Evening star., 1923-10-11
GOV. WALTON LIFTS.
MARTIAL LAW AS
LEGISLATORS MEET
Executive, Denouncing KIan,
Fails to Appear in Per-
son at Session.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla, October II.
Martial law. in effect throughout
Oklahoma since September Is. was
lifted by Gov. ]. c. Walton, in a proc
lamation made public today.
The proclamation returns full au-
thority TO all civil officers.
The Oklahoma legislature, called
into extraordinary session convened
today. The house was called to order
at Oil am. by D. A. Stovall. repre-
sentative from Choctaw county, who
was chosen majority floor leader at a
caucus last night.
A few minutes later the senate con-
cessed for a joint session TO receive
the message Of the governor.
A committee of the joint session in
formed Gov Walton that the legisla-
ture was ready to hear him. The
governor did not appear personally,
however, and Aldrich Blake, executive
counselor. brought the message TO
the joint assembly and delivered it
to the clerk OF the senate.
The clerk then began reading the
message.
Attacks Klan in Address.
In his address the executive charged
the Klan with responsibility for hun
dreds of outrages and punctuated his
remarks by laying before the law
makers transcripts of all testimony
adduced by military courts of inquiry,
-.
tial law, investigated mob violence
and. masked depredations in various
parts of the state. He requested the
Legislators to examine the record and
then publish 1t.
This all-powerful and most de-
moralizing .supergovernment' is un-
dermining the very corner stone and
foundation of our government and
sappjng the lifeblood of our citizen
ship" Gov. Walton declared. 1T must
either be killed or the government
itself must finally give away to an
archy and revolution. There is no
alternative or middle ground"
The governor reviewed at length
the chain of events which have kept
the state in turmoil for a month and
concluded his message with plea
that the legislature Immediately pass
a bill, which he himself has prepared,
that the people may be protected
forever in their person. property and
fundamental liberties"
Conflict Must Close.
1.-The conflict between the visible and
invisible government must be brought
to close with complete victory for
the visible government or Oklahoma will
face indefinite turmoil and strife. the
results of which are bound 10 be dis
astrous," he said. This invisible, in
sidious and terrorizing empire repre-
sents in an exaggerated form fear,
falsehood and religious hatred which is
fully exempiified from its operations"
he said. "It ought to be apparent now
to all citizens that the people Of this
state will not cravenly submit to the in
violence of hooded organization which
operates in the dark and whose MEM
bership is secret. Racial and religious
bigotry and mob violence are unthink-
able when practiced in the open-they
become tratorously and wickedly so
when hidden behind the un-American
mask
McBee Elected Speaker.
The bill submitted he referred to as
complete and adequate to meet every
exigency and contingency. This law
provides for unnaSking all citizens and
compeis secret organizations to publish
a list of their memberships as we'll"
w. D. McBee, democrat, was elected
speaker of the house over Leslie Salter,
republican.