For nearly twenty years lynching [hanging] crimes . . . have been committed and permitted by this Christian nation. Nowhere in the civilized world safe the United States of America do men, possessing all civil and political power, go out in bands of 50 and 5,000 to hunt down shoot, hang or burn to death a single individual, unarmed and absolutely powerless. Statistics show that nearly 10,000 American citizens have been lynched in the past 20 years. To our appears for justice stereotyped reply has been that the govornment could not interfere in a state matter . . . We refuse to believe this country, so powerful to defend its citizens abroad, is unable to prptect its citizens at home. Italy and China have been indemnified [condemned] by this govornmemt for the lynching of their citizens. We ask that the govornment do as much for its own.