New-York tribune., 1921-10-12

that the Constitution is not merely a
piece of paper
Mr.. Tague charged that the Klan has
collected about $30,OO0000 from it's
members, for which there has been no
Ut has been said that there are
members of Congress in this organiza-
tion, but | hope that no one in this
body would so far forget his oath" he
continued. "The knights claim thew
are so powerful that they can go into
courts and destroy court records. They
collect money from the public to be
used in violating the Constitution"
One Of the first witnesses was Row
land Thomas of The New York " orld." "
He told of his investigation of the Klan
over a period of three months.
Membership Fee $40
Imperial Kleagle Clarke, Thomas
said, has asserted the membership is
between 100000 and 100000. He also
told of. the business workings of the
klan, by which it is required that all
uniforms, lodge furniture and other
equipment is purchased through the
imperial wizard" The membership
fee, he declared, is $40. It is called
donation for the propagation fund of
to the sales agent or "kleagle"; 81
to the state sales manager or king
kleas,le,' - 90 cents to the district sales
agent or grand goblin" and $3.50 to
the Imperial Palace" at Atlanta.
There are local organizations of the
Klan, according to Thomas, "from Con-
necticut to Portland, Ore, and from
Canada to Mexico"
Wright, who said he had held the
Office Of chief of staff of the Knights
of the Air at the "Imerial Palace" for
two months, gave further details. He
it was who mphatically declared that
tion is Mrs. Tyler
Wright said he was formerly in the
army air service and that he joined the
Klan- because he saw a possibility of
promoting aviation among the men who
had flying experience but no facilities
for keeping up their training He said
he was invited to join by Lloyd P.
Hooper at hotel in New York where
the local Klan had it's headquarters.
There were about $50 men in his class
and they were initiated at the Masonic
Temple, he declared
Asked about his instructions, he
said; II was just told to start in and
give the Jews the dickens. They told
us that the Jews controlled things by
dealing with one another instead of
outsiders and that we would pattern
after their plan and so make the Klan
a power in New York City"
Wright said that he was later invited
to go to Atlanta, where he discussed d
plans for the "Knights of the Air" and
was given an Office at headquarters.
Later. he said, the plans were aban-
doned at the direction OF Mrs. Tyler.
Believes Simmons Is Sincere
In declaring that the purpose of
those controlling the Klan is merely to
make money, Wright made an excep-
ton Of Imperial Wizard Simmons
Simmons, he said, is, in his belief,
sincere, but does not function except
as fgurehead." The latter is paid
500 a week by Mrs. Tyler and In
perial Kleagle Clarke, said Wright.
He then told of their plan for rails
ing additional money in the future by
, adding three more regular" degrees
to the order, with possibly a degree to
be known as "Knights of Mirth," to
correspond to similar degrees in fra
ternal bodies.
Mrs. Tyler ard Clarke, he added have
beautiful home out from Atlanta
ut is an elaborate place in the country
with everything to a lake with boats
he said. "They have every kind of
animal on it, from bear to a pea
cock"
Representative Rodenberg, Of Illinois.
Interrupted at this point and asked
Are there any COLLINS on it?"
NO, but plenty of guinea pigs"
O. B. Williamson. postoffjco in
spector gave the committee comnlete
information regarding the finances of
the ku-klux, saying that the officers