San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-17

ficials that their organization should
shoulder responsibility for conditions
that brought on martial law in Tulsa
county.
Mcclure, who has been attempting
to negotiate peace treaty with Gov
ernor Walton on behalf of Tulsa
business men, under which troops
would be withdrawn from the coun.
ty, declared that the khan was to
blame for the floggings, religious
social and business intolerance" which
he said had split Tulsa "wide open
with dissension, fear and bigotry."
The khan, he asserted. "has brought
shame and disgrace to this ordinarily
peaceful and law-abiding community,
causing men to fear for their lives
or for a boycott against their bust
ness"
"Tulsa has been no different than
every other similar community in
America" he said. at is a progress.
sive city of 10000 people, yet, not
more than 3 or 4 per cent of that
population has sponsored and COM
United depredations that place Tulsa
in the American spotlight as a city
where law violations are committed
on a wholesale scale, wherep ublic of
ficials fail in the performance of their
duty and allow civil law enforcement
TO be destroyed. whose military rule
must be placed TO stop insurrection
and rebellion, where lawlessness
reigns without check or hinderance.
who suffers most because of this
state of affairs Not those who en-
gage in floggings, for they are pro-
tected by an invisible government. is
it, then, those whose backs bear the
lash welded by masked and cowardly
captors? Surely they share in the
suffering. But they are not alone.
The good citizenship of a progressive
city-the citizenship that comprises
alcost the city's population-must
bow its head as it realizes the outside
world believes it is responsible for the
conditions complined of.
"Yet they have taken no part in
floggings or similar law violations.
They have gone about their daily
pursuits ms usual. But they are not
entirely blameless, for by their lack
of opposition to the Ku Klux Khan
movement they have permitted a con-
dition to arise that has become a
nationwide peril TO American liberty
ind civilization. 1t does not affect
merely Tulsa.
Confidence in our courts has been
almost lost because floggers have not
been brought to justice and our evil
law enforcement agencies are in the
hands of the invisible empire. Citi-
zens Of the underworld. whose cons.i-
tutional rights should always be
granted. are whipped and assailants
are protected. Yet among those same
assailants and the men who protect
them are perhaps greater criminals
than those whose backs are laid open.
Frequently we hear the cry that law
enforcement has broken down. 1t
comes mainly from Ku Klux Klan
sympathizers. How absurd is such
a charge! Here in Tulsa our court
house and our city hall are practi-
cally filled with members of the klan,
elected to office with khan support.
This cry not only indicates the
officers. but the Ku Klux Khan as
well. IL law enforcement has broken
down. whose faul tbs it? / am conf
PEELED to wonder whether the khan
really wants efficient law enforcement
through legally constituted civil
agencies or il it prefers to talse mob
law into its own hands and deal out
midnight justice.
IF law enforcement has broken
down with klansmen holding the prin-
- =
complete change and it cannot come
soon enough.
1.-THE Ku Klux Khan has denied
with any. floggings that
have occurred in the past two years.
| am not convinced this is true. But
rven If it is the khan is accessory IN
every flogging in the United States.
Il trained its members in the afro
rious practice and gave the idea of
masked retribution TO every other
citizen.
"And today every flogging is laid
1t the door of the khan. If there is
my possible need for the Ku Klux
Klan il could be nothing greater than
% assist in law enforcement nv helm?
ng the duly elected public officials"
Mnskp and Robes Unnecessary.
"No masks or robes are needed for
his task 1t requires no reign Of
error or masked parades that stir UP
'trife and add to an already menacing
tate of discussion. Tho Ku Kluy |
llan with its masks and robes and
might not have been ont |
f place in the Dark Ages. but surely |
( hns no place in our enlightened |
utilization of TODAY. 7 say that the
Ian is the worst blight ever Known
n American history and should throw
way masks and disband.-
80
"Pav as Won CO. sid The .srinus MN.