The Lexington advertiser. [volume] (Lexington, Miss.) 1904-1985, 1948-03-11
Anti ynching Bill

Fifty years ago lynching was a grave problem in the
United States. All during the 1905 mob murders were a
bout as common as gang Sayings became in the l93os. In the
single years of 1892 a total of 255 persons met death at tne
hands of murderers conspiring among themselves TO TAKE TAX
law into their own hands. One hundred of the victims were
white men. Lynching has been by no means confined TO !ne
colored race. Indeed, it was the customary method OF in IN g
mo punishment on horse thieves and cattle rustlers In tne
early DAYS of the west. Since the 1920s, however. the num-
Der of white men lynched has been negligible, and last year
the Tuskegee Institute recorded only one lynching OF a Negro
II ia a sorry anachronism that just as the Southern
States have almost completed the job OF wiplng out pn TINS tn SOS osa
fhe prevention of lynching a Federal responsibility. Haf a
century ago the use Of Federal power against lynchers mlgne
tect their citizens. Now most Of the States have completely
mastered the problem without any help help from ron u wasni a@a IN
any way to the safety of citizen.
This measure, which is about to be pushed through
c ce h0 tbe o prosecution Of lynchers and Of local officials fail
ing to protect prisoners or to move against mobs a1ter q lyn1
ching has occurred. But trials would still be held pe1ore io:ai
iuries. and e is probable that resentment against Federal in.
PREVENTION would compicate instead OF easing the prop In ~
another provision in the Case bill making every county, town,
and other governmental subdivision responsible for any iyn-
ching in it's jurisdiction. But this resort to the desplcable doc
trine Of mass guilt because Of the area in which one happens
to live is so repugnant to democratic principles as to make
the bill unpalatable to thousands who are devoted 10 cNh
rights in the North as well as the South.
We cannot help thinking that this votecatching ven
ture has no place in the present session OF congress IS ! u
need for national unity. The lynching menace mas aIeaoy y
been put down, and we trust that the last xestge Q !, mm
that seeks to destroy all civil rights, whether protected, ny
State IF Federal law. In the face OF that menace we neeu ~
be modifying our strength not to be opening old sores OF
~frittering away energies on problems that have already been
solved.
The day of lynching is virtually a thing of the past as GU
records show. We certainly hope so.
We do not believe lynching is condoned by any God-1eaf
respectable, intelligent citizen of the south. That we can solv
our problems, though lynching in days past was not confined =
the south by any means, is shown by the proven record. 1t is a pit
us alone to solve our other problems peculiar to the south, or an
section where two races live side by side in nearly equal numbers
Sen. James o. Eastland this week touched off a bombshe
in the senate when he proposed that the antlIynchlng Dill o
to cover murder in New York, gang wars in Chicago
race riots in Detroit and strike violence all over the country.
Sen. Eastlands amendment, as we understood it, woul
call for inflicting the same penalties for the crimes mentioned a
for lynching.
manner possible.
If the Federal government should be called in to police lyr
ching cases (of which there was only one in the entire U. S. i
l946) then certainly it should be called in to bring to conviction
the parties guilty in the race riot in which 35 persons were klle
in Detroit and in other race riots in the large cities.
More persons were killed in that one race riot in Detroit i
1913 than have been lynched in the entire United States in tn
past twenty years.
The amendments offered by Sen. Eastland would Cd max
state officer who neglected or refused to make diligent effort
vded for lynchers, () include unlawful violence of gangsters
~racketeers which results in murder or other felony, () aHo
suit for damages by heirs of a man killed and injured in a rae
riot as well as in a lynching.
Eastland cited cases in New York City where police do ne
venture, decried such careers as AL Capone and reviewed ra(
riots in Detroit. He demanded that these areas be given the san
that is being bestowed on the south.
1t will be interesting to see what the congress does wit
Sen. Eastland's amendments.