The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1922-12-22
GEORGIA JUDGE DISCUSSES
THE KU KiUX kLAM.
Disease in Body Polite, Declares
Barrett in Charge to Grand
Jury

y
icism Of the ku hlaN klan, assertions;
of its harmfulness and Suggestions
for. combating il were Contained N
the charge to the grand jury today >
judge William H. Barrett Of the
United States district court for south
Georgia. q. the opening Of the Alba
ny division.
"With the earnestncss and zeal Of
a Georgia citizen" sad Judge Bar
rett, "one who loves his state and his
country. ;nplore you to coo2era e IN
combating what is unquest!onabiy 8
menace. what 1 believe has not yet
assumed as great magnitude as many
would have US believe but which IS
undoubtedly disease in the body
polite and if we arc to treat 1t wise
" we should treat it now, il lis incip-
iency, and that is the Au h:ux Khan. J"
81 am told that the constitution OF
this organization is worded in such
way that no patriotic citizen can cav
Il at it." Judge Barrett continued,
'but my information is that the real
motives that lead to joining, though
not professed in the constitution, are
usually one Of four, may say. One
that perhaps had considerable force
at the initiation Of it was an anti
negro sentiment, founded upon the
proposition that by reason of the un-
usual treatment accorded some negro
soldiers abroad there night be an ef-
fort on their part to create an ur-
happy situation here. Another is an
anti-Catholic sentiment, which would
seek if not punish, ct least greatly to
suadue all those who believe III thai
religion. Another was an antl-Jew-
ish sentiment Ano iher, and per-
haps the most general-:and l 90 no.
wish TO be vi5uperative-was IN AFRO
eating. to themselves 81 kE2wl-
edge and virtue by which they would
determine that things were wrong,
and that they could correct them
wholly independent of the govern
ment, courts and law.
81 ask you, gentlemen" the judge
continued, "eye to, eye and face to
face, to ask any member of the khan
if percharce he has a young daugh-
ter. if he is willing to so carry on his
life and his activities that her virtue
AID her protection shall depend, not
upon courts, not upon law, but upon
the passions of men. Ask him, If he
has a young son, if he is willing for
him to grow UP. in country that
knows 10 law. Ask him, if he knows
he is r;sht. why mask? The cura of
wrong is light, and you may count
upon it, when man feels taa5 he
must act with a hidden couctenance
and in secret, .in the depths Of his
heart he dor,5ts his r;ghtness. | call
to his attent,oa the fact hat q mask
may coacesl rot only al honest man
and patriot, but i r:'2y conceal a
barbarian. One clothed with iniauity
ono who seeks 10 wreak his own
personal hate or jealousy, taking ad-
vantage of the organization. I 2sll If
a mask can not just as we'll hide q
negro's face as a white face, hoA'-
an Catholics f2ce, as Protestaat's,
Jews as we'll as a Gentile's. Ask
him if he does not realize that by
this practice, however worthy he may
thiak for the moment, he is turning
loose the beast which will overturn
all good government, all law, all JUS.
.tice, all love of man and bring our
country to desolation and despair" "