The Washington herald., 1920-12-31

1 applicants be admitted to fellow
ship. continues the monarch of the
invisible empire; but the khan Is
seeking real men in every part of
America" and Is ready ''to meet any
and every behest of solemn duty
without fear and without reproach."
What the order stands for was
recently set forth by Col. Simmons
in answer to an attack by Alfred ].
Talley, assistant district attorney of
New York, where the invisible> en-
pire Is thought to hold special pres
tige, though no moxe 50, according
to Col. Simmons, than in Washing
ton.
The Knights of the Ku Klux
Klan," wrote Col Simmons, "is a
legally chartered organization and
its right to live has been several
times certified to by various courts
| of America. 1t is the antithesis
of tyranny and revered by all those
who take the trouble to, ascertain
the real facts about the organiza-
tion they be real Americans, but
1t is feared and dreaded by all forces
in America that have designs upon
the government of the United States
and upon the fundamental princi-
pies, Ideals and Institutions hand
ed dowr to us by our fathers and
upon which the greatness of this
nation Is builded.
BE is known to Mr.. Talley and
to all men that IL any local or
ganization of this order or even
the entire order itself should be-
come. the channel through which
outlawry and injustice works that
the same will be Immediately dis
banded and destroyed by the i'm
perial wizard of this organization,
who has the power so to do and
who II he did not so do would vio-
late the most solemn oath 1t is
possible for any man to take in
America"
Simmons Wire to Herald.
Following is the text of Col Sim
mons telegraphed reply to The
Washington Herald's query as to
the Klan in relation to the Dis
trict of Columbia:
ITO The Washington Herald
Washington, d. G.:
ATLANTA, Ca, Dec 29.-"I am
always glad of the opportunity to
impart information to honest seek
ers after truth, and therefore cheer
fully comply with your request in
sofar as / can do so within the limit
of my authority in the giving out
of information which may not en-
croach upon or does not reveal any
OF the secrets or secrecy of the
order. Membership of the invisible
empire is one of the absolute secrets
of the -orderS I am the only one
positively known.
The Knights of the Ku Klux
Klan not being a sectional, partisan,
political or sectarian organization,
its territorial scope is limited only
by our national boundaries. The
invisible empire even today claims
thousands of men of Eastern States
as its loyal and devoted citizens
and most especially is this true rela-
tive 10 the great city of Wash
ington.
I'm view Of the fact that not one
in twenty of those who would apply
for membership could be admitted to
Fellowship in the order, the organ
ization wages at no time any spec
tacular membership campaign. Only
on very rare and extraordinary oc-
casions is the fact or method of or
ganization procedure made public.
for the reason that such publicity
Is unnecessary in that 1t adds moth
ing to our progress and is of no Ee-
rious interest TO the public.
Real Publicity Appreciated.
The only publicity Of real value
to the organization is concerning
its purposes and ideals, and such
publicity, by whomsoever given, is
of course, greatly appreciated when
Justly stated.
THE invisible empire is seeking
real men in every part of America,
and doing so through definite proc
esses of its own, and in such form
that the public would not fail to
know that 1t exists in their midst
and is ready to meet any and every
behest of solemn duty without fear
and without reproach.
Recently great and favorable in
terest in the character of the work
Of the organization has been mani
Tested in various States of the North
and West, among which are Maine,
Vermont. Massachusetts,, Michigan,
Illinois, Nebraska, the Dakotas, and
especially California.
The order is the product of
twenty years careful creation and
has been an active, functioning
body five years, but apparently
only during the past few months
has the general public become ac-
tually acquainted with its exist
ence, and for that reason some have
como to the conclusion that II is a
recently organized movement.
WILLIAM JOSEPH SIMMONS,
Imperial Wizard, knights of the
Ku K1ux Klan."