The Chicago whip. (Chicago, Ill.) 1919-19??, 1921-10-22
EVIDENCE MAY
NOT WARRANT
FEDERAL ACTION
Committee Discharges Wit
nesses, Orders "Wizard"
Simmons Back To
Georgia.

WASHINGTON, D. C., Oct 49,
A decision on whether there shall be
congressional probe OF the Ku Klux
Klan is far from being reached.
The committee adjourned last night
after full days session of the grilling
of Imperial Wizard Simmons. After
the grilling the committee voted unan-
imously not to call any more witnesses.
By many this is taken as an indica-
ton that the investigation will be
dropped. Others contend that the
committee merely wishes time to ad-
duce evidence from the testimony al
ready presented.
Representative Campbell of Kansas,
chairman of the rules committee, said
today that it would be at least week
before the committee would announce
its findings as to whether evidence adj
duced in this hearing would warrant a
thorough investigation. Meanwhile,
there will be no examination OF wit
nesses and the present hearing will not
be reopened, he said.
Delays Decision on Kian
do you think it is the sentiment of
the committee, or will the rules COM
mittee so advise the house of repre-
sentatives that thorough investiga-
ton is necessary" Mr.. Campbell was
asked.
That is something that I cannot dis
cuss," was his reply. "Three members
of the committee are in New York, two
others are occupied with other matters
4 \
called to his home in Ohio. 1t will be
necessary to have the full committee in
session before any announcement can
be made" There are twelve members
i'll the full committee.
Imperial Wizard Simmons was ad-
vised last night that he could go to
his home in Atlanta and he left Wash
ngton with Paul S. Etheridge, chief
counsel for the Klan, and another man
who accompanied them to Washing
ton. Simmons was advised, however,
that he might be recalled after a week.
In his questioning of Simmons yes
terday, Mr.. Campbell seemed to indi-
cate that possibly this hearing would
end it ALL when he asked the Imperial
Wizard if upon his return to Atlanta
he would fully investigate and act
upon certain allegations that have been
made against the Klan. In effect, Mr..
Campbell wanted 70 know if Sim
mons would clean )use in the Klan
upon his return. simmons said he
most certainly would. These remarks
were called forth when the chairman
asked Simmons if it had occurred to
him that masked violence in some sixty
instances in the last year, whether
committed as alleged by the Klan or
not, was not inspired by the mask and
name of the Knights of the Ku Klux
Klan. The chairman also asked Sim
mons if it had not occurred to him
that certain persons were using the
wizard as hgurehead in the Klan and
collecting large sums of money.
Simmons had been very hazy regard
| ing books and statements of the Klan,
and, although he had stated that he
was the final authority in all matters,
he was not familiar with finances, use
of the mails, the matter in certain
news letters sent through the mails
for the purpose of gaining members
and so on.
! Mr.. Campbell would not say whether
this attitude presaged dropping of the
subject with this committee.
Wants Teacher to Testify
Representative Tague of Boston,
who introduced the most bitter reso-
luton in Congress, demanding an in
vestigation, wishes to bring to Wash
ington a Miss Riordan, discharged
school teacher of Atlanta, who, it has
been charged, was not reelected to
her teacher position this year because
she was Catholic and that the klan
had something to do with it. Mr..
Tague gave letter to the chairman
addressed to him from Miss Riordan,
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