The Washington times., 1922-10-09
TEXAN SENATE
FIGHT TCENTERS
ABOUT XII kLUX
Situation Unprecedented, as
Both Candidates Have Been
Put Off Ballot.
BY Universal Service.

by tnivershl service.
Both the Republican and Demo
cratic national campaign organiZa
tions were asked yesterday to take
cognizance Of the Ku Klux Klan Is.
sue in the Texas senatorial race and
to intervene on behalf of the anti.
Klan candidate.
The situation in Texas is declared
to be unique in American political
annals. Both nominees for the
United States Senate to succeed
Senator Culberson have been legally
barred from places on the election
ballots. A contest in the event OF
final victory for either one Is cer-
tain.
At the beginning Of the primary
campaign five candidates were in
the field. including Culberson him.
self Earle b. Mavfield. avowed
candidate of the Ku Klux Klan. and
former Gov. James Z. Ferguson
led the field and met in a run-off
primary. Ferguson made the fight
on an anti-Ku Klux Klan issue.
Mayfield won by a large majority.
and the Ku Klux Klan thereby came
into control of the Democratic ma
chinery in the State.
Peddy Against Klan.
Culberson leaders and others who
had opposed Mayfield because Of
his Klan affiliation. called a con-
vention in Dallas to put out an in.
dependent candidate. George 4. B.
Peddy. of Houston, was Selected.
Peddy, who is in his thirties. had
sprung into notoriety when the pas
tor of his church called for his re.
signation as head of the mems Sun.
day School class because he sup.
ported Ferguson in the run-off
Ferguson was I'VE" candidate, as
well as antiku klux. Peddy,
originally was a Culberson sup
porter. resigned. in spite of the fact
that he fought for Ferguson be-
cause he was anti-Klan and not on
the wet" issue.
Immediately following the action
of the independent Democrats, the
Republicans indorsed Peddy. max.
ing him the Republican nominee.
The Mayfield forces, in control Of
the party machinery, then got busy.
Under the Texas law 900 sigma
lures would have been needed TO
put Peddy on an independent ticket.
The hackers of Peddy figured that
il would cost $24. .0OO so they asked
the Republicans to put him on their
ticket, the Republican candidate
having refused the nomination in
| order to pave the way for a fusion
ticket.
Fusion Leaders Object.
The State attorney general then
ruled that Peddy had no right on
the Republican ticket because he
had participated in the Democratic
primary. Fusion leaders say this
ruling deprives them Of their con.
stitvtional right to express a choice
in the election.
Fighting back at the Mayfield-Ku
Klux Klan faction. the independent
Democrats and Republicans obtained
a temporary injunction restraining
Mayfield from placing his name on
| the election ticket, on the ground
that Mayfield had spent more
money than the law permits in his
primary campaign.
II the temporary injunction Is dis
solved and Mayfield goes on the
ticket, while Peddy is kept off. con-
test will be made before the Senate
e Mayfield wins. The contest would
b. waged on two grounds.
First. that the Ku Klux Klan oath,
which Mayfleld is declared to have
taken, is in direct conflict with the
United States Constitution, and
second, that the action Of the State
authorities in keeping Peddy off the
ballot had given the voters no chance
to express a preference as between
the candidates.
Fight to Keep on.
The fusionists are not going to give
up the fight even though Mavfield
goes on and Peddy stays off the
printed ballots. They are going out
to wage an intensive campaign to
get the voters to write Peddy's name
on the tickets. 1t is claimed that 80
per cent of the Culberson faction will
support Peddy. All the Republicans,
Of course, are counted on to back
him. II also is believed that $4,000
to 10000 Of those who supported
Ferguson will vote for him.
The Democratic national organiza.
tior- officially is taking no part in
the fight. Unofficially. however,
many OF the leaders are hoping
Peddy will win. He would vote with
the Democratic organization in the
Senate.
In view Of Mayfield's Ku Klux az.
filiation. II Is also believed by Doll.
ticians here that contest in behalf
OF Peddy would be successful.