San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-25
Probable That Both Par
ties Will Have to Face
1t in Platforms.
CAN'T BE AVOIDED
Those Opposed to Ku Klux
Certain to Demand
Denunciation.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Copyright, by the San Antonio Light.
Washington, ID. C., Sent. 25.-The
Ku Klux Khan will evidently be an
issue before the Republican and
Democratic national conventions.
Politicians reluctantly have come
to that conclusion after receiving re-
ports from various parts of the Union.
II will be agitated not by those who
favor the principles of ku kluxlsm
but by those who oppose the idea.
And naturally the opponents will not
be permitted to have things their
own way for both conventions viii
number among their delegates MEN
who are actually affiliated with the
Ku Klux Khan. ).
The difficulty Of avoiding or side
stepping the Issue has been fully dis
cussed in the inner councils Of politi-
cal leaders. but it seems apparent
that the various people who are op-
posed by the Ku Klux Khan will
demand denunciatory resolutions as
the price of their continued support.
Negroes Are a Factor.
The situation in the Republican
party arises out Of the fact that the
Republican vote in some pivotal
northern states has been increased
since 1920 by hundreds of thousands
of negro voters who have migrated
northward. They are demanding that
the Republican party denounce not
only lynch law. but all forms Of law
lessness and all operations OF secret,
oath-bound organizations.
The Democratic party receives much
of its support in the populous states
of New York, Massachusetts. New
Jersey where Catholic societies are
well organized and can WELD con-
siderable political power. The party
that denounces the Ku Klux Khan
will make strong bid for the IRISH
Catholic vote which was strong
enough in 1920 to swing several
states on the League of Nations is
sue. for instance. which so many of
the Irish-Americans violently opposed.
The fact that the Irish-Catholic vote
! will leave the Democratic party il
the issue is serious enough has been
demonstrated with sufficient proof to
make the Democratic leaders wary
about ignoring that element in the
| party.
Affect Choice Of Candidates.
| The Ku Klux Khan issue is so much
of a factor already that it may even
have an influence on the choice of
| candidates. There are rumors, for
instance. that friends Of Senator
Oscar Underwood are urging him to
take the leadership in opposing the
Ku Klux Klan, contending that since
he comes from the south, his opposi-
ton will be even more weighty than
might otherwise be the case.
The growth of the Ku Eiux Khan in
the three years since me 1920 con-
vcntion has been so widespread that
political leaders have no basis of
comparison with other years. There
are always movements in every COLI
vention to denounce things, but the
Ku Klux Klan in 1920 was relatively
a negligible factor in national poll
tics. Should an effort be made in tho
| platform committees of either party
to squelch the question without any
expression whatsoever. it seems GER
tain that the issue will be raised from
the floor. Reports received by some
of the party leaders here indicates
that both political parties will be
challenged TO say something on the
question which will in substance seek
to compel the Ku Klux Klan to throw
off its mask and conduct its cam
paigns in the open like other social.
political or religious organizations.