Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1922-08-16

E4AEkrAEE 0A --G-@f sANF ~ va
marks but the first step in elm
mating that syssem. Publicity mus
BE followed up BY official actor
aimed at the accomplishment o.
concrete results, for unless this Is
done. the public mind Is soon di-
verted from the subject, and tn
exposure becomes merely a news
faper episode In the present in
stance. exposure Of the 'Tnvisibl
Empire" without legal action, vii
have the effect of advertising Il
without harming i, in the slightes
degree--and swelling its ranks with
thousands Of new recruits.
Should be Prohibited
I'm my opinion, the authorities o
this country should use every avail
able piece OF legal machinery to
sop the propaganda, aud new law.
should be Immediately enacted reu
dering it impossible ia promote sue
a ssheme in this country in the fn
ture. 1t must be remembered tha
the men who have launched this
proposition have built up largl
organization, many Of the member
OF which are fanatics. The pro.
moteFs have already seen tine pos
sibili9ies of the scheme as a business
proposition; they have the name
OF the present members, which car
be used again; they have a fall.
equipped plant for future opera
tions; and in the event the Ku Klus
srheme fails, they will probably tr!
another one along similar lines
The system itself must be destroy
"a and prohibited from further ae
tiou. either in its present costum
or in any other. Several lines OF
action suggest themselves, but the.
NAV be broadly classified under III
two beads: Federal and state. Their,
should be concurrent action on Il,
part Of these two governments.
| believe that Congress shoul
enact legislation directed specifieal
IL at organizations Of the eharaetei
Of the Invisible Empire" j shouIl
be- provided that all organizations
secret or open, engaged in prOmot
ing racial or religious discord
should be prevented from sendinl
their literature through the mails
New Laws Needed
The statute should be broad
enough to include any Kind Of or
ganized attempt to stir up elass
hatred, and officials Of all such or
ganizations should be held to strici
accountability for the accuracy O.
statements sent through the mails
Misrepresentation Of facts as 70 IA
tional state or local condition.
should be the basis Of Federal a..
tiou in breaking up such organiza
tions In the exercise Of natiuna
police power, Congress should be
able to give the Federal Govern
meut the right to act against N,
heads Of organizations, as well a
a few individuals. In the cases that
have come TO light where there has
been acknowledged violation OF Law
BY local Kians, Simmons has side
stepped responsibility by revoking
and suspending charters II CoR-
gress will pass legislation declar-
ing that national officers of secret
organ cations are responsible for
acts Of their sub0rdinatcs- and are
subject to Indictment, an important
step viii be taken in the right di-
reetion.
Since the chief asset Of the 'In-
visible Empire" is its secrecy, Con-
gress should pass an act providing
that all secret orders or societies
using the United States mails or
engaged in the business Of inter
state eommerce-as the Invisible
Empire" undoubtedly is-should be
required to furnish the Government
with a list OF names Of their mem
bsrs-
Lists TO be Public
The list should be required TO be
in duplicate, one copy 10 be placed
on file, for public inspection, in the
office Of the local postmaster, while
The other copy should be placed on
file in Washington. The government
Ihould also have the right TO in
,peet al books Of account, showing |
'unds that have been derived from
nembers either BY interstate com
aerce or by the use Of the United
.tates mails. This removal OF Sc