The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1940-04-13
Mtlt. MnnrnrU rnttprI
Editor and Publisher
1901 1884
THE ANTI-LYNCH BILL

Secretary Walter Whites anxiety
over the anti-lynching bill is under
standable. After what seemed to be
an unreasonably long delay in the
Senate judiciary committee the meas
ure finally was voted out late last
month. Since then all efforts through
the usual channels to bring the bill to
the floor of the Senate have failed
Since last November, according to
NAACP records, Senator Alben w.
BarkIey, the majority leader, has re-
fused to commit himself on the anti
lynchlng bill or to hold conference
to discuss the legislation either with
the NAACP or with Senator Robert
f. Wagner, one of the sponsors of the
Dill. Moreover, the Senate majority
leader so far has not set anv date
when the bill will be brought I'D in
the Senate for debate and action al
though the bill is now on the Senate
calendar OF this apparent indiffer-
ence Secretary White pointedly COM
plans IN a recent letter to Senator
barkIey: When | have sought to as
sure them (inquirers) that there are
Senators on both sides of the aisle
who are sincere in their support of
the bill l have been asked what de-
Unite assurances l have from YOU as
majority leader that every possible
effort will be made to obtain a vote at
this session of the Congress. Obvi-
ously, l am unable to answer this
question. | have had to tell inouirers
that though l have been trying since
last November to talk with YOU. I
nave not succeeded, nor has Senator
wagner been successful in arranging
a conference or getting any commit
ment from you.
Recent revelations of lynchings
and other acts of violence as for ex-
ample, in and near Atlanta, Georgia.
where white barber was fogged to
death by a mob and 80 or more other
men and women, white and colored.
were beaten, cause people to wonder
why the Senate does not act. It is
generally believed that the stage is
beng set for another opera bouffe per
Torrance and another abiect surren-
der to a filibuster. And we have abso-
lutely no evidence that this is not the
case" From the foregoing it becomes
clear that the bill, happily the
last from the tortuous procedure of
the Senate Judiciary committee, i'm
mediately thereafter encountered an
other net of untoward designs in
which it may be permitted to die
quiet death.
The dilatory tactic continues to
work well; and as this is an election
year with Congress already talking of
adjournment by June in anticipation
of battles on the forty-eight fronts,
opponents of the bill and perhaps
some of its supporters" will no doubt
prefer that the bill remain hidden ra-
Their than brought to the floor of the
Senate for debate to be followed by
the noise, buster and embarrassment
of the filibuster that awaits it. Never
the less, it is precisely because this is
an election year and Congress is bent
on early adjournment, heavier pres
sure than ever must be marshalled to
force the Senate to act on the anti
lynching bill. Supporters of the bill
should at once
y Write Senator AIben w. Bark
ley, Senate Office Building, Washing
ton, ID. C., urging him to set a date
when the anti-lynching bill will be
considered.
y Write to senators from their
states urging them to work to bring
anti-l ynching bill to a vote and to
vote for it; also urge them to vote for
cloture Limitation of debate) if fill
buster should develop against the bill.
3 Get as many individuals and or
CARNATIONS as possible to write sena-
tors urging that the anti-lynching bill
be passed. Form letters, form tele-
grams, and printed post cards are not
very effective. Letters should be in
dlvldually written to have the most
weight.
Word has been received from our
Massachusetts senators. Senator
Lodge is listed as non-committal. SEN
aory Walsh's reply was unequivocally
favorable. Senator Walsh wrote: 81
will, of course, vote for cloture on the
anti-lynching bill, for I feel that this
measure has already been pending too
long in the Senate without permitting
a vote on its v,oor;+e