The Washington times., 1921-10-13

arrests OF Mrs. Tyler and Clarke when
k003s II AeA&Nt4. SkAAMo11s a@s2.
when the khan as frsternai
order could not be hurt by bstng
attacked. a personal character at
tack was made against Mr.. CLARKE
and Mrs. Tyler. No Statements
made In these attacks have Dosn
proven. The khan is at present con.
Quoting a searching investigation OF
these character attacks and wntn
all the facts are In our possessic n
the khan will officially issue q state
ment regarding them and give tho
exact truth.
when these charges were first
made, the resignation OF Mr., Clarke
and Mrs Tyler wac voluntarily
placed In ny hands. the resigns
ton not being acted ON untii such
time as we had full opportunity Tor
mature and careful consideration OF
all the facts before US. and unti
the investigation was compietsd.
During my association and tha
association OF other officials OF ths
khan with Mr.. Clarke and Mrs. Ty.
Ter. their conduct and character
have been OF the highest. Mrs..
Tyler Is a splendid business woman.
In the propagation department ike
stenographcr or other employs.
Gives War Record.
Simmons said the charge had been
made against him that he was an
impositor and fraud when he claimed
to be a veteran or the Spanish
American War. He asserted he
had volunteered In Alabama. served
through the war. ana held an hon
orable discharge"
The Colonel took up the charges
of lawiessness frequently made
against kiansmen riding In the
night. He said
There have been only few IN.
been alleged against individual mem.
bers OF the khan, and in these In
stances the charter IN that com.
munity was revoked. Individual
members of other organisations
have committed outragss and crimes.
but that does net condemn the
whole order"
He cited q number Of outrasss.
one in Pensacola. Fla. another In
Mobile. Ala. and d third In Beau.
mont. Texas. and denied that klans.
mon had anything to do with thenp-
Simmons said there were thou
in this country adding:
"If tonight some mashed nan
should hold up q man and rob him
Of thirty cents: the papers would
accuse the khan"
Denies Khan Enforces Laws.
He denied that the khan ID organised
to assist In the enforcement Of the
law.
He characterised ~ untrue The
charge that the khan breaches relis-
ious intolerance and race hatred, and
that IL 10 opposed to the Catholic, the
Jew, and the negro. He said:
THE works Of the khan prove this
absolutely untrue. Many alleged out
RACES have been attributed to the
khan. but none Of these were against
Catholics. Jews and nagroes per %.
and mono were committed by the khan.
II Is indeed strange that II we organ.
negroes, nothing has been done
against them. In the United States
the question In not and should never
be whether q citizen II . Protestant.
a Roman Catholic. Jew or Q negro.
but whether he Ii Q loyal American"
The fact that Simmons filed the
ritual and constitution OF the khan In
the copyright office, he sstd, was
proof that the klan is not "a hideous
organization Of dark prac-
tices and secrets"
Charges Crimes TO Catholics.
''Since the fight against the khan |
we have been offered and urged to
use, by those who are anti-Roman
Catholic and not members Of the khan. |
possibly the greatest existing mass Of
data and material against the Roman |
Catholics and knights OF Columbus"
Simmons declared. I'm this material, |
so we are told, there are affidavits and |
other personal testimony, attributingd
to the Roman Catholics and Knights |
OF Columbus In America more out |
RACES and crimes than the khan has |
ever been charged with. Included In |
those charges against the Roman |
Catholics and Knights OF Columbus are |
whipping, tar and feathertuSs |
and crimes Of all nature"
Simmons put In a denial to the |
charge that the khan intimidates the /
negro in the South. and declared that |
In cities where there had been race |
riots, like Washington. Chicago, East |