Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1922-10-09

strength there you viii find re-
lIgious strife. f2etionaI diseorc
aud personal enmity in place Of
the tolerance, civic harmony aud
strong friendships that ruled be-
fore the coming Of the diztusbers
That. in Z paragraph. is the an
Swer any thinking and observing
person, who has seen the havoc
and Disruption wrought in half
dozen Oregon communities 5y the
ka KIux KIan wiii make 70 that
oft heard query, Why all this
fuss about the ku Kluxz"
70 the further query Of those
sho hare not glimpsed the damn
ing blight of diseord prevalent in
the klzn-ridden cities and cOun-
ties. Why. IL the klan Is such q
menace. mas il been allowed to
grow 10 the proportions a a pesti-
leneeg ! viii answer that there
are seven reasons why the khan to-
day ii a disturbing factor in Ore
gDn hat cannot be viewed but
wIsh alarm BY these who have the
welfare "a the state at heart.
The psychological rearti0H
0r ignorance and prejudice to any
noyement eapitaiiziHg mysticism
ana secrecy and preaching persecu
ton Of the unpopular elements Of
society.
z-The eagerness Of sharpers.
grafterx and wire -pullers TO join
ID and promote amp movement that
ean be utilized to further their
own selfish ends.
3-Ignorance Of majority Of
the people of the real nature Of
the organization, its true objects
and principles. or 10 be more ex-
act. its lack Of principles.
4-Indifferenee on the part OF
thOse people who are naturally op-
posed to violent disturbers I'M
tzeiF own affairs, but who con-
slider the kan and its menace a
thing apart from their realm.
5-The ability Of those manipu-
iating the movement 20 conceul
their motives and Vaccinations
under = cloak II so-cailed fratern-
Al secrecy.
6-The eowardly submission OF 1
large and influential portion OF
the state press 10 the threatening
aieiatlon Of these social and polit-
ieal Nreekers. either directly
voiced or inferred BY purse-con-
trolied editors.
THE fallnre OF ear-to-the-
ground politicians In public office
To act when prompt action would
have stamped cut the evil, and the
violation II their public trusts by
many Of these same officials In
joining the klan and becoming
parties TO conspiracy TO supplant
constituted authority With "invls-
ibie government
Public indifference has. ol
course, been the prime factor ia
enabling the Ku kluxers to re-
cruit q membership OF approx
malely 1900 in Oregon in less
tham TWO years. A strongly ad
verse public opinion would have
effectively closed the state to the
Inauipulations of the kleagles.
eYclops and gohlins But public
indifference has been due to pub
lie ignorance and public ignorance
To negligence and cowardice Of the
public press. especially the metro
politician newspapers, which have
refused 70 expose the fraudulent !
nature Of the organization. al
though having full knowledge Of
its dangerous teachings and prae-
tfces.
Both the birth and the growth
u the klan and its consequent dis
sord and strife in Oregon is 20 be
aid principally 10 these newspa
pers that deliberately betrayed r
heir communities into the hands I
4 designing trouble makers and
srafters. They not only refused
% warn their constituents against
he wolf knocking at the door but
'aiied 10 protest when they saw &
sity after city. and county after b
county inyideo and demoraIized 4
~ these chaos vendors. To them o
he kiansmen may give thanks for o
. general Indifference that says. n
Why all this fuss about the Ku n
e
It Is Tar cry from the Indif- q
.erenee Of those who have been Il
ed up On Kn Klux propaganda, 81
,r kept blissfulIy IN ignorance OF
Is activities. to the bitter protests {
snd denuneiations Of those upon '
shom its devastating influences
lave been fully visited. There are.
Is l have saa before. half a dozen q
communities il Oregon that have q
.een the klan enter unheraided .
nd unopp0sed because Of public
gn0ranee u its sinister purpose. g
hat have seen il grow unham-
'ered by organized opposition due !.
. lndifgerence. and have been Z
wakened 10 the menace only
fhen the foul breath or bigotry /"
reiudiee and hatred has begun to Y
and destroy harmony !,
nd cooperation in civic enter \
rises. corrupt the administration
public offices and affairs. break y
1wn business and social alliances ).
Id turn lifelong friends into Bit
= enemies. They have seen lonel