Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-10-11
KU-KLUX HEAD
D DEFENDS KHAN
IN WASHINGTON
William Joseph Simmons Goes
on Stand Before House
Rules Committee.
ASSURED FAIR HEARING

WASHINGTON, D. c., Oct. lin
per.al Wizard William Joseph Simmons
Of the huhlux kan appeared before
the house KuIes Committee today read y
to defend hiS invisible empire"
He declned to make any statement be-
fore taking the witness stand other tnan
to say he was suHerIng from a severe
cold.
Just before the Rules Committee met
Representative Campbell, KANSAS, stated
that il any evidence was presented in
the hearings indicating the Kan was OPP
Grating IN violation Of Federal laws, Q
compIOte invesus a,Ion of the order would
be approved by his committee.
Campbell worked late mo the night
with Attorney General DaugherIy, agents
Of the department of Justice and in
spectors of the Postoffice Department, 60
ing over evidence collected within the
last few weeks IN a secret investigation
Of the klan.
CAMPBELL SILENT
BEFORE INQUIRY.
He declined TO make any statement re-
garding the evidence.
I'VE do not want to PREJUDICE charges
made against the khan" Campbell said
Representatives Of the order will have
a far hearing before the committee"
D The main purpose of the preliminary
inquiry, according to members of the
Rules Committee, is to determine whether
there Is evidence to indicate that:
l. The khan is responsible for sew
eraI outrages against citizens, par
ticularly in Southern States.
g The local klans are in effect con-
spiracies in violation of Federal and
State laws.
8. The khan is using the malls to
defraud.
INV k1STIGATE TAX
RETURNS To Z. 8.
Tue committee also may inquire into
whether officials Of the khan have made
a true accounting to Federal tax author
tiles Of funds they have collected
Officials Of tue ku-klux Khan have
collected approximately S3O,OOO.OOO from
their 5O0,0 900 fellow members upon which
the Government has received no tax re-
turns" Representative Tague of Massa-
chusetts. declared before the Rules COm-
mittee. Tague said he arrived mt the
figures from information furnished by
the khan officials.
Chairman Campbell, Of the rules COM
mittee, summarized the charges as viola
ton of postal laws by using the mails
for n-mailable matter, and lawless acts
by the khan with It's members masked
TO rrnvent Identification. Each of these
matters, Campbell held, were of sufficient
gravity to warrant the investigation by
the committee.
Tague said he started the investigation
against the khan several months ago, be-
cause Of complaints he had received of
violations of rights Of the people and
viola ion of the laws by the khan.
With the opening of the investigation
of the khan, Tague made a new Legislative
move against the organization.
He introduced in the House a resolu-
. ton requiring filing with the Department
z|Of Justice. by every organization accused
of being inimical to the public welfare
in violation of State or Federal laws. of
a certified copy of its constitution. by
laws, a roster of its membership and
authorizing the Postmaster General on
the recommendation OF the Department
of Justice, to exclude from the mails all
literature of all organizations placed I'M
der ban by the Government.