The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-10-07
PRESS ON OKLAHOMA MIx.uP

Walton and adherents of the Ku Klux Klan. "A community which has tc accept a Walton to fight klanism CT klanism to fight the evils represented by Walton Is not healthy state,'' D says the Chicago Tribune, while the Kansas City Times is moved to ex- press its feelings thus, 'It is a pitia- ble spectacle in which Oklahoma finds itself, this thing of being the horrible example for the nation in the matter of bad government; her statesm n turned gunmen and her leaders trans- forming orderly government into a riot of disorderly conduct"
 Perhaps the major portion of press criticism, however, is leveled at the governor 'of the state. Governor Walton shows all the earmarks of the old Roman emperors sporting with of ficial power" says the Kansas City Star, while the Chicago Tribune again observes: "On the surface of the sit uation it would seem that Walton represented the lesser of the two evils. He himself, at any rate, is a sensation of the hour and will soon be on his way to oblivion. But, like klanism, Walton represents failure of Ameri- can intelligence repeatedly exhibited in every district. He has risen to power by playing upon ignorance and selfish political faction and radical discontent." The Washington Post places as much blame on one side as on the other, saying: "At this distance and through the murk of conflict it is difficult to tell what it is all about. But this much is clear, that the klan elements have been playing fast and loose with law and order in that com monwealth and that, in opposition, the governor has erected himself into A one-man power that staggers the be- holder" and the Post adds: "Okla- homa is now learning that one cannot play with fiery cross without get ting burnt and that, when a hooded terror enters, law and order flies out at the window-or to arms"
 Much of the editorial discussion of recent days is given to explanation of the court and legal controversies ir- volved, although all admit the diff culty of seeing clearly because of the conflicting series of injunctions and other legal steps taken by the two sides in connection with the attempt to assemble the legislature in spite of Governor Walton's opposition. "With- in and without the courts" says the New Orleans Times-Picayune, "ma- neuvers and counter maneuvers have followed one another so swiftly these past few days that it is doubtful whether anybody in or outside of Oklahoma has perfectly clear idea of the situation and the merits thereof. Probably it will take the courts them selves long, long time to harvest the crop of litigation. And in all likelihood it will take even longer to clear the heads of the furious Okla homa partisans. There must be sane, sober and reasoning element mingled with the other elements of Oklahoma citizenship, but seemingly it has found no spokesman-or else their voices cannot be heard above the tumult, shouting and fury of the other clements"
 The Knoxville Sentinel, which has devoted much space to discussion of the Oklahoma affair in connection with the mob outbreak in North Caro- lima, is not impressed by those who say the legislature has no authority to meet without Governor Walton's per mission. Aside from and indepen- dently of Oklahoma's fundamental law" says the Sentinel, whatever it may be, the United States constitu- tion guarantees to every state in the Union republican form of govern ment; it guarantees the right of the people peaceably to assemble;' it guarantees freedom of speech and free press;' it declares that the citi- zens of each state shall be entitled ta all the privileges and immhnities of citizens in the several states and it enjoins that no state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States The federal constitution is paramount to the Okla homa instrument, whatever it may be. hence, if the people of that state or any part of them are denied the right to peaceably assemble by their consti- tuition, it is in conflict with the para mount law and is null and void to that extent"
 The Chattanooga Times draws a moral for the whole South from re- cent events when 1t says: "The one outstanding and unavoidable obliga- ton resting upon the Southern states is to lay this increasingly fearsome mob spirit and to demand that all laws made for the protection of the citizen in his right to life and the ut