The Washington herald., 1922-12-08
masked ORDER
.MOCKSL|bERTY,
SENATOR SAYS
Walsh Declares Danger from
Principles Of Society Can.
not Be 0verestimated
ARMY CHAPLAIN SPEAKS
Asserts Administration of JUS
tice Under Cloak Of Secrecy
or Intolerance Is Criminal

Sowing seeds of hate, discon-
tent and distrust, leading to pub
lie disorder and threatening, the
Ku Klux Klan, under a bold and
brilliant management, has, in
certain communities supplanted
the law officers, and instituted
a reign of terror"
Thus declared Senator Thomas j.
Walsh of Montana, last night at a
meeting held in the First Congrega-
tional Church, in protest against
religious prejudice and intolerance.
Representatives Of all creeds, sects,
/ and denominations were present,
and Joined in denouncing the "sin-
lister activities of the Invisible King
DOM"
PUBLISHES OWN SHAME"
THE gravity of having the regu-
lar administration of the law dis
placed and usurped by a secret or
der cannot be overestimated. Our
system is a dismal failure if it Is
tolerated or condoned. and that State
which permits 1t, publishes its own
shame" Senator Walsh said.
In commenting on the Klan's
svowed policy of malice and hatred
toward Jews and Catholics, and
their attempts to keep members OF
these creeds out of high public
offices, Senator Walsh demanded:
who are they who insist that
there is peril for the Republic in
the admission to public office Of
any citizen otherwise qualified with
out regard to his religious beliefs
or affiliations? Are they among our
leading. publicists. our statesmen,
IL we have, such? Is their doctrine
indorsed by our historians who trace
out the influences which have made
nations great and those which have
contributed to their downfall.
What reason is urged for return
ing to the policy rejected by this
country n century and half ago!
ABSURDITY OF CLAIMS.
Senator Walsh pointed out the
| absurdity of the statement that
i Catholics are bound by oath to the
Pope, and that they therefore can
not be good citizens of this coun-
! try, and of the fact that Jews are
! disloyal because they have no
country of their own.
He showed that members Of these
| two religions distinguished them
selves in the recent war and that
they now lay side by side in
France.
The Senator traced the policy Of
tolerance which has come to be a
part of the life Of the nation" from
its earliest inception, and pointed
| out that even in the first begin
4 Mi of OF ell
ton was enacted ito safeguard the
life and liberty of every man."
QUESTIONS AMERICANISM.
He questioned the Americanism of
the Klan. which he said was
''despicable and founded in malice
and hatred" and asked, what
American principles and what
American ideals does this organiza-
tion uphold? For the propagation
Of intolerance and to attain a no.
toriety the Ku Klux Klan is dis
seminating stale calumnies and
rank inventions calculated to arouse
hereditary prejudices dating from
the sixteenth and seventeenth CEN
turies. Whatever purposes 1t may
profess, IT Is notorious, IL not openly
proclaimed that the end and aim Of
its existence, to which everything
else is subordinate, is to drive from
public office all Catholics and Jews,
to subject them to social ostracism,
IL not business loss, and generally
to arraign public opinion against
them and any enterprises, chari-
table or educational which they
may promote and maintain"
GETS MUCH APPLAUSE.
In a stirring conclusion, which
was followed by applause lasting for
several minutes. Senator Walsh
said: THE destiny Of our country
will not be seriously affected. 1t
will be attained under the provi-
dence Of God. by mutual good will
among the various sects which He
has brought here, each emulating
the other in works of mercy, each
laboring according to its lights. to-
ward the development of character
in those coming under it's influ-
ence."
| Father John Ryan, director of the
National Catholic Welfare Council,
In an address in which he urged
greater tolerance and a better un-
derstanding among men, said: "I
am sure that / express the feeling
OF every Catholic in Washington
when 1 heartily thank and commend
DR.. Jason Noble Pierce, pastor of
this church, for his efforts in max
ing possible this meeting"
Father Ryan stated that he was
optimistic over the outlook, and said
that in time the present wave of
intolerance would be forgotten.
| 1T Is criminal to attempt to ad-
minister justice, whether under a
shroud of secrecy, under the cloak
Of religion. or under the red flag"
declared Col. John T. Axton, chief
| chaplain of the Army.
| Rabbi Abram Simon, in the clos
ing prayer, called upon God to d.
rect the minds Of men toward a
spirit of tolerance. and pleaded for
the ultimate achievement of the
principles laid down by the speak
ers OF the evening