The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-07-08
KU KLUX KHAN IS NO LONGER DISTINCTIVELY SOUTHERN

hO hLOA MAN lJ NV AOA'NA-A~
 DISTINCTIVELY SOUTHERN
 In spite of attacks made on it, the Ku Klux Klan continues to increase it's membership, and it is now one of the strongest secret organiza- tions in the country. Rdcule has not impeded it's growth, and attempts to break it up with the assistance of city, state and federal author ities, have met with failure.
 Naturally there is much curiosity as to what are the purposes of the klan and the motives behind it. The original Ku Klux Klan was dis tinctivey southern order, created to cope with negroes and carpetbaggers during the stormy reconstruction days. It served a useful purpose then, although eventually it was used as cloak for lawess bands whose crimes resulted in the disbandng of the klan.
 Nearly 50 years later it is revived, stronger than ever, and no longer confined to the south. To southern people who recall the period of time following the Civil war it seems strange indeed to read of the "fiery cross" being ried through the New England states, home of the abolitionists; in the north, the central west and even to the Pacific coast. The exact mem bership of the klan is known only to klan off, ficials themselves, but it must run up into the hundreds of thousands. It was claimed before the congressional investigation of the khan that it had 100000 members
 No one who is not a member of the Ku Klux klan is in position to say what its real objects are and how it is being used Possibly one ex- planation of the rapid growth of the organiza- tion lies in the activity of racial groups during the World war, and the influx of negroes into northern states. Anglo-Saxon stock, through out the United States, and particularly in the south, where it predominates, was thoroughly incensed by the unpatriotic attitude of the ''hy- phenates." In this part of the country also, it was rumored that German sympathzers were trying to foment uprsings among the negroes. To the credit of our negro citizens, it should be said that they remained loyal.
 Nevertheless the World war created unset of patriotism among the American people everywhere, and the creed of the Ku Klux Klan appealed to the sympathies of many Americans who felt that a powerful secret organization was the most effective way to combat the n- fluences seeking to undermine American insti- tutions. Be that it may, the klan in Bir- mingham and Alabama number some of the most prominent citizens among it's members On January 1, 1922, it is claimed in book entitled "Story of the Ku Klux Klan," written by Col Winfield Jones, a Washington correspondent that there were 1,50O chartered klans in the United States, with more than 1O0, ,O00 initiated members and waiting list of 100000 persons who had applied for membership In Birming- ham and Alabama the klan has never been been charged with such offenses, and there is no doubt that it's regalia and the practice of wearing masks encourages lawless persons to commit crimes
 It is rather significant that the congressional investigation of the Ku Klux Klan came to nothing. The attempt of the New York World to "expose" the ,klan made little or no impress sion on Washington. It would be interesting to know what went on behind the scenes dur ing the investigation. Congress showed plainly that it preferred to let the klan alone That has been the attitude of city and state governments, with few exceptions.
 In Birmingham the klan has met with strong opposition from the Bar association. An effort was made to have an ordinance passed prohib- iting masked parades, which was aimed at the bad in its influence opinion as to that being