San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-20
|0KLAHOMANS
WOULD BAN
ALL: MASKS
Lawmakers Answer WAL
toms Taunt Of ''Klan
Legislature"
TO MEET WEDNESDAY
Governor "Crimes" Cited
in Charges Made by
Representatives.
KHAN cross BARRED
Executive Tells Authorities
to Tear Down EN-
blems Of Hatred"
KHAN cross BARRED
BY the Associated Press.

Oklahoma City. Sept. cO.-To fore
stall charges that the extraordinary
session of the Oklahoma legislature,
called to assemble next Wednesday, is
a "klan legislature" committee OF
seven state representatives issued a
statement today in which they dc
clared they advocated "a law prohib-
iting the wearing of masks, of masked
assemblages and of severe penalties
for any flogginss or mob violence oil
any form.'
A call for an extraordinary ses-
sion Of the lower house, to consider
series Of charges that Governor
Walton has taken unto himself the
powers of n despot and has supplant-
ed constitutional government with d
dictatorship, was issued early this
morning.
The call as made public by W. ID.
McBee, representative from stephens
county. bore the names of 40 house
members. with the promise that dur
ing the day the list would grow TO
a. cons ,.tuting majority of the
house.
Noon Of next Wednesday is the
hour fixed for the assembling of the
Lawmakers.
Walton's Threat Not Feared.
Representative McBee declared
that he anticipated no attempt by the
governor to carry out his threat TO
jail the legislators in the event that
they convened.
"The folly of attempting TO carry
out his threat to arrest members has
been made apparent TO him. He
realizes that the call is legal and
cannot be forestalled," McBee assert
ed.
At almost the same time the legls-
lativc call was promulgated. Governor
Walton appealed to the people of the
state in a proclamation to repudiate
the attempt of the lawmakers to as
semble, charging that those sponsor
ing the movement are "klan members
of the legislature, "inspired by the
Invisible Empire and aided by the
khan press"
1t was asserted by Representative
McBee that Governor Walton, in con-
junction with Murray +. Gibbons.
speaker of the house, was contemplate
ing the issuance of a call for special
session sin a last desperate effort.
with the hope that some of the boys
might be won over to his cause by
show of desire to remedy situa-
ton that he has created"
BEAT Governor To IT,"
McBee released the call drawn by
house members. he explained, to
"beat the governor to it,"
IL the special session of the house
is convened the members present will
sit as grand jurors to hear the evil
Ience against the governor Should
impeachment be voted. the case would
go 10 the senate, which would be res
Quired to convene and act as q
court.
The call for the session declared
that the time had come TO move o.
dlsprove charges openly made against
the GOV, rnor.
Civil government in some counties
is under the control of the ku klux
Khan and the only way TO stop law
lessness in the state is by use of the
military. Governor Walton declared in
his proclamation. dc ordered the re-
moval throughout the state of all
publicly displayed fiery crosses of the
klan.
Instructing civil and military au-
thorities to dismantle the klan en-
blems, where they are found, the
governor said:
1.-The Invisible Empire threatens
the sovereignty Of the state and is
the enemy of the state of Oklahoma.
Its flag is fiery cross. now high
aloft in many public places. eyincing
its encroachment upon the civil gov
eminent of this state. The cross is
an emblem of peace. Of amity and
order, and sacred to history: but the
fiery cross is the pagan emblem of
fear. hatred and rebellion.
Blames Khan For Floggings.
evidence procured by military
courts of inquiry proves that the khan
is responsible for beating and mutilat-
ing hundreds of persons in the state.
1t has the civil government of Tulsa
and elsewhere under its control. Be
cause of the organizations power. |
know Of no way-there is no way
CONTINUED on next page.)