Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-09-06
HARDWICK HITS
AT MASKED MEN
IN WINDER TALK
Asks Walker To Come Out In
The Open And Take
Stand

and at Marietta yesterday. At Mari
eta the governor propounded several
pointed questions to his opponent,
Clifford Walker, and at this place
this afternoon he assailed the Ku
kluX Klan and all lawleSs elements
before an audience of more than
1000 Barrow county citizens.
Speaking in the Barrow court
house within two miles of where
the most recent lynching in Georgia
is said to have taken place, the gov.
ernor made an eloquent appeal for
law and order, law enforcement and
against wearing of masks either by
Klansmen or anybody else.
On Saturday last a negro was talk
Ell away from Sheriff Camp, of Bar
row county, a short distance from
Winder by party of masked men.
He was put to death for attacking
a young lady in a house near Win
der which he was attempting to
burglarize. This was the most re-
cent disorder to have taken place
in that county, but its record in the
past makes it the highest average
county in Georgia for masked out
lawry.
Advised Not to Mention klan.
1t is said that the governor was
advised by some of the citizens not
to speak in Winder, and if be spoke
there not to mention the Ku Klux
Khan, but, according to his own
words, he said this afternoon that
he had a message to deliver to the
citizens of Barrow county and he was
going to deliver it if it cost him ev-
cry vote in the county.
A man in the audience yelled:
Speak it out, let's have it."
The governor Immediately came
back with a shout that he was going
to do so, and "I'm going to speak
right straight from the shoulder,
too"
he pointed out that he had sent
troops to Waycross after he had re-
ceived an appeal from the constitut-
ed authorities of Ware county that
the disorders between strikers and
present employees Of the Atlantic
Coast Line railroad was beyond their
control He stated that his action
has been assailed by a group of radi-
Gals throughout the state, but that
whether they like it or not those
troops were going to stay in Way
eros until the situation warrants the
civil authorities to announce they
can take care Of it.
Launches Into Klan Issue.
He next launched into Ku KluX
Klan issue, stating that he had been
misconstrued on one point of the is
sue. He stated that he did not op-
pose the Klan or any other secret
society the right as an organization,
but that he did oppose the wearing
of masks by any members Of any OF
ganization.
He said that the Hebrew has his
secret society, the Catholic has bis,
and the negro has, his, which no
white man could or would belong to,
the Protestants also have their So
cieties like the Odd Fellows, Masons
and others. He then asked his audi
ence what would become Of the negro
if he put on a mask and covered up
his hands and went out tarring and
feathering people, He said that
such could very easily be done.
PHe said that in his opinion there
was no need for such an organiza-
tion as the Ku Klux Klan if it had
,f for its purpose the taking of the law
into it's own hands. he went into
detail as to how the old Klan origi-
mated and stated that he was proud
of the fact that his own father was
member of that historic organiza-
ton. "But no federal bayonets are
pointing at our throats now and our
courts are functioning properly he
declared.
Bandits Wear the Mask.
Standing on rostrum before his
audience with white handkerchief
in hand the governor shouted, ban
dts yes, the mask belong to the
bandit. have never seen man yet
who wore mask who wasn't either
a bandit, train fobber or some other
kind of hardened criminal"
There wasn't stir. in the audi
ence as the speaker continued on his
rampage against the mask NO
honest man." he said, "who is at
tempting to walk the straight ana
narrow path before his God and fel-
low man is going to wear mask and
as long as | am governor | am go
ing to see to it that the law is en-
forced"
THE conduct of the individual
citizen is already too much censor
ed he said, "and his rights and
liberties too much curtailed by law.
fCop+inuad From PAGE Two,)