The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1923-12-13
Klan Presents
Silken Banner to
Hattiesburg Schools
White Robed Figures Parade Thru
Business Ssctisn BEHIND Fiery
Csoss.-

MISSISSIPPI wlnOS To-Day, uiaHAAHo'ii
silken flag, the Stars and Stripes,
underneath which is suspended huge
electric fiery cross, typifying the or
panization which, on Saturday night
gave the city it's first view OF a
Ku Klux Klan parade in nearly two
years, and which presented the pole
and banner to the school.
Saturday nights affair was OF more
than local interest, owing to the
fact that it marks movement which,
it is intended, will spread through
out the State, which will result IN
the Knights of the ku klux klan
presenting every public school not al
ready having one in its possession
an American flag.
Tho ceremonies on Saturday were
imnressive, and were viewed py De-
4,veer 1000 and 1000 citizens OF the
c;tv and the county. Between 4Oo ana
sso Klansmen. men and women, In the
flowing robes of the fraternity, par
t;cipated in the parade and TIC cere-
monies which followed. From Col.
r. S. Ward, grand dragon OF tne
realm of Mississippi, down to a NIUE
s-year-old girl, with her tiny ""'e
robe and her hooded cowl, nearly
every age was represented.
IT was Hattiesburg's first oppof-
tunity to see X. X. h. parade ai'o
attend one of the organization cere-
monies. in nearly two years. Inc
citv was athrill with the prospects
for hours before the Klansmen were
scheduled to appear and start on
their march. From Front street 10
the High School, Main street ON oo'h
sides was lined, four and 1--WE rows
deem with spectators, who waited
for more than an hour, the appear
ance of the members of the secre.
order.
y, grouns of one and two dozen,
men, and .gssnaen,. shertl-1. alter> s
o'clock. began entering the Court
uouse TO emerge later, into the hails
a,,d the wards. in their hooded uni
forms with their faces ooscureo'
Within As minutes, the precesslo"
left the Court House, going TO the
Post Office by way of Forrest street.
.hence out West Pine to Nam, down
Main TO East Front street, to Moo'le
street. to East Pine. and again 10
MI, street. and than out that thor
,uyhfare to the High School buiidihg'
dunn corps headed the pfeces-
s;on followed by flag bearer car
wing the Stars and Stripes, with an
escort of two. Then came Col. "aro'
tho hiehest ruler of the klan in Mis-
sissippi. and on his heels trudgeo
l;+t,a 6-year-old girl in her immature
reealia, to be followed by the hoooeo
fi@pres of the officers of the Hat''eS-
burg Klan. w.,
rbe Ladies Of the ku KluX Khan
we're next in line, and they were mn
15,edjatelv in front of tF'elr male
Xlan brothers.
At the High School, the procession
halted. and between 1900 and 4'ooo
persons ianlmed the grounds ana the
streets surrounding the school,
The durm corps brought the pE9-
session to halt. and the throngs
led BY the Elansmen and Their ~o-
men associates. sang, "fae stal
s angled Banner" and "Amerlca'
afser which the Rev. ]. 6 Legget'a
nastor 6f the Main Street Methodist
church. gave a PRAYER.
John r. Tally, president q th7
hoard Of trustees Of the scheol, briefly
Introduced Col Ward, who told Jhe
.dienee the object of the needing
sxplaining that the purposes o1 tn
XII KIux Khan are to instill American
ism in every heart. 1--WE want To
bring home to the youth Of MISSISSIPPI
and of the country, the necessity for
loving the flag which we are TO raise
here tonight The presentation wlli
represent only one Of many which
are to be made in Mississippi just
as soon as the organizations IN the
different communities announce they
are ready to begin"
Mr.. Tally accepted the flag and
the staff on behalf of the trustees OF
the school. and of the city In a
glowing tribute to the fraternity, he
declared that its purposes We're, IN
she Language Of Theodore Roosevelt
70 make Of America "a country of
one people. one flag. and one tongue,
AT its coSrls,sisa Che flag, was
raised 20 the top of the mast, asSl
he Kiansinen returnedest5 tsle elir'
House where they disfobes