The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-11-21
kU NUx KHAN WAR LAUNCHED
 IN LOUISIANA
Gov. Parker In Battle to Rout Organization From Its Stronghold.
(Copyright 1922 by International
 tiOnaI News SerYice.l

uOnal News Serv1ce.)
 S.)-Governor John M. Parker of
 Louisiana, today proclaimed "war
 to the finish'' on the Ku Klux
 Klan in his state. Denied aid
 from the federal government,
 Parker said he will return to Ba
 ton Rouge tonight, don his fight
 ing clothes, and use all the re
 sources, financial and legal. with
 Tn his power as chief executive to
 rout the KIan from its strongly
 entrenclled position of dominance
 in Louisiana's political affairs.
 "A man is a damnable coward to attach himself to such an organiza- ton and remain within it as one of its active forces" Gov. Parker said to- day. Tt is now my solemn duty to whip them Louisiana will soon people of the state are behind ne, and I know I will win. Masked men who go about taking the law into tuttonal authority. must go. if 1t takes all the power that the common wealth of Louisiana vests in it's gov ernor to attain that end.
 Menace to Civilization.
 'If we permit such organizations as the Ku Klux Klan to continue their reign of terror, we might as well ad init that our civilization is totterins. not only in Louisiana, but in all states where this organization has become a curse to fight it with all their might. They must do so If they are If we permit it to reign, our consti tutional authority will becom e a myth. and the law will be in the hands of a mob of towards, out 10 of some fancfed private grievance.
 'fThe shocking instances of the work of the ku Klux Klan in m. state are proof enough it has n, T11o in fI1a TTni% %od
 Cold B1ooded Murders.
 "Men have been murdered in coI<i blood. others have. disappeared mys te-ious1y and may now be dead. while still others have been maimed.
 "A sixty-f year old man. only a step from the grave, was taken out by a mob of these towards and mer- ciless1y beaten. In one community records for moral uprfghtness, were seized by members of the Klan, soon disappeared from sight, and are now supposed to be dead.
 "A widow and three young children of one of them, are left to grieve while none has stepped forward to l suggest Justification for the mob's ruthless act In another instance. | three men were taken from their homes in the night and severely beaten. These cases have been null tiplying. There must be an end to it. Society demands that we in authority My problem is not an easy one, as the K1an works behind a mask and in the dark. I am seeking CO., operation to meet the situation fin the most effective way. and cope with the menace that has suddenly become very real. If we could have some help from the several states and from the Federal government the matter deIving to the bottom of the rotten mess would be made easier. Expects Outside Aid. ''We expect help from some of the states. similarly afflicted. like we. with this cancer, Daradfng as a secret society," In dealing with the local srr- uation the organization must be cut off from outside assistance. We are going to tackle the thing from all angles, and make a good job of it be- fore we are through"
 Governor Parker today continued his conferences with Senators and Representatives from Louisiana His mission to Washington has stirred uP a TOW within the Louisiana deaesa- ton Several members are said to be in sympathy with the Ku Klux Klan and have sharply criticized the exec utive. The governor has not abandon ed hope of getting aid from the De partment of Justice Attorney Gen eral Daugherty is said to have prom ised to consider the question Of as signing special agents to investigate the interstate activities of members pf the K1an in states bordering Louis lana.
 Governor Parker reported that the KFan has become more active fin his state through the operations or Klansmen from Texas and Arkansas. who venture across the border. com init depredaGons. and retire to their own states, where they are said to have the protection of their own local officials.