The Cordova daily times., 1922-10-31
MASKED ORDERS CONDEMNED BY
 CHURCHES

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31.-Condem-
 natory resolutions aimed at masked and secret bodies have been passed by the administrative committee of the Federal Council of Churches. While they mentioned no organiza- tion by name, the Rev. Samuel Me- Crea Cavert, one of the two general secretaries, declared that members
 of the administrative committee had | the Klu klux Klan in mind in par. 1 ticuiar.
 In making the resolution public Mr. l Cavert said: This action was taken as a result of statements made from time to time that the Ku Klux Klan
 and other masked and secret bodies
 are acting in behalf of the Protes. tant churches of the United States.
 While the Ku Klux Klan is not
 mentioned by name in the state'
 ment, members of the administrative
 committee had it in mind in par
 ticular.
 "The motives of the Ku Klux Klan
 and similar organizations may be of 1 the highest, but members of the ad-
 ministrative committee believe their
 methods are not only wrong but also
 dangerous from every standpoint
 Action by the committee is sgnifi-
 cant when it is realized that 30 great communions with more than 2O,O00,00G members are affiliated
 with the Federal Council" The reso-
 lution is as follows:
 "The administrative committee of
 the Federal Council of the Churces
 of Christ in America records it's
 strong conviction that the recent rise of organizations whose members are masked, oathbound and unknown,
 and whose activities have the effect ; of arousing religious prejudice and
 racial antiquities, is fraught with
 grave consequences to the church
 and to society at large. Any organ : ization whose activities tend to set
 class against class or race against : race is consistent neither with the ideals of the churches nor with true patriotism, however vigorous or sin cere may be it's professions of re- ligion and Americanism."
 Evils of lawlessness and immoral ity, however serious, can never be remedied by secret, private, and unauthorized action. They must be handled by the state and by the recognized forces of education. For groups of individuals wearing masks : and concealing their identity to pass judgment on men and women and to carry out humiliating measures of their own devising, is subversive of : every principle of civilized govern, ment, and undermines respect for l: the established agencies of law and order
 Any body of men, unidentified and banded together to achieve in partisan spirit the purpose of a sectional, political, racial or sec tarian group, is almost certain to fall into the very evils of mob rule against which the spirit of Christian democracy and Americanism makes vigorous and constant protest. Even : if they resort to no unworthy deeds themselves, their practice of carry ing on their plans in disguise ol under cover of darkness encourages .. others to do likewise, and so affords the opportunity for all manner o1 lawlessness to be carried on with immunity from arrest or punishment However true it is that in some communities religious organizations seek control over municipal admins tration which is undemocratic ant highly undesirable, yet for another body of men, secret and oathbound to undertake to get control is equally
 intolerable, even if they seek witt all sincerity to wrest it from the control of other groups.
 "The administrative committee o1 the Federal Council of the Churches is opposed to any movement whicf overrides the processes of law ant
 order, and which tends to complicatt and make more difficult the work of cooperation between the various
 in the Republic. No such move ments have the right to speak ir
 the name of Professionalism, and the