Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-09-16
congressman may
ASK K. K. K. INQUIRY
Resolution Demanding Investi-
cation May Be offered When
Recess Ends
WORD "AMERICAN" MlSUSED

Washington. Sept. 18..-Condsmns-
tion Of the Ku Klux Klon continues TO
come from all sections. Members of
Congress think IL should be investi
gated and the public given the benefit
Of oil facts connected with its orEanf-
cation and purpose.
Resolutions OF inquiry will probably
be introduced when Congress meets,
with n view TO having the whole sub.
ject opened up. Here is what some OF
the members are saying
Representative Temple Of Pennsyi.
vania+-"I don't know anything about
the society, but 7 don't think an or
ganizntio like that described by the
EVENING PUBLIC LEDGER ls going TO
grow very rapidly or continue very long
in existence. 1t doesn't alarm me.
There is too much good sense in this
country TO afford any opportunity for
the growth or continued existence OF
such an organization.
Representative Campbell, Of Penn.
sylyaDia-"There is no place for such
an organization in this country today.
It is In violation OF the very spirit OF
the Constitution and the principles
upon which this Government was
founded The practice is becoming all
too common for people TO brand them
selves 100 per cent American and start
out to regulate their neiShbors' affairs.
Tolerance is the one thing needed at
this time for us to get back to the con-
ditions that will bring about an era OF
good feeling and solid, substantial and
permanent progress.
Representative Raker. Of California
You cannot justify 1t in any civ
ilizcd community. especially In this
country. 1t is relic Of barbarism and
you cannot figure II out any other way.
Irrespective Of the alleged offense, q
man should have a trial and the law
should take its course.
There is no necessity for the Ku
Klux KIan if We have a Judge on the
bench who will do his duty. District
Attorney and Sheriff. These three
officers executing the law as they
should. the most rabd believer in the
Ku Klux would have no occasion for
even thinking of its existence in civ
ilized country like ours
Wayne 3. Wheeler, general counsel
for the Anti Saloon League - The
EVENING PUBLIC LEDGER is taking the
right attitude on the Ku Klux Klan.
The only safe theory of the Government
is TO hold the regularly constituted
authorities responsible for law enforce
ment.
NhH
be of service in aiding officers of the
law IN doing their duty. but they should
not take the law in their own hands.
BY so doing they become judge and
executioner. This usually leads TO
worse condition than that which they
tried to remedy.
There may have been some excuse
for Ku Klux Klan in the South i'm
mediately after the Civil War, but there
those who started it had to help break
it up later on. as it became a menace
to orderly government"
Representative Dyer. of Missouri
81 do not know anything about the Ku
Klux Kan. We ought TO have it in
vestigated and see what its purposes
are.
"If the organization is what the
EVENING PUBLrC LEDGER and other
papers report II to be in what they
have been publishing. then II Is work.
ing against free government and ought
to be inquired into by Congress SO
that suitable action can be taken to put
an end TO it after getting the facts.
1T looks TO me like il might be a
violation of the Constitution, which
grants to every person the right of free.
dom of speech and religion
ITO have investigation. we would
probably have to request authority by
resolution empowering the lnvesti-
eating Committee to subpoena witnesses
with their books and papers"