The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1922-04-26
AN OFFICER WHO SCORNS
THE KLUX ASSISTANCE

The Ku-Klux Khan is not combining
it's grotesque and silly publicity
stunts to the South altogether. 1t is
"pulling" a lot of that sort of stuff
here and there, at other points
throughout the nation-wherever It
can get together an audience of one
sort and another.
The other night, son top of a
mountain visible from Patterson, N.
J." one of it's "faming stunts"
was held. The idea in "the flaming
cross stunt" is to get on a high hill
somewhere and wave these things a.
round so as to give as much mystery
and spectacular effect to whatever it
is that is going on as may be-and
then start the solicitation crew out
to see how many new members may
be rounded up at $40 each-don't
forget the SlU c
The New Jersey "stunt" was &C
companied by a proclamation, circu-
lated around the neighborhood, to the
effect that the Ku-Klux Klan is an
organization that would not for a
minute tolerate religious or race
hatred"-but leaving it up to every
one to believe that or no, just as he
might elect, until he got on the in
side and found out the real truth.
The proclamation then went on to
say that the organization proposed to
"stand four-square behind the ofic-
ers of the law in the ful6llment of
their duties"-but it failed to give
the names of the militant members
proposing. The idea seemed to be
that they would "stand behind" with
out disclosing their identity and help
enforce the law behind masks, cowls,
shrouds, etc.
The prosecuting attorney of the
district, however, does not seem. to
have been unduly impressed by the
proclaimed lofty and patriotic pur-
poses of the organization. After the
"stunt" had been pulled" he took
occasion to say that he has no knowl-
edge of the existence, really, Of a
khan in his district; that the "spec-
tacle" held forth on the mountain
top might or might not be a real Ku-
Klux Klan affair; but, whether it was
or no, he isn't. looking for any such
assistance as that in the execution of
his duty. He says that he will look
after the administration of the law
in his community, as he has been com
missioned and sworn to do, prosecut-
ing to the full extent ALL persons
who violate it-including societies
and organizations, as we'll as individ-
uals.
To quote the prosecuting. attorney
directly he says: "The proper place
for the punishment of crime by in
dividuals is in the COURTS, and not
in secret order societies. No individ-
ual has the right to take the law into
his own hands," And, he might have
added, when the taking is effected in
secret, behind masks and cowls and
shrouds.
The reason why the Ku-Klux Khan
is going to pieces and the reason why
it is finding it necessary to resort
more and more to cheap forms of
spectacular publicity" is because,
as The Georgian and American re-
peatedly has said, there is no place
for it, no necessity for it, no use for
it in our present scheme of civiliza-
ton.
We shall make more and swifter
progress toward better things with
out the Ku-Klux Khan than we ever
may hope to make with it; and that
is the reason why it is on the verge
of collapse-that is the eason why it
is about to "play OUT not only as a
money-making scheme, but as what
ever else its a%pologists loftily claim
it to be.-Atlanta Georgian.
DR.. Charles P. Stelnmetz of Sche-
nectady, a scientist whose authority
is we'll established, declares that the