Imperial Valley press., 1922-07-08


valley experienced rejuvenation to-
day through an appeal by 7. ID. Mccall
to Attorney General Webb to take
charge of the legal administration of
Imperial county, on the ground that the
district attorney and most of the coun
| ty Officers are Ku Klux and untitled
thereby for further official responsible
ity.
| In reference to this movement, Dis
trict Attorney E. r. Simon said today
that he would gladly welcome any in
vestigation the attorney general may
l'see fit to make
| "Any allegation .of misconduct or
laxity in the district attorneys office
is wholly without foundation Simon
declared.
Judge Cole Against Klan
| Judge Cole was cited at length by a
Los Angeles paper as disposed to call
a grand jury and in favor of vigorous
investigation of reported Klan activ
tiles in this county. On this point,
Judge Cole said today:
| "Mv interest in the Ku Klux Klan
matter is purely official. So far as the
| agitation has become political or par
tisan l have nothing to do with it. How
ever, as judge of the superior court,
| deem it important that all of the agen-
cies of the court should be purged of
any secret influence which aims at
| interference with the orderly processes
of the law, which considers it justi-
fable under any stress of circum
| stances to go outside of the law or
which spreads any sort of propaganda
calculated to bring the law into dis
Irepute.
Gas I consider this fundamental, l
oppose and shall oppose the election to
office of any who admit being members
of the Klan or are known to be such
members.
"The reasons making it important
| that all officers of the court should
be free from any charge of secret or
invisible influence are very clear.
| Whenever for any reason whatever
| there is or seems to be a miscarriage
of justice, if the district attorneys of
flee or any of the other officers of the
court, are mVmbers of the Klan they
are open to the charge that the func-
tioning of the law has been impaired in
this way. The charge may be just or
unjust, but if the administration of the
1
fluence the officers are not able to ac-
quit themselves of charges which may
be brought against them and which re-
fleet disastrously upon the processes of
the law.
Calls Klan Un-American
Judgment in this matter is not per-
sonal at all. In my estimation there is
a principle involved with which there
can be no possible compromise and Ill
Inv position conscientious regard for my
/ oath and my duty under the constltu.
tion make it important that L should
let it be known that so far as am
able to make my understanding OF TINS
question effective there shall be no
basis for a charge that the function
ing of my court is subject directly or
remotely to any such unAmerlcan IN
fmence as | understand the Ku kluX
Klan to be.
Mccall Appeals to Webb
n. d. Mccall, claiming to act for inc
Imperial County Tax Payers assocla'
tion. has wired to Attorney General u
is. Webb, requesting him to take charge
of the district attorneys office III thls
county for the protection of the inter-
ests of the people.
The telegram incorporates the reso
utions passed by the Tax Payers asso-
citation at recent meeting and which
were published in the Press at the
time. These resolutions denounce all
lcounty Officers and candidates Tor
J, county office who are members OF the
so.called Ku Klux Klan. After review
mo these resolutions, Mr.. Mccall tel
epram to the attorney general contlh-
ueS:
Names Alleged Khan Offices
HsFindines of the California courts
have proven this position sound ant
have shown eonclusively that no pubHc
official can remain a member OF the
Ku Klux Klan and be true to his oath
of office.
"The district attorney, his chief
deputy, the sheriff and his chief dep
utV. the county clerk, county super
visor, some of our grand Jurymen, IT.
rigation district officials and members
of our school boards and the principal
candidates for most of these offices, IN
cIndinp the sheriff and district attor-
ney. have been listed as members of the
Ku Klux Klam, or as having made ap-
pieation for membership.
"Therefore, in view of the charges
made by reputable citizens of this
county that they had received threat
ening letters through the mails, that
others have been driven out of town,
that a reported case of embezzlement
, of public funds by man listed as
member of the Klan has not been pros
ecuted or Investigated, and that the
orderly funetioning of the school