The New York herald., 1922-12-15
GOVERNORS SHY AT
KHAN And DRY issues
Parker's Challenge to Open
Discussion of Both
Brings No Reply.
NEW YORK CRITICIZED
Selfish on st. Lawrence
Project. MinnesOtan
Tells Conference.
OLCOTT ATTACKS kLUA
Oregon Executive hikens 1T to
Blight and Predicts Intol-
crahce Wave.
QLCoTT ATTACKS KLuN

seeeiai Dispatch 10 THE NEW YorK iin..Lp.
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W. va,
Dec. 14.-Gov.- John M. Parker OF
4 Louisiana to-day issued challenge
to his colleagues from sixteen states
to meet sauarely and openly tine
grave menace of prohibition and the
| Ku Klux Klan III the United Suhtes'
His challenge went unanswered.
In three formal sessions the an
nuaI conference, called for the pur-
pose of threshing out problems facing
the States. avoided general discussion
or a vote on either of these two ques-
tons.
Gov. Parker led in both moves. Ills
denunciation of prohibition as enforced
was unmeasured and his statements re-
garding the menace OF the ku kiu%
klan, with a picture Of Louisiana OUT
RACES. brought the only tense moments
of a llstless gathering. They passed In
dead silence. however, when those VINO
might hold conflicting views were asked
to come forward and express them.
Waterway Project rhilsse
Earlier in the day Gov. Preus OF Min
nesota laid down the gage to New YORK
state on the issue of the proposed Great
Iakes-St. Lawrence deep waterway. lie
| criticized New York as selfish and drew
a picture of New York as the Shyiock
at the "bunghole of lake traffic. taking
| an unreasonable toll. He asked the
Governors TO sign resolutions for the
project, but no one stirred oeiore the
meeting was over
Gov. McKelvie of Nebraska, one OF
the Northwest States which fathered the
non-partisan league and later the IN
surgent movement organized In Wash
ington bv Senator La Toilette (Wis.),
opposed additional credits for farmers
and the paradng os farmer woes for
political ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
/ Gov. McKelvie said the farmer was
being put in bad light, and most OF
those agltating farmer relief were urban
political demagosues seeking their own
fortunes. What the farmer needs, he
said, was not more credit, but DIFF
ferent kind of credit He said they have
proved they do not need new credit by
the fact that they have paid back more
than half OF the loans granted through
the War Finance Corporation.
Against CanceIinE Debts.
The farmer and iaborer never can be
successfully allied politically, he said
because their economic interests are toe
far apart. The farmer Is suffering from
the results OF high prices caused by the
demands OF labor for increased wages
he said.
Gov. McKelvie said that all the far.
mer needed was credits to carry his
crops to market and an economic ad'
justment to bring his purchase require
ments within the reach of the proceeds
of his sales. He said any credit which
would permit the farmers to start an
other period of initiation would be bad
and would react against them as recent
initiation had. He opposed forgiveness
of foreign debts. but proposed new cred
it's to recognized Governments for the
purchase of agricultural products.
Gov. Ben w. Olcott of Oregon Joined
the fight upon the Ku Klux Klan. He
brought up the Oregon school law
passed after bitter fight. which abol-
ishes all parochial and private schools
anu tOIlDtlS tHe tttlulUE VI tnll-
dren to public schools. He said the foot
hold gained In intolerance In his State
was TO be spread over the nation and
an organized campaign for this result
was under way This move. he said
was interviewer with the klan activities.
| which presented a grave national men,
ace 1t was, he said. the greatest menace
10 national civic life in all our national
history.
Likens Khan to Blight.
'The Klan." he said. ''has come like
the blight wherever 1t has raised its
head and become an integral part OF
the citlzenry of the community. I'm
thinking, ignorant bIgoted and infiamed
persons have committed grave crimes
behind the name of the Ku klux Klan."
He demanded that the mask be ripped
from the Klan and that II throw down
its gage OF battle IA the lists before
the American people.
/, After denouncing the Klan and its ac-
/ tivitles in his own state as we'll as in
others. GOV. Parker turned to prohibit
! tion. lie said he was not an advocate
OF the saloons and would not stand for
them. He declared for light wines AND
lbeer and regulations by the Government
of the distribution and manufacture OF
| liquor. He urged the Governors to meet
the issue and added:
| There are many men among you who
disagree with me. Stand up, challenge
my statements and controvert them II
you may. and 1 will meet you. 1t is not
personal question. but one OF grave
concern. / must leave and ask and
| pray that before you adjourn you win
| take some action
No Governor offered a word In reply
or comment.
No action will be taken by the, confer.
ence on either the klan or prohibition
reasons.
Gov Allen OF Kansas will speak ON