Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-09-13
SIMMONS BROKE"
AT BIRTH OF K. K. K.
Publicity the Charm That
Boosted Order and
Its Chief
MRS. TYLER TELLS OF 1T

New York. Sept 13.-Mrs. Elizabeth
Tyler. who before her selection as grand
chief of staff Of the womens division
Of the Ku Klnx Khan was. according
TO her own statement. interested in
hygiene for babies" in Atlanta. Ga. She
is typicnlly Southern in speech. man.
ner aud point of view. though she de-
clares she does not Ike to be designated
as professional Southcrner.
A self possessed woman of average
height, well gowned, with a matronly
figure and a pleasant way of smiling
when she talks, Mrs Tyler when seen in
her apartments at the Hotel Pcnnsyl-
vania. wore semi tailored afternoon
frock of black satin, trimmed with cut
beads. Her hair was piled on top OF
her head and drawn away from her ears.
She had on white silk hose and white
kid pumps and the little i-'wclry she
wore was unobtrusivc and in excellent
taste.
Active in Publicity Work
Describing the manner in which she
became associated with the secret or
ganization which almost overnight has
become the center of a controversy
nation wide in extent, Mrs. Tyler eX-
planned that she met Edward \. Clarke,
official head of the propaganda depart
mcnt of the X. X. X, with the title of
&. Imperial Klcngle, through harvest fcS-
tival in Atlanta. Clarke. she said, was
a specialist on booming communities
that were not progressing aS rapidly nS
they wished to. and his success in the
enterprise was evidenced BY the fact,
Mrs. Tyler said. that he brought more
people to Atlanta than had ever been
there before.
Mrs. Ty,er actively assisted Clarke
in his publicity work for the festival.
Simmons Broke" When She Met Him
After we had talked over many
business enterprises we formed the
Southern Publicity Association. Mrs:
Tyler continued. Il was associated
work during the war. and Mr.. Clarke
was affiliated with the Y. NJ. G. \. ]
financed the Southern Publicity As~O-
citation and stayed in the office, and Mr..
Clarke was field representative. plan
ming and working out publicity cam
paigns of one sort and another.
I'VE came in contact with Colonel
Simmons and Ku Elux Klan through
the fact that my son law joined il.
1--WE found Colonel Simmons was
having hard time to get along. Ii"
couldn't pay his rent. His receipts
were not sufficient to take care of his
personal needs. lie was minister
and a clean living and thinking man.
and he was heart and soul for the sue
cess of his Ku Klux Kan. After we
had investigated it from every angle.
we decided 10 go into it with Colonel
Simmons and to give 1t the impetus
that it could get best from publicity.
Colonels House "PersonaP' Gift
JIrs. Tyler took exception TO the
suggestion that the ku kluX klan is n
grating institution. and also to the
reference made to the home which was
purchased for Simmons by the Klans-
men.
81 can and do truthfully state" she
said, that Colonel Simmons is poor
man, and at the time the idea of the
home was conceived he was receiving
only 500 a week salary. and previous
10 that-for five years-hn received
practically nothing from the orgnniza-
ton
THE Klansmcn realized that under
these conditions it would require many
years for him to hnvc home, and thus
they contributed. voluntarily, a small
amount each for the purchase of the
home referred to. These contributions
did not come from the funds of any
Nldn DuN NtIt pclSOlihl ii NN'is ia
stance.
Where the Money Goes
For your information, said Mrs.
Tyler, II am pleased to outline how the
$40 donation is spent.
1.-THE organization for propagation
purposes is. for efficiency. divided into
classes. The Kleagle, or organizer. is
q man who gives his time to instruCting
and otherwise assisting individual klans.
He receives a pro rata of 81 for each
man taken in. This Kleagle is in
charge of county or group of counties
and he must pay all his expenses out
of the amount he receives.
Next there is a King kleagIr, who
Ia in charge of State, and who also
gives his full time to the work. lie is
allowed pro rata OF 81 for each man
taken into the order, and out of this
sum he must pay his own expenses, in
GLIDING travel over the state, the upk"cn
Of a State Office, etc. Groups of States
are under control of a Grand Goblin,
the head Of a Domain, who receives Il
pro rata of fifty cents for each man
taken into the order. out OF which be
must pay all expenses in connection with
his office, travel, etc.
Local Klans Control Funds
"This leaves a balance of S4.oO
which goes into the general propaga
tion fund TO meet all other expenses II
the Nation wide work, such as rent
clerk hire. stenographic expense, the
cost of literature, as we'll as the cost
Khan supplies, which are Furnished
free 10 euch Klan when it is chartered.
''When Klan is chartered its mem
bers meet ind decide by vote on tn
amount of dues each member shall b.
assessed yearly.
"Thesc funds are kept in the loca
Klan's treasury, under its eXcluslv