The Omaha guide., 1937-11-27

Congress Council, fellow citizens;
VIC have gathered here today for
the purpose of playing our part as
American citizens to aid the effort
now being made TO force the Wag
e Van Mugs anti lynching bill to
success, realizing that should it
be defeated the most staggering
blow since the never to be forgot
ten Dread Scott Decision shall have
been perpertrated against thirteen
million black Americans.
The lynching record in our coun
try, America, the land of the free
and the home of the brave from
Recommendation days to the present
time constitutes one of the black
est chapters in the nations his
tory. And lest you forget tbs das
tardly practice has not aitoge' her
been limited to members Of black
Americans. The records show that
since the Civil War, $500 Negroes
have been iynched; of that $500,
more than 100 have been helpless
women. The record also shows that
1,454 white Americans have fallen
victims TO this unAmerican act.
The mob spirit is not confined to
the South, but in lesser degrees is
present in all sections of the coun
try. Only Sunday, two weeks ago
tie lynching of a Negro in the su
burbs of Detroit was prevented
only by the quick and loyal action
of deputy sheriffs, who rushed to
the scene of the disorder and saved
the life of the accused man. The
mob had already secured gasoline
and a rope and were preparing to
take the law in hand and aside
from taking the life of the would
be victim they would have trampled
upon the Constitution of this great
country of ours which gives every
person the right of the due process
of the law.
The alleged criminal, according
to reports was charged with that
age old cry by blood thirsty mob
STEERS, RAPE of a white woman.
We have no sympathy for rap
lists, whether colored or white.
They should be punished, but the
punishment should be administered
by the courts and not by mobs.
Rape of a woman by a white man
is just as reprehensible as the out
rage of womanhood by a colored
criminal. Each is equally guilty
and deserving punishment; but
when a colored man is charged
with this offense the press and pu
bic sentiment are inclined to paint
the crime blacker than when the
criminal is white.
Only last month in the state of
North Carolina, a white nan was
charged with having raped a little
seven year old colored girl, but de
spite the strong testimony against
him he was acquitted. Rape is rape
no matter by whom it is commit
ted. Still we live in a civilized
country in which every person &C
cused of crime has the right to a
fair trial in the courts. Convicted
rapists should be duly punished, but
mobs have no authority to under
take the job. Let the law take its
course.
Tuesday history was made when
United States Senator Bennett C.
Clark Of Missouri, presiding tenn
porarily, recognized a member to
make the motion which brought the
anti lynching bill up for discussion
and a vote. simultaneously with
this history making act came that
age old procedure on the part of
Negrophobists to do all in their
power to block the passage of this
bill which is so vital to black Am
erica,
Leading this battle is Senator
Connolly of Texas who is using as
the subject of his flibustering
speech "the right of the states
will be jeopardized by a federal
bill against lynehing and that in
doing so he decares the bill to be
unconstitutional. This age old cry
has fallen from the lips of men
who have and had no regards for
the right of human beings for
more than 25 years against the
struggles of black America and
many white people to stop lynching
in this country.
Today, my friends, 72 per cent
Of the voters in the country r in
favor Of the passing of the Anti
lynching bill.
- II II HwrRa