Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-09-06
Prohibition, Not the Khan, Deter
mined the Texas Primary.

That it was the prohibition issue,
always acute in Texas, that made pos
sible the success of Earle B. May
in Texas is the opinion of most Of
the editors of the country. The vot-
ers. it is argued, had to make their
choice from two evils, and naturally
accepted that which they considered
the lesser In addition. many editors
are inclined to believe that the khan
issue was overmagnified. and that in
Ma yields case the result was not
victory for the invisible empire"
There is in some quarters also dis
position to wonder whether the Sem
ate now will permit member of the
Ku Klux to become member should
he be elected, as is considered likely.
in November.
The Newark News recalls that 1.-The
khan brand was wished upon Mayfeld
without his public consent. If an In
dependent of recognized high quail
fications can take up the battle ana
eliminate from the contest the side
issues that should have no effect upon
the result OF the election, he may
surprise the people of the Lone Star
state and of the nation as we'll. In
addition. suggests the Buffalo News.
the loser in this primary had no real
appeal to good citizens. He was i'm
peached while governor, and could never
be considered a worthy candidate. In
view of the fact that khan candidates
were defeated in all other primary cleo
tions, the invisible empire has moth
all to belong to the prohibitionists."
But in view Of the allegations OF
what the khan actually represents
made broadcast from the stump, the
Lynchburg News wants to know
whether "a republican Senate Will
permit a member of the Ku kluX
Khan to qualify as member of that
body?" The News points out that,
while it never has been fully estab-
lished that Mayf1eld is a member of
the khan, his victory was made the
subject Of open and unreserved re-
joicing by the K. K. K" The New
Orleans Item rather believes. how
ever. that too much was made OF the
Texas situation and asserts that 1t
doubts very much il there Is IN
Texas, as result Of this contest, any
serious and overshadowing khan and
anti khan division carried out along
religious and racial lines" To tine
women must go the credit for the
Mayfield victory, the Houston Post
>,
fioundering among issues that were
irrelevant, swayed by their partisan
ship. prejudices or trivial matters, the
women of Texas saw clearly through
the entire maze, of confusion and de-
traction, and they threw their pre-
ponderant and overwhelming weight
in the struggle for the honor of c.ie
state and for good government"
1t was the liquor question. not the
khan issue, that turned the scales. the
Savannah Press seems convinced,
inasmuch as Texas is strong pro
hibition state and Senator Morris 5.
Sheppard is one Of the bone-dry cham
pions."
That likewise is the opinion OF the
Dallas Journal, which says the result
sis q triumph of the cause OF prohibit
ton, a reafflrmance Of faith In the
humiliation of the liquor trafac. Al
though Mr.. Maydeld was the favorte
not victory for that organization
The people preferred to risk the khan
rather than the possible return
Of John Barleycorn. to take chances
in the 'unfailing bond rather than
bottled in bond" This fact also i'm
which Is convinced that although
many Texas voters did not wish to
support the Ku Klux Khan. they were
opposed to anything that might
weaken the prohibition law. But IN
newspapers of this section you see
no prominence given to anything OF
this sort unless they favor the vets.
Analysis Of the returns forces the
conviction, the Detroit Free Press in
sists, that 1.-THE khan Is an immense
power in Texas. It Is a sorry fact,
but there is no use blinking It. PREF
udice still rules the minds and hearts
of many men, and there are always
those who are ready to coin the ia
naticism Of their fellows into gold to
line their own pockets. It Is to be
hoped that Mayfield, though the Ku
Klux candidate, will not be altogether
a Ku Klux senator. But that is only
q hope, hardly an expectation, for the
Khan has shown an inclination to re-
ouire from those 1t helps pledges OF
feaIty to its program" That the is
sue. in the final analysis. should be
prohibition and the khan against Fer
Euson and promises Of wine and beer.
leads the Denver Rocky Mountain
news to wonder whether after all
ssTexas may not be too unwieldy?
what would be Interesting to prac-
teal students just now is the under
living reason for the ascendency OF the
invisible government.i In that far.
1Vrs,0 satafe - What Ii sresponSfble for