The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1921-10-06
US. ERASE
XII kLUX NAN
Congress and Courts Are
Empowered to Break
Invisible Empire .
FROM WAR OF 1860
By N. E. A. Service.

Washing and the fed
eral courts can break up the Ku Klux
Khan numbering 100000 members. This
is the conviction of government ofic-
ials, following newspaper exposures of
the Ku Klux Klan and preliminary in
vestigations by the Department of Just
ice and the Postofice Department.
Federal action against the Knights
of the Ku Klux Khan probably will be
based on these specific charges made
by the Klan's opponents:
That the Invisible Empire Of the
K. K. K. is setting up government
within the government.
That the K. K K is melting relig-
ious, racial and class hatred.
That the X. K. KS program is an
attack on individual freedom and per-
sonal rights as guaranteed By the Con
Of the charges against the Ku Klux
Khan, which prompt government, in
vestigation, this is the chief one:
While the X. X. K. claims that it's
purpose is maintenance of white su-
premacy," the Klan's ritual asks ques-
tions, of applicants, which indicate that
the organization is against the Jews,
Catholics, Masons, negroes and the
foreign-born.
The Oath.
Members of the Khan, it is charged,
are bound by oath to obey without
question all orders Of the head, known
as the Imperial Wizard"
Such an oath imperils undivided al
legiance to the United States govern
ment.
Seizure, trial and punishment of any
resident of the United States, by any
except legally constituted authorities
such as police and court officers. is a
violation of Articles Nv, v and vi of
the national Constitution.
Any movement for exile or suppress
sion Of individuals because of their
racial origin or religious belief is a
violation of Articles l., VIII, and XIV of
the Constitution.
Hence federal authorities say they
can take legal action against the Ku
Klux Khan and it's officers and mem
bers, if charges that have been made
are confirmed by Investigations.
Finances of the K. X. X.
The K K. K. has four degrees of
membership, iniation fee being $40
a degree. About 100000 are believed
to have joined the Khan since its re-
organization Oct 26, 1915. Initiation
fees are estimated al the way from
100000 to $3O,0OO,000.
The X. K. K. also makes a profit on
the uniforms and regalia which it sells
to members.
KIan's History.
William Joseph Simmons of Atlanta,
Ga, is the present head of the K. X. K.
His title is Imperial Wizard" and he
operates from the Imperial Palace of
the Invisible Empire"
Simmons and 33 others resurrected
the X. X. K. in 1915 and incorporated
it under the laws of Georgia.
The Khan has women's auxiliary.
Khan officials disclaim most of the
charges made against them They
claim that their real purpose is "pure
Americanism" and that they really
seek enforcement of existing laws. The
organization has gotten so big that it
is passing beyond control Of its heads
The original Ku Klux Khan is believ-
ed to have started in Pulaski, Tenn.
in 1865. It's early activities were di-
rected against negroes in southern
politics and "carpetbaggers" from the
north who flooded the south after the
Civil War.
Broken Before.
It was broken up April 20. 1871. by
the Enforcement Act, passed by Con-
gress, popularity known as the Ku Klux
Khan Act or Force bill. This act gave
federal courts jurisdiction over all K
K. X. cases. It empowered the presi-
dent to employ military forces and to
suspend the writ of habeas corpus dur
ing K. K. K. disorders. It also barred
from juries, in Ku Klux cases. all
Khan members. This act speedily
checked growth of the K K K. and
gradually caused it to die out.