Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1921-08-20
THE AMERICAN CIVIC ASSOCIA-
TON.

"In an advertisement In this morn.
ings Times-Dispatch, the American
Civic Association announces that
meeting under it's auspices 1t
the John Marshall Auditorium
last evening was prevented by re-
vocation ut tlle last minute of the per-
nit to use the hall" Arrangements
have been made for another meeting
ut u later date in the city auditorium,
"at which time" the advertisement
reads, you will BIO advised as to why
this permit was revoked.
an case the advertisement In Tho
Times-Dispatch rouscs any coriosity ~
to why this permit was revoked The
News Leader is very happy to antict-
pate the future meeting by stating
the reasons for the revocation Of the
permit, 50 far as they relate to this
newspaper or are known to 1t.
Yesterday morning, two Catholic cit
liens waited on The News Leader ana
stated that Il meeting was to be held
at tlfe John Marshall auditorium, to
which admission was by card. only, AMI
that they would be glad if The News
Leader would have reporter present
in order to advise the public IL any
effort was made to arouse opposition,
t0any candidate on religious grounds.
The citizens asked no more, no less,
and neither by them nor by the News
Leader was revocation Of the permit
for the meeting mentioned.
AS The News Leader always has
fought and, please God, always will
fight for absolute freedom Of con.
science, The News Leader thought 1t
proper to comply with the request oil
send Il representative to the meeting.
The minister scheduled to deliver the
address, Rev J. N. Harkcr, was reach
cd by telephone was asked If the
meeting would be open to the press
and whether it had any bearing on
the local campaign. He replied that
The would be glad to bring tickets 20
The News Leader and he assured the
paper that the meeting had no politi
cal aspect.
"rhat seemed to end the matter.
meeting were supplied. The News;
Leader it was. noted that on each Of
them a peculiar arrow pointed to
line that read: For information, 40
dress p. O. BoN 1874 The nuHl.,cr
Sccihct lullll1ltI III TIC HES ~ tlc
paper was Il memorandum of Il col-
vcrsation las summer with Il man
who had represented himself as state
manager or state organizer Of the
Ku KluX Khan. Attached was his
address. 1t was p. D. Box 1874 the
same number that appeared OH the
card of admission to last nights meet
ing. Another question, and one much
larger than the one that had been set
tied, Immediately arorp: Was The
American Civic Association another
name for the IIu KluX Khan Or was
the association affiliated with the Khan
The News Leader did not know yetsc.
day and does not know today, but it
reported the facts to the supcrintcnd-
ent Of the schools rs they arc here re
lated. It appears that Mr.. Hill ex-
amined his records and found that tho
association viola ed the terms ofitS
agreement for the use of the John
Marshall auditorium by issuing cards
of admission. He thereupon revoked
the permit.
For observing the postoflice box
number, for asking whether tho
American Civic Association and the
Ku Klux Khan were one and the
some organization and for putting
the faces before the Superintendent
Of schools. The News Leader was re
sponsible. 1t assumes that responsible
ity most cheerfully. In the public
mind the Ku Klux Khan is associated
with anti Catholic anti-Semitic ana
anti-Negro lcanings. 1t has never dis
abubcr the public mind of that I'M
preston is eerroncous. Until the Ku
Klux Khan comes out in the open. ex
plains the constructive Amcricanlsm
it PROGRESSES and acknowledges its OIL
GERS and members, the public cannot
be expected to drop it's suspicious. Ger
tainly, until these things are done,
The News Leader will not open its
columns to the Ku KluX Khan or cease
to oppose the use by that organization
OF municipal buildings, constructed
with the money paid in taxes by all
citizens of ali crceds.
"If the American Civic Association
is another name for the Virginia di-
viAion of the I<u KluX Khan, and If
the association holds to the suspect
ell toncts Of The Khan, precisely the
same position will be taken by this
newspaper. If the American Civic AS
ISOLATION is not the l<u KluX Klan
and has no atliliation Of any sort with
IL why cannot that fact be stated I'M
equivocally?"
(Richmond, Va, News-Leader, July
80, 1929