Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-10-11

room, a foregathering Of the curious and
craning Of nccks.
Colonel William Joseph Simmons.
imperial wizard Of the Khan, took the
center OF the stage from the start, al
though others were doing the talking.
Colonel Simmons arrived in Washington
last night, but IN mysterious way he did
not stay on the train until il reached
this city. He got of in the darkness,
down in Virginia and proceeded the
rest of the distance by automobile. Ar
irving here, it was announced that he
was stopping with a friend and not
registered at a hotel.
Simmons Chews and Smokes
Simmons chewed gum or smoked a
cigarette. sometimes he did both at
once, as the assailants of the Klan got
under way before the committee. In
turn, Representatives Tague. of Massa- ;
chuCetts; I; Dyer, Of Missouri, and Ryan,
of New York, told the committee that
the Kan was a dangerous order and
should be investigated and suppressed.
AT times when outrageS were charged
against the Khan. Simmons merely
smiled and looked at Paul Ethridge, Of
Atlanta, general counsel for the order,
who came up from Atlanta with him.
Mr.. Ethridgc took full notes of the
testimony.
In the hearing room were dozens OF
Catholics, Jews and Negroes, the three
religious or racial elements the Klan
does not admit to membership. Rep
resentative Ryan contCnded that amy
organization which diScriminates
against "the Catholic. Jews. Negroes
NM -, hiu
country, constituting - per cent of the
population, Is menace TO American
institutions"
There were two classes Of Negroes in
attendance. In the room we're we'll
dressed, apparently educated Negroes
representing the National Association
for the Advancement of the Coored
People, They perked up cars and
leaed forward whenever the race was
mentioned.
Outside the doorway looking around
through the opening, were five Negro
men attired in overalls. They were
workmen about the Capitol. Their eyes
we're wide with curiosity, II not awe.
as they gazed upon the Imperial Wizard
and they held whispered conversations
they came no closer to the hearing than
the door. One of the pcering group was
old enough to have known about the
original Klan, the feared organization
in the South, during the days of recon
struction.
Daugherty COns,ilts Burns
Attorney General Daugherty. whose
department is investigating the purposes
and activities of the Khan, sat near one
end of the committee table as the in
quiry opened. He remained there for
almost an hour, then walked back
through the audience and held n whis-
pered conversation with William !.
Burns. head Of the Detective Bureau Of
the Department of Justice Mr..
Daugherty left soon afterward for the
Cabinet meeting.
The Rev. Wilbur F. Crafts. head Of
the international Reform Bureau, who
boasts that he has been "a professional
reformer' for twenty five years. was
another attendant. He introduced him
self to Imperial Wizard Simmons. and
informed Mr.. Simmons. that he did not
approve of his organization nor other
ones that go about at night and EN-
ploy Jack Lantern" methods. Col
onel Simmons just smiled and told the
reformer that he was entitled to his
opinion and there were no hard feelings.
Representative William d. Cpshaw,
Of Georgia. who is also Clergyman,
was an early arrival.