The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1938-06-17
KELLY MILLER

are twin iniquities which seem
to thrive only on American soil.
Both of these horrible practices
seem to flare up and flourish and
fade away without cause or not
ice
The nation was shocked at the
kidnapping Of the infant son of
Charles Lindberg its most be-
loved citizen. Drastic federal
law was Immediately enacted in
tended to prevent all such re-
petition in the future; and yet in
spite of federal law, we stand
the appalled, and Mortified re-
occurance of kidnapping.
At the time Americas lynch
ing record amounted to three
hundred a year, lately it has died
down to less than one thirteenth
of that number. Furious agia-
ton has ragged about lynching
and kidnapping, and saundry at
tempts have been made to put an
end to both of them by national
legislation. The Dyer Anti-Ly-
Lynching Bill was pushed thru
the house of representatives in
1921 mainly by the activity of
the N.A.A.C.P. Lynching con-
tinued to thrive with fluctating
frequency until there was re-
newed attempt by the same
organization to pass the Wag-
ner-Van Mugs Anti Lynching
Bill during the present session of
congress. While this bill was
under the consideration several
lynchings occurred in the south.
Speaker Bankhead wrote the
governor Of Alabama advising
him that if these outrages did
not cease congress would surely
pass the pending federal anti
lynching bill. This admonition
clearly indicates that the South
through it's Influential and res
ponsible leaders can control the
outbreak of lynching if it has
the disposition to do so.
The Wagner Van Mugs Anti
Lynching Bill after having pass
ed the house of representatives
was brought to the floor of the
senate and practically every
senator outside the eleven far
Southern states had committed
himself to it's support, a small
group Of Southern senator's
bound themselves together t o
defeat it's passage through the
senae at all hazards. Filibuster-
ing tatics the last resort of t
desperate cause was relied upon
to incompass it's defeat.
1t was noticeable during the
discussion that the South did not
employ is usual tatics of con-
doning lynchings or denouncing
the Negro race for it's brutal
instinct, which had hitherto
been used in conformation, if not
in justification of lynchings. On
the other hand it was contended
that the evil was passing away
of it's own accord without the
interference of national legis-
lation. The number had decreas.
ed from a peak of three hundred
a year down to an annual
average of less than ten.
It is a pleasing fact that dur
ing the first six months since
the senate made the Wagner
Van Mugs Bill the order of the
day and seriously threatened
its passage there has not been a
single recorded case of lynch
ing. Whether this cessation of
this gruesome national pastime
was due to the threat of nation
al legislation, or that the crime
was dying of a natural death is
but matter of speculation. But
one thing we do know that the
number of these horrid happen
ings as been reduced all but to
the vanishing point. The decline
was steady and unmistakable
before as after the recent legis-
lative threat.
If the nation can forego the
commitment of this horrible
crime for six months why not
for a year; and if for a year,
why not permanently?
The South, it is claimed has
been put on its good behavior
and constrained to desist from