New-York tribune., 1921-10-13
Alan Noffooded
Band.
" lizard Shouts
Simmons Tells House Com.
miitee He VIII Disband
if Thousand.Il Par, OF
Charges Can Be Proved
Testimony Is Dramatic
Swears $4,000 and House
Are All He Has Had From
Order i'm Last Six Years


WASHINGTON Oct. 12-Sweepinp
denial Of charges that the Ku-Klu,
klan contaiGed within its ranks law.
less band of hooded hoodlums vas made
before House committee to-day BY
William J. Simmons, of Atlanta. its
resuscitator and Imperial Wizard.
Turning souarely upon members who
had listened intently for nearly two
hours to a dramatic defense of the or.
ganization. MIR. Simmons declared that
standing here in the presence of God.
he wanted the world to know that if
-thousandth part Of the charges
were true he would forthwith call to.
gether the grand concilium of the klan
for the purpose of forever disbandjnp
1t IN every section Of the United States
Follows Negro Witnesses
Called late in the day after numbe r
of negro witnesses from Boston and
Chicago mad urged Congressional I'M
curry OF the ktan. the Imperial Wizard
first asking to be sworn told the com.
mttce the khan welcomed the investj-
CATION, but protested against ,attac cks
in some Of the pending House regolu-
tions
The Wizard was permitted to read
his statement without interruptiop. al
though at the session tomorrow he
VIII be questioned by committeeman
especially with reference TO published d
reports of various acts Of vandalism
charged to the khan.
There is no room in our organiza-
tion for those who take the law into
their own hands, he declared, banging
the table. I've have been charged
with everything, from the wave of high
prices to the sweeping march Of the
boil weevil. 1t has been charged that
our primary aim was intimidation of
the negro in the South, but it might
surprise this committee to know + +
the growth of the ku-Klux Khan has
Deen greater in the North and the East
than in the South"
Says He Is Supreme Arbiter
Asserting that the Klan could not do
anything outside of its lodgeroom'' y
except by specific orders of its Imperial
Wizard, 50 as to hold its membership
IN line Mr.. Simmons added:
Before God, have never signed
any instructions that could be con.
gtrued or carried as violation of law.
The kian does not tolerate or teach
lawlessness. Instead, we preach re-
spect for the law
AT times there was intense ouje+ !,
the room, and at one Of these mon,ents
the witness. rapping the table, declared
that no man could charge disorder in
any city where the Klan was we'll or
eanized
The Klan, the witness testified is
conducting an investigation Of its own
into charges against Edward Young
Clarke. Imperial Eleaglc and head Of
the propagating bureau, and Mrs. Eliz-
ahcth Tyler. his assistant, and will
issue an official statement when it
comes into possession Of all the facts.
Mr.. Simmons also stated that when the
charges were first made Clarke ard
Mrs. Tyler presented their resirna-
tions, to be acted upon after full op-
portunitv had been given for thor
ough sitting
Drops Law V;olators
Discussing charges of violence on
the part of alleged Klansmen. Mr.. Sim
mons declared that when a member
took the law into his own hands he
automatically was dropped from the
organization.
And have never yet failed" he
added TO turn over to the local au-
thorities, Il | had it, any evidence
needed TO bring about a conviction"
The charge that the Klan sought 70
obtain officers of tne law as members
was characterized by the imperial
wizard "as tremendous indictment
against the honor Of American citizen
ship Denying that the Khan melted TO
riot, he declared no riot had occurred
in any city where the Klan had repre-
sentation
THE KuKlux Klan is purely =
Protestant and non political organiza-
lon, he said. 'lt does not seek poll
teal power. In the SIX years have
been With the order have received
only $4,000. and my Atlanta home was
the gift of members. most OF whom
subscribed less than a dollar
Says Money Is for School
Denying that officials of the orranj-
10" ',"H 'ecS.Ncu idise sums In salaries
or bonuses. Nj. Simmons said:
We are spending the surplus money
q the kar in further building and
en.arsements on Lanier University. At.
lanta. Ga. We have scent. and are
sperding on Lanicr University the sum
OF $50, 900"
The charge is made that VIC are or
eanized to preach and teach religious
intolcrances and especially that we arc
anti Roman Catholic. anti-J and
anti-negro, Mr.. Simmons continued
THE works of the Khan prove this ab-
solutely untrue. Many alleged outrapes
have been attributed to the Klan. hut
none of these were against Roman
Catholics, Jews and negroes per Sc. and
none were committed by the Khan"
The best writing papers are WHITING
PAPERS.-AdNt.