The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-25
Whether Most DignifIed Body In The World Wishes Or Not, The MayfieId Election Will Make Such The Case
REPUBLICANS NOT EAGER TO MAKE TEXAN AN ISSUE
Will Try To Confine Trial To The Phase Involving The Amount Of Money Spent
 In His Election To Office
By RAYMOND CHAPTER UIeased Wire to The Age-Herald)


 WASHINGTON. Nov. 24.--The specter of the Ku K1ux Klan, which now has a good many politicians shaking in their shoes, is stalking straight toward the United States chamber. The klan issue. which promises to affect many states, in cluding a number of northern ones in the coming election, is to be dropped squarely in the middle of the political stage immediately upon the reassembling of Congress, when the effort to oust Senator-elect Mayfield r of Texas will begin.
 When the petition against Mayfield was filed just before the adjustment of Congress last March, the klan was still effective chiefly in the south. Since then, it has spread like wild fire over middle western states nota- bly Indiana, Ohio, Kansas and neigh boring spots. Last March the repuo licans were ready to get behind the fight against Mayfield in order 70 hang A New berry 4ca@or on the demo crats and take the curse off of the republican record.
 Considerable Cooling off.
 But meantime there has been considerable cooling off in the eager ness of republicans to make an issue of Mayfield. Last spring Senator Dil- lingham of Vermont was chairman of the senate committee on privileges and elections, which will investigate the circumstances surrounding May fields nomination and election. Dill iingham has died meanwhile, and Spencer of Missouri is next in line for the chairmanship. He comes from section where the klan is active. | v f.E Ts,fI Ilra is one of the most influential repub- iican members of the committee, and Watson, who has just indicated his intention of getting into the race for the presidential nomination, comes from state which has every large klan organization. Other members are Wadsworth of New York, Edge of New Jersey, Shortridge of California, Ern- est of Kentucky, Bursum of new Mexico, Reed of Missouri, Walsh ot Montana, King of Utah and Ashurst of Arizona. Walsh is Catholic and anti klan, of course. The others have strong klan factions in their own states to reckon with. Edge is said to be trying to get off of the committee.
 There are two vacancies on the committee that must be filled, one repub blican and one democratic. h. asmuch as the recommendation of this committee on Mayfield's case will be of the utmost concern to the klan, hard fight over the filling of these two places is certain.
 O Q 0
 Will Move Slowly.
 Republicans, who will have to take the responsibility for whatever action results, will go slowly. There will be strong disposition to dodge the whole question. In fact, they are making every effort to place the fa1I Ctr~in tltr fna aa1 basis whereby they will have to con slider only the amount which was eX- pended in his nomination and elec- tion Of course, it will be impossi- ble to confine the fight to this phase, because every one knows that in the background the klan question is up- permost and that the verdict on May field will be construed not only as affecting Mayfield, but as verdict on the political activities Of the masked order. Some democrats, mo- tably Heflin of Alabama, are threat ening to retaliate by contestinS Lodges close election in Massachu7 setts last year.
 Briefly, Mayfield's opponent for the Texas senate seat, George Teddy, charges that
 Peddy's name was illegally kept off of the ballot; that of 175,00O votes cast for him. only 130, 0G0 were count ed; that Mayfields name was ille- gally placed on the ballot because he and his alleged o-conspirators yio- lated the primary laws; that May field and his associates, including the klan, spent over $150, 900 in the Texas primary election, when the law limits expenditures to S10,000; that May field and others. including members of the klan, entered into conspiracy to violate the election laws and did violate them, and that Mayfield was party to immoral and illegal prac- tices by the klan."
 Mayfield claims to have resigned from the klan before his election. He has characterized the charges. filed against him as false from begin ming to end. He retorts that two Texas Oil men swore to having con tributed $35,000 each to ,Peddy's cam paign.
 One of the active leaders in the fight against Mayfield Is R. B. Creager of Brownsville, close per sonal friend of the late President Harding. At Creager's request Harding wrote a letter indorsing Teddy just before the Texas election a year ago..