The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-01-28
INVISIBLE EMPIRE !. OF KU-KLUX KHAN HOLDS INITIATION CEREMONIAL HERE
Ranks of Great Organization That Rescued South in "Re- construction" Days Aug mented By 500 Bir-
 mingham Men
BY W. W. LADD

l
 BY W. W. LADD
 Over 300 men, of every age, and from every walk of life, were initiated into the mystic invisible e m p ire of the Knights of the Ku-Klux Klan at the fairgrounds last night. 1 Before the throne of the inn perial wizard, and in the blaze of the fiery cross, the candidates took their solemn oath to consecrate their lives to the protection of the su- premacy of the white race in the south.
 1 The mystery of the Ku-Klux Klan was for the first time in it's history, i opened to the view of the public, and | although even then they were not all lowed to view it from inside the fence, many ayailed themselves of the oppor- tunity of seeing the ceremony from the hills around the grounds in spite of the very cold weather.
 l Shrouded in white, with the emblem of the klan on their breasts the Klans- men presented a weird spectacle to the onlooker. However, the klan was as- sembled to do a serious work, and it was carried through without hitch. 54TH ANNIVERSARY The occasion for the celebration was the fifty-four\h anniversary of the initiation of Gen. Nathan B. Forrest, the first imperial wizard, into the in- visible empire.
 Although the horse waz still in evil dence. 21 horsemen guarding the fair grounds, the scene must have been greatly different from the night in the lh hills of Tennessee when General For rest came into the order. for there were assembled on the race track last night 300 automobiles, all of which belonged to klansmen in Birmingham. The usual precautions were taken as reguarded the admission of those who did not know the "open sesame" And it is certainty that no one who was not supposed to see the affair at close range succeeded in doing so.
 Credit is due those at the head of the klan for the excellent management that was exhibited last night Usually the handling of some 500 men is a matter that cannot we'll be taken care of by few men, yet with two men, who had practically the entire re- sponsibility, the affair went along as smoothly as could be desired.
 By o'clock in the afternoon Klans- mems automobiles could be seen parked all over the business part of the city, and by 2 they had begun to move to- ward the fairgrounds. At S:S0 they were admitted into the park, and the candidates were brought in front of the grandstand,' where they were given their final instructions
 THE LIVING CROSS
 Meanwhile, the Klansmen, shrouded in the white robes, formed the living cross in the center of the race track. Two great searchlights played upon them. The cross was formed of Klans- men, each holding light. tho standard being of white and the crossarm being of red.
 fii front of the ceremony was the i.nrerial wizards throne. 1t also was shrouded in white, and searcniight resting on it.
 Around the imperial wizard, grouped in great circle, were the other Klansmen, numbering close to a thousand. From the grand stand were brought the candidates, in hand on the shoulder of the man in front of him. They marched in this formation in front of the imperial wiz ards throne, and then in front of the flaming cross, which was formed of flazing electric lights of red and white.
 There, in the glare of the cross that made itself so famous in the recon struction days. in front of the emblem that saved the day for the south, when she was sore beset in the days imme- diately following the Civil war, these men of the modern business world took their cath.
 Men who spend their days behind desks. men who work in steel plants, men who are employed. in the stores of Birmingham, all stod shoulder to shoulder. and swore to protect the homes, and to maintain the supremacy of the white race forever.
 INSPIRING SIGHT
 It has seldom been the privilege of Birmingham, all stood shoulder to ing sight than the conclave last night. Looking into the faces of those men who took the oath. it could be seen the ku-klux Klan meant business.
 The Ku-Klux Klan has it's work cut out for itself, according to what the officials say. They do not claim any credit for 1t, and the celebration last night was not held publicly for any glory that the klan might have re- ceived from 1t, but to let the public Know that they are here, that they were nere yesterday, and that they will be here forever.
 The weather was clear and cold. The low temperature was the cause of the absence of many man who. If he rad not actually seen service with the Kan In years now past. had seen them m actlcn. and who knows the power of the invisible empire
 INVISIBLE EMPIRE
 The membership that the klan noasted of in Birmingham consisting or 1000 has now, las a result of last nights rites, increased to between i,ooo and 1,600. and the number of au- tomobiles that are at the disposal of the klan in this city jumped from 200 to soO, almoAt everyone of which was present at the fairgrounds last night.
 Among the high officers of the klan to be present in the city for the occa- sion was Imperial Wizard William Joseph Simmons founder of the mod ern ku-klux Klan, and Imperial Klea- gie Edward Young Clark. both ..offi- erals having arrived from Atlanta early in the day.
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