TAX
ing and injurug or killing person charged with,
suspected or convicted of n crime. When this hap
pens, the responsible state or municipal cop who
wifully neglected his duty, failed to arrest the
lvnchers can be tried by federal court and. II
convicted. sent TO the penitentiary as feIon.
Also. in behalf Of any person so injured or KILLED.
the L. S Attorney General using federal funds,
can bring civil suit against any town where such
q thing occurred and collect damages up TO $lO,-
600.
Only once before during the life of our Constr
tuition was it believed that the federal government
could supervise the execution Of state laws or Of
fcers or discipline local governments and officers.
That once was the rayishment of the South by car
pet-bag tyranny after the Civil war in the tragic
Reconstruction Era-the most dSgraceful period IN
our history"
Following the quoted paragraph, Gen.
Johnson proceeds to tell who is support
ing the anti-lynching bill and why they
are supporting it. Here it is:
"Lynching and mob violence particularly
dangerous and despicable crimes. Few statesmen
dare go against what the public has been bally-
hooed into believing is an anti-lynching bill no
matter how bad or dangerous is on other grounds
Due 10 state action, lynching has almost disap-
peared-from hundreds of cases years ago, mostly
in the South-to nine last year. This, besides be-
ing bad issue, is a fake issue. Why is 1T raised!
The negro vote in the four pivotal states of
greatest electoral votes is now large enough 10
swing any close election there and some of those
states are large enough to DC necessary IN any ma
tional election. Negroes are all now new dealers.
Third new dealers believe that this bill will keep
them 80 permanently, and they care not boot for
the objection of people who think our system of
dual state and national government should be pre-
served.
'They don't want it preserved. They want u
modified fascist front in "a federal dictatorship
based on diScOntentS of all kinds They want TO
break up the old Democracy Of the Solid South and
rebuild a Third New Deal party of negroes, the
unemployed, aliens and all those who claim class
grievance-to break down the states and constitu-
tonal guarantees and centralizc all political power
where they can control it. This is just their dish.
Read that again. Negroes-northern ne
groeS, at leaSt-are all new dealers, Gen.
Johnson says. They have been hooked by
the new deal with government spending
of money raided from the federal treasury
and with various kinds of political and
government favors and handouts. In the
great population centerS of the country in
the States having the largest number OF
votes and electoral votes, in a close cleo
ton, the negroes hold the balance of pow
err. Their votes county heavily in any case.
The purpose of the anti-lynching bill, Gen.
Johnson says, is to permanently tie the
NEGRO voters to the new deal.
Then read again the last paragraph OF
Gen. Johnson's comment. In that para
graph will be found his estimate of the
new deal and new dealers.