The Washington times., 1921-09-25


the matter an innocent pastime, or
a bit OF Imagination, the indictment
here seems to be so strong ard Of such
grave nature rs to leave no doubt be
hind. It is evident that we have mere
to deal with a vicious element acting
arbitrarily against all law and order
stopping before nothing in carrying
on their system Of blackmail. e1tortion
and murderous design-a regular
'black-hand" in American style.
Imagine a force OF 100000 (among
them men Of power and influence and
officials OF state) threatening to infest
the whole country with lawlessness
and high-handed rule Of their own, and
striking terror into the hearts Of a
peaceful citizenship.
Tendency Of America.
Involuntarily we are induced to ask
the question: Whittier are we drift
ing? What will become Of America
and its traditional love for democracy
and fair play? What will be left
OF its cherished principles and the
Eoble Constitution assuring an accused
person trial by jury, and guaranteeing
the meanest of citizens the right OF
life, liberty and the pursuit Of hap
piness?
What means all OF this savage on
slaught against the foreign born, all
this vulgar incitement Of race-hatred
and religious prejudice? AMI this at
time when America and all worldly
nations are working laboriously in one
united effort to readjust matters be.
tween them all. to wipe off prejudice
and nl.feeling to bring on a proper
understanding and reconciliation be.
tween races and creeds?
How long then Is such evil spell Of
reaction to be allowed to continue tc
spread havoc over the citizenship Of
this country? How long will America
be ruled by mad fanaticism and mock.
pietists, clad in the garb OF saints
from the shades Of the dead past. cry.
Ing their patriotism from the house
tops, clamoring to be the elect 100.
per cent Protestant Christian Amer.
leans, and claiming the right for them.
selves alone to rule and own America;
thus undermining the very vitals Of
democracy upon which the American
commonwealth Is based? How far
will this tragi-comical procedure OF
clownish clan-business be driven?
Savors Of Bigotry.
To drive out Jews. Catholics, ne
groes and all the foreign-bor from the
land-that is, we will say, too much OF
big bite to swallow even for a big,
mystic Ku Klux Klan, with its fright.
tul and royalty imposing names, and
It's weird garbs and guises Of the dead.
The queer notions, fads and fanciful
display Of unnamed knighthood may
have been in place in Germany under
Godfrey and the crusades in the clev.
enth century and a continuation there
Of in the years that followed. The
dark Vaccinations against unsuspect-
Ing citizens may have been good
enough In the workings of the Spanish
Inquisition and medieval ages. SO the
In Russia under the erstwhile,, czarist
regime and Pan-Slavism, as long as II
lasted. that, too, can be explained in
the way of tyranny versus Jewry."
But to, what purpose are the foolish
stunts Of the so-called Ku Klux Klan,
with Its ghostlike stalking over the
cities: streets In the dead of the night,
II for anything else than a minstrel
show?
II such organization was thought to
be necessity Immediately after the
civil war. there Is certainly no excuse
for Its existence at the present time
All OF us here. as elsewhere, have had
enough Of "frightfulness" in the seven
years Of world war and the aftermaths
thereof. We need no more OF that In
this land Of freedom and peace. Nor
does anybody care a rap for the s,'as.
modic reform afforded by the Khan
II Is an III wind which bodes no good
to any portion of the American citizen.
ship. Give Satan one OF your fingers
and he will soon have the whole Of
your hand. heart and soul
And who, let US ask, has given the