Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-10-24


several sections of Virgil mia
concern the reorganization of
y the mysterious Ku-Klux Khan
If reconstruction days. This reorsani-
cation, according to the latest Known
edge in the matter, has been taken up
quietly through the Old Dominlon'
while in other parts of the south 'here
b,s besn no effort to cover the fact OF
such a plan or movement. From Az
lanta, Ga, comes the statement 'hA'
the hooded night riders of nifty years
ago. wearing their long, flowing "hl'e
robes. are to appear again on the
highways and bypaths of the south
It is said that the headquarters OF
the newer organization is to be located
at Atlanta, where former pastor VI
tho Methodist faith is established as
Leader In fact. he makes no secret OF
his connection with the knights OF
the Ku- Klux Klan," and frankly pro-
claims it's purpose. He takes the staho
that many conditions are the same To-
day as they were in the south JUST
after the civil war. and that there Is
a vital need for such an organization
as he heads at the present time
TT is the purpose of the Khan, ne
saws. ito inculcate the sacred princi-
ples and ideals of chivalry. We claim
that the home must be fully protect
ed. and we aim toward the develop
ment of character. We shall main
tain American ideals"
* 4
The reorganization has spread
throughout Georgia, Florida, Ala ama,
Texas, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee,
South Carolina and MISSISSIPPI one
story regarding reorganization plans
is to the effect that first steps were
taken in 1915. In October OF that
year, three members of the old Khan,
which was disbanded by Cen Nathan
Bedford Forrest, famous Confederate
fighter, who was also grand wizard
of the Khan. conceived the plan of the
ty-four persons met and framed and
signed a petition asking for char
ter On Thanksgiving day of that
year the members once more assem-
bled on Stone Mountain. within twen-
ty miles of Atlanta, where, at mid
night. they took the oath under a
blazing cross. swearing allegiance to
1.-The Invisible Empire, the Knights of
the Ku-kIux Khan"
During the following December a
charter was issued and in July of the
next yeara special one was granted
by the Superior Court of Fulton county.
Up to three months ago no great
effort was made in the reorganization.
There was a slow growth-about like
that of new fraternal organization
without a real impetus. But during
the past three months the Khan has
gone into dozen states. thousands Of
organizers have been at work and
widely differing are the estimates as
to the number of persons on the mem
bership lists. Nearly all of the man
nerisms, usageS, official titles, togeth-
er with designs of paraphernalia, re-
gala, flags. emblems. symbols and
banners of the old Khan havesbeen re-
tanned by the new organisation. These
are held as a sacred heritage. Menu
bership in the klan, it is asserted,
cannot be bought. but is given as a
reward for service
The original Ku-Klux Khan came
into being as it went out. sirouded in
mystery. The members never dis
closed its secrets. Even a congress
sional committee, investigating its
workings, was bafiled Great reports,
masses of papers filled out by the
committee. failed to show how the
Khan was organized. 1t was not until
many years after the Khan disbanded
that details became public and even
today there is veil of mystery sur