Evening star., 1921-10-13
DRAMATIC Moment
AS SENATOR GRIPS
KLAN CHIEFS HAND
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when the salary was fixed?" asked
Representative Fess. republican. Ohio.
think" he replied.
Referring to- the contract with Ed
ward Young Clarke. the wizard said
he had been employed to head the
propagating department.
NJ Simmons denied that Clarke ha6
a greater power than the wizard.
why, Clarke couldn't chase the i'm.
perial wizard around the imperial
palace like a dog chases a cat and
get away with it," he declared. Rep
resentative Rodenberg. still trying to
find IL the imperial wizard held life
job. was informed by the witness that
he would reach that question later.
Reads From Ritual
Producing the khan ritual. Simmons
read many paragraphs which showed,
he asserted, that the ku Klux klan's
aim was pure Americanism.
Asked about the total khan member
,, ship, Mr.. Simmons declared it did MOI
; exceed 10000.
Il might have said we had a millior.
members, but it did not mean any
thing" he added. While the kiai,
that race hatred was part of its creed
The khan, he declared, was no
counterpart of the Ku Klux that was
organized in the south after the civil
war.
| There is no invisible force that
creeps around in the night seeking to
harm people,
Charges Denied.
Sweeping denial of charges that the
i Inv Ia a
!, ranks a lawless band of hooded hood
; lums was made yesterday by Imperial
Wizard Simmons. who read a prepar-
ed statement.
who had listened intently for nearly
two hours to a dramatic defense OF
! the organization, Mr.. Simmons De. es.
clared that, s.and,ng ,sd adr me ~ worle .Ie
! 10 know that if one-thousandth par
Of the charges were true. he woulo
, forthwith call together the Crane
council Of the klan. Tor Il the ,M purpose pos.
| tion Of the United States.
Called late in the day, the imperia!
! wizard, first asking to be sworn. tI,e t,,e
/ investigation. but protested against
attacks in some of the pending House
, resolutions.
j No Room for Lawlessness.
| "rhere is no room in our organiza'
tion for those who take the law into
their own hands," he declared, bang
. ing the table. I'VE have been charg
ed with everything from the wave o.
, high prices to the sweeping march o.
the boil weevil. 1t has been charged
! that our primary aim was intimida
ton of the negro in the south. Bu
| il might surprise this committee Il
know that the growth of the ku klu1
Klan has been greater in the nortf
| and the east than in the south.
| Asserting that the khan could moi
tdo "anything outside Of its lodge
room" except by specific orders of 1t:
! imperial wizard. SO as to hoid II:
membership In line, Mr.. Simmons
| added:
"P fore God, have never signed
y any instructions that could be con
! strued or carried out as violation o.
law. The khan does not tolerate OF
! teach lawlessness; instead We preach
respect for the law.
! Khan Has Own Probe.
! At times there was intense quiet In
i ,he room, and at one of these mo-
; ments the witness, rapping the table
| declared that no man could charge
: disorder in any city where the klar
i was well organized. ;.
! The klan, the witness testified, !.
conductine an Investigation OF 1t.
own into charges against Edward
yonne clarke, Imperial kleagle anc