Fiery Cross, Volume 3, Number 10, Indianapolis, Marion County, 4 January 1924 — Page 6

; PAGE SIX

,T H "tf I E HTICR OSS

KL AN GIVES FOOD FOR NEEDY AT ATHENS, 0.

ATHENS, 0., Dec. 29. Meigs county Klan No. 57 gave Santa Claus a much-needed lift among the poor families of the city last Tuesday when baskets, laden with all the essentials to a real Christmas dinner, were distributed among nearly one hundred such families. The needy were provided for, regardless of color or creed, and each of the baskets contained the following articles: Two pounds of bacon, two pounds of sugar, a dozen apples, six oranges, a bag of nuts, bag of candy, can of tomatoes, pound of coffee, one towel, rubber ball, set of dominoes, child's book and a Bible. In addition to a generous supply of foodstuffs, toys, fruit, candies and

nuts were included. The baskets M'ero distributed early Christmas morning and the Inmates of the county infirmary also were remembered with a bushel of English wal

nuts, in addition to gifts of canned

fruit, bread, fresh meats, sugar and

other foodstuffs.

Poor Remembered

by Klan at Lisbon

LISBON, O.. Dec. 29. Seven hundred persons were the guests of the Women of the Ku Klux Klan at a

Christmas party given In the Rolla way rink here. An appropriate pro

gram of recitations and music was followed by distribution of gifts from a beautiful Christmas tree, and the poor of the city were remembered

by baskets filled with food and useful gifts.

DARKE COUNTY HLAN r

DISTRIBUTES FOOD

KLAN FOES BIUST, tf

CHANGE THEIR BASE

One Hundred Fiery Crosses

Burn Throughout County in Yuletide Celebration

GREENVILLE, O., Dec. 81.

Members of the Darke county Klan were very active Christmas eve,

more than 200 baskets of -groceries and other provisions being sent out

to the needy families In all parts of the county, along with large amounts

of toys which were sent to the chil

dren of these families. Later In the evening about 100 fiery crosses were burned In the va

rious towns and villages of the

oounty. On Sunday evening before Christ

mas the Christian church at Anson ia, Ohio, was visited by about twenty members of the Ku Klux Klan clad In the full regalia of the order who presented the officials of

the church with an envelope con

talning a sum of money. A short presentation speech was made by one

of the members clad in the Klan re

galia in which he commended the church for the good work they were

doing in the community and also ex

plained to the congregation that the Klan was back of any work of this

kind and would do everything pos

sible to help push it along. In this county one Is almost unable to get an unfavorable expression regarding the Klan organiza tion. it being nearly universally re

garded by the law-abiding citizens

as the greatest movement oi me cen tury.

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Dealers in oil the Best Grades or COAL

RAndolph 0241

(Continued from Page 1) -

terrorism, but refined it. It has

added the most effective methods of

political minority and other

methods, even more .deadly and ef

fective, which are not exactly new In American politics, but have never been employed by so tremendous-aa

organization.

'The first step In the reform -was

the simple and obvious one of rer

moving the cause' for 'attacks based on its reputation for graft, for fomenting disorder and violence, for

being a menace to law and order, and

ror attempting to substitute itself for

the government. It considers that

this has been done.

When" I asked H. W. Evans, the

Imperial Wizard, how much success his reform campaign had achieved, he said:

"As much progress has been made

as it seems to me could have been

expected in the start time since the

change in control of the Klan took place. The Klan is now on the wnole as nearly free from those

evils in personnel as can be expected, so far as we bave definitely ascertained. Naturally failures on the part of members are continually occurring a situation which is perfectly sound may become unsound within a few weeks or a month but whenever such a situation arises it is corrected as soon as the facts are learned.

"Failures on the part of men -to

live up to their teachingsand con

victions are always betrayals of

trust. Klansmen are not free from them. But we have arrived at the

point where the Klan recognizes all such actions as in direct conflict

with its teachings and oath." Mnch Depends on Dr. Evans

This statement, which admits the previous charges against the Klan and the fact of the house-cleaning,

and which admits also that the or

ganization is not yet perfect, is quite typical of Dr. Evans. Before taking up the story of what he has

aone 10 me ivian let us stop lor a

moment to look at the man himself.

His position as Wizard makes him one of the most influential men In America today. On him depends

largely whether the achievements of the Klan be good or bad. Hiram Wesley Evans, then, is in the middle forties; of middle height, too, and tending to put on flesh. He is smooth-shaven, round-headed, and

rather round-faced, with the slightly prominent eyes so commonly tound in politicians. He is a Texan born, a .dentist by profession, an active member of the Christian or Disciples Church, a thirty-second degree Mason, as are many of the Klan leaders. He is a natural orator and speaks with the softness and peculiarities of the south and with something of the tang and rotundity of the old-fashioned political oratory. He gives the impression of 'tremendous activity, backed by great force, His address would lack appeal to an "intellectual" audience; it is extremely effective with "common people." I was told before I saw him, by

one of his intimates, that he was not a great man; that the strength of the Klan was in its ideas rather than in its leaders; but that he was

decidely efficient. My contacts with

him confirmed this estimate. He described himself to me as "the most

average man in America,", and that

can not be improved as a thumb nail sketch.

The story of what Dr. Evana has

done to the Klan and for it came mostly from other people. He said little about it, except as to results, and he was always careful to iden

tify himself with the mass, to ap

pear no more than their leader and

spokesman. Yet the evidence is that

he has almost single-handed taken

control of the organization and

changed it to his purposes. .There seems no doubt that these purposes include personal ambitions for

power, probably for position and possibly for wealth, but there seems also no doubt that he expects to achieve these through carrying the

Klan to power and success, and that

he is too canny to risk the great

triumph for any minor gratification

Immediate Success Won

There is no need to devote much space to the early history of the Klan. It was founded in 1915 in

Atlanta by Colonel W. J. Simmons, a

preacher, dreamer and even accord'

ing to his enemies something of an

idealist, however warped. His im agination had been stirred by out

breaks of race and religious preju dice in Georgia and by the hyphen

ism which was already appearing

he felt that the law was failing to protect the rights either of America

or Americans against organized con

spiracles, and he set out to correct this. He founded his order along the

lines of the Ku Klux Klan of rccon

struction days, which many believe

saved the south from negroes and carpetbaggers. He won some Im

mediate success in enlisting mem'

bers through the appeal of the honor

in which the south still holds the

Klan of the sixties.

Whether he intended it or not,' the tradition of the lawless methods of

the sixties was also carried over, with far less Justification. Many

easily to night-riding and a good many men took the cover of-the new Klan to indulge -this.' -The result

was to bring the Klan Into immediate disrepute throughout the country. The story of these outrages is too well known to need repeating here. s Colonel Simmons, as has bees said, Is a dreamer ; he is nothing of an organizer. The Klan ' crew very slowly. So, presently, he made a contract with E. Y.. Clark, who had bad been highly successful as an

organiser of drives, by which Clark was to get 80 per Cent of the initia

tion fees of 10 each.- Clark had

considerable success, though, his organisers are: accused of appealing to the" 'worst tftotives and prejudices and did the Klan great harm. After paying them,- Clark's - profits were considerable ; he Is said to have made as high" as "f 40,000 a month. Charges : of grail" -and corruption naturally, followed. . : The congressional Inquiry, the exposures in newspapers and magazines and the storm of condemnation which- followed; nearly c hroke

Simmons's heart.. He understood it very little. I Although the Klan was

so organized that he could never have been ousted, he resigned, un-

Ldouhtedly under pressure from the

Evans crowd.

Texas was the star Klan state, and we came to the meeting all ready to go ahead and do something," one man said. "But. when we got here we found the Klan was not going anywhere or aiming to do anything. So we got busy, and Simmons saw the need of a change." About the first thing Evans did

was to cancel Clark's contract. This precipitated a fight, which is still going on. Simmons stood by his friend and they were backed by the

Atlanta Klan. The Evans group re

voked its charter. Although the

fight is hot in Atlanta, I have found

little evidence of It elsewhere, and

none at all in the north. It is cer

tainly having little effect on the

power or growth of the Klan under Evans, and does not seem to threaten

his control. Its chief importance has

been to bring out some facts about the Klan and to show how complete

is the divergence between the old

Klansmen and the new. Colonel

Simmons declares that Evana has utterly betrayed .and perverted the

Klan and its ideals.. Personal Profits Stopped

One result of the Evans regime

was apparent at once; big personal profits were stopped. Clark had

built a splendid home in Atlanta ;

Evans lived for a white in a $65-a-month fiat, and his present home is

a modest one. When Evans took

charge, the Klan treasury held only about $100,000. The finances, -by the

way, are under complete control of the Wizard. By July 31, 1923, the

treasury held assets of $1,087,273 and

liabilities of $1,705 (balance, $1,-

085,568), as against assets of $403,'

173 and liabilities of $247,227

(balance, $155,946) a year before

Dr. Evans and his friends feel that they are pretty well clear of the

charge of graft.

This matter being attended to. Dr.

Evans took up the question of law

lessness. His practical mind saw

clearly that It not only accomplished

nothing, but that it aroused op past

tion, gave enemies of the Klan. their

best ground for attack, and emphat

Ically blocked all possibility of carrying the Klan into the northern

states, or among the better classes anywhere, and so making it a real

power. This is apart from his per

sonal views on the morals of vio

lence. On those he spoke to me as strongly as any enemy of the Klan

could speak.,

At first he gave his attention to

specific Instances ot violence, often

going to places where trouble was

brewing. One story is tola or.

town in which the antl-Khtn forces

had organized-to break up a Klavern

(Klan assembly). Evans managed to

eet to the meeting after it bad as

aembled. and found some 140 men

all armed to the teeth, ready lo go

forth tn battle. Around the house

was a mob, not well organized but

dangerous. Evans took his stand be

fore the door and for lour nours argued with his followers. In the end he induced them to leave their arms In the building and go out de

fenseless. Some were wounded many- were mauled, but not one struck a blow. By this and similar means he tried to establish the Idea

that a Klansman must not use violence.

But he soon found that this was

not enough, and made an open and direct fight inside the order. This

culminated tn an imperial convoca

tion (a meeting) oi the Grand

Draeons (state heads) with minor

officials, at Ashevllle, North Carolina,

tost July. At this meeting he not only defined the new; purposes and methods he had been perfecting as

will be told , in a later article, out laid down the law on the subject of violence. In closing his address he said: ; v..-, .

'We have not been appointed hy

Almighty God or any imperial

Wizard to go out meddling, in pmer people's business. Our duty is to get behind the constituted officers of theTaw, as every one of yon have sworn to do. Let's get a national law enforcement program let's

fix It so people will have to go to

the penitentiary for violating iaw. You can not enforce laws In the

form of a super-government trying

to force your will or your govern

ment on the law of the land, ine first time one of your Klansmen

violates the law, thus breaking his

ohlisation. thus doing a thing in Qi

rect conflict with that for which we

stand, let us administer- on him as

Klansmen for breaking his obllga

tion. Let'ns then eet them outside

the Klan and let the Judge and Jury

and the penitentiary; take care .of them. When we -do this, the thing

will fade like the morning dew.

"The Wizard is not responsible for

any violation. ?1 am going to tell you now, you" go" home and do your duty and the first time you have a bunch

of Klansmen that break a law flo .not

eet behind them. Put your influence

with the constituted officers of the

law,, and go with the law and act

through the la-Wj and thus once ana

tor all and eternally end tais accu aatlon." '

- This, mind vou. was to Klansmen

alone, and not a public statement Dr. Evans may have - Intended to

make It public later, Dot tn Clansmen rathered could not know that.

Dr. Evans soon succeeded in e citing fb the head of the Klan to

various states, men j who supported this amnafEnt. One such la Gen

eral Nathan Bedford Forrest; Grand.

famous confederate general, who was head.? th !Qaa-ef ISGfcv General Forrest is an unusually high type of man,; strong and clean, and he has made- aa open Ughf.- His "realm" was one ot the worst, since it was the first organized' under the "ild methods. His record, however, Is

typical or several other southern! Grand Dragons. , . . General Forrest told me, with some bitterness, how people were continually calling on the Klan to redress grievances by beating up

some neighbor. He denied vigor

ously that the Klaa touched any such

anairs, except to send all complaints

to the regular law officers. "II they

fail in their duty, then we tell the local Klan and let It bring pressure

near in the next election," he

added.

Ho admitted that there were

cases In which people had used the

Klan regalia to cover crime, and

fewer cases in which Klansmen

themselves had broken the law, al

ways without sanction of the Klan

Wherever this is suspected to have

occurred the local Klan is under or

ders to help bring the offenders to justice. General Forrest as Grand

Dragon has offered a reward of

$1,500 for the conviction of any of

fending Klansman, and in Macon,

where some night-riders were on

trial and Klansmen were suspected,

he sent detectives to work under the

sheriff. Men were finally brought to trial on their evidence, and he had

statement made in court that the

Klan did not indorse, support, or

protect the men. In at least four cases where local Klans have mis

behaved he has revoked their char

ters and given his evidence against

themto the courts.

A Decent Organization

He has got results. "The Klan

used to be made up of riff-raff not

criminals, but rowdies and low class

folks," one of the best-known men

in Georgia told me, and others

agreed. "Now it is getting the repu tatlon of being a decent arganiza

tion and a lot of much better men

are Joining it This is mostly since violence has been stopped. There

has been very little for quite a while."

The final measure taken to stop

violence is perhaps a good test of

the sincerity of the reform. In

many states no member is now permitted to take his regalia from the Klavera without permission. All

hoods and robes are checked with a doorEeeper, and are never in pos

session of a Klansman except for official -business. This measure de

stroys the chief excuse of the Klan In case of outrages the plea that

the regalia was used without permission. In every place where I investigated or from which I have reports this reform of the Klan has been made clear to every member and is insisted upon in all propaganda. Thus, officially at least, the Klan has cleared its skirts. The extent to which the change has been accepted by the members Is another matter, which will be taken up later. But, since there are now so few reports of Klan violence, it seems clear that until new evidence appears the new orders must be accepted as a real , position, fairly well maintained. So far as the lead

ers are concerned or can make their orders effective, the Klan does not take the law into its own hands nor

permit its members to do so..

." Opponents of the Klan naturally deny the sincerity of this reform. They charge that it was forced by the exposures and the prospect of internal disruption, that it is purely hypocritical, a matter of tactics adopted for" the expediency ot the moment, which will be abandoned whenever some new expediency

dictates. -

There is, of course, no means at

the disposal of a reporter to determine men's motives. I put the

question to a leading Klansman.

"I can t prove to you that it isn't

so," he . smiled. "But I will point out two things: First, the Klan is! absolutely committed, inside and out.

If it fails to live up to the reform, it

will be damned- much more com

pletely than before. Second, the great Influx of members has come since the law-and-order program

was made clear. , They prove that

this program is good policy. The

Klaa, will not be foolish enough to change. Moreover, the new members agree -with this principle; they now constitute a majority, and they

will see that it is lived up to."

Whatever the motive, it is certain

that the Klan must be handled on the basis of the reality ot this reform, so far as any efforts go either

to detach present members or to pre

vent its spread. Its propaganda is

so unequivocal and its record so greatly improved that with these men the argument of lawlessness carries ho weight.

This reform, then, is the first and

most important step ot the Klan in nrenaring for its great campaign.

So far as it ia. successiui ana gains

credence it ww protect the movemen from the charges which have

been the only basis for most of the

attacks on it. Dr. Evans calculates,

with some reason, that the whole attack" will fall if those charges become untenable. Certainly enemies

of. the Klan would be forced to a

Chang of" base not a great hard

ship in view of the poor success oi their efforts to prevent the growth ot the Klan so far. Certainly: also new attacks would have to be based on the, new ideals; program and methods of ..the Klan, even though such attacks would be more difficult

than the old, calling for argument

and education rather than simple condemnation.

Violence and graft, however, are

tint the only things that have been

charged against the Klan. There are certain features of the order which are a part ot its very growth

and Btrucjtura- which are obviously

danserous, and which are far more

difficult o. "reform, . . . These wilr he

'MAD PF 0TONNELL

5TILL RUNNKGWHD

DAYTON, O , Dec. 29.The "poison

squad" of the un-American Unity

League is about to attempt an anti-

Klan crusade here, according to announcement in a local newspaper.

"Mad Pat" O'Donnell who, it is un-!

derstood, is not in full and hearty accord with the Klan's policy of

Americanism, is to he one of the

speakers, and curiously enough there

is not a Smith, Brown or Jones on the list. However, Rabbi Abram Herschberger of Illinois, the Rt. Rev.

Msgr, J. F. Noll of Indiana, and

Thomas F. McDonald ot Illinois, who,

with O'Donnell, make up the squad?

promise to explain to the folks of

Dayton why the Klan should and must be crushed.

The Unity League wants more

members, candidly admits the representative who is here to arrange for halls and other details ot the local

campaign. He confesses that the

league is not meeting with the ex

pectations of "Mad Pat" and hopes

that Dayton will climb on the O'Don

nell band wagon and help wipe the Klan off the map. This, he also ac

knowledged, is not going to be an easy task; therefore, Mister O'Donnell needs all the volunteers he can

enlist.

B0Y,i2,B CHAMPION i ; SPELLER OF fflS STATS

SPRINGFIELD, 111., Dec. 28.B. cause he was able to spell chrrt anthemum8" and "knickknackB,". together nHth 475 other words. It-year

old William P. Jones, of Cowdeo, Shelby county, finished first ia the state spelling bee. Eloise Combes, of Deland, Piatt county, was seo ond. Romald Smith ' from - Whit county tied with Georgia Hankla of

Union county for third place, and won in the match to dccWe the deadlock.

MacMIllan, in Arctic Wastes, Gets Sister's Badlo Greeting CHICAGO, Dec. 28. Donald MaoMillan, frozen in the ice eleven degrees from the North Polo, early Christmas day received a greeting by radio from his sister, Mrs. Lillian Fogg of Freeport, Me., who came to Chicago to talk to the Arctio explorer. Messages from MacMillaa sent in telegraphic codo to the broadcasting station acknowledged

the greetings. Mrs. Fogg's daughters, Lillian and May, also greeted their uncle. After the personal messages, Christmas carols were sung for the exploring crew and a prayer service was held.

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