The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-10-14
KHAN MUST GO, :" STATES DEPOSE ] ATTORNEY BLAKE
Men FaVoring Allegiance To Empire" Controlled Leg
 iSIature, He Says

E1lplIe COIltTOlleu 'Leg-
 iSIature, He Says
 (Continued From Page one) pore, functioning through dragons and cyclops who receive their orders from Atlanta, Ga.
 Sees No Middle Ground.
 This issue is now defined in Ok lahoms and there is no middle ground.
 "on July Is. 1923, I was offered counsel for the governor of this state. For months I had warned the governor against the operations of this hooded order, called the Ku Klux Klan. Not only had l read the hundreds of letters complaining against mob violence, but I had seen the most sinister attempt made to fill the capitol and state institutions with men who favor allegiance to the Empire I saw a legislature, supposed to be filled with represen- tatives of sovereign people, docily tbmit whenever the affairs of the Empire were at stake.
 "This legislature gave the health department the greatest appropria- llOH III US nlSlOIy anu lHt hIdn fl6 6ln- bers boasted that they put this over because the health cCmmi ssioner was klansman. You had but to be a klansman and all was well.
 "On August 14, the battle opened when the governor placed Tulsa county under martial law. From the beginning I urged a straight out fight on the klan. I had hoped to see this fight conducted on a high Al, 4l. mated, but this soon became impos- sible. A huge accumulation of po- litical entanglements and embarrass- ments and acts Of administration de- tail which I have been powerless to prevent. together with a number of extemporaneous interviews given by the governor to newspaper men, ral- lied his political enemies. Side is- sues of every conceivable nature were injected into the fight, while the governor himself was surrounded by advisers and appointees who diff fered on the fundamental question as tC who should rule
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 Blames klnn For Dismissal.
 All men have their limitations. and in no unfriendly spirit l must say that the governor also is a man of Limitations It became rapidly
 
 entire anti-klan forces. Retreat for the governor was necessary. Others of his advisors convinced him that my fight against the klan was not in the best intereste of his admin istration and he was finally pre- of my position as chief counsellor. This, of course, was his own affair and I have no criticism to offer. l had tried to serve Governor Walton intelligently, industriously and hon. estly and with the utmost loyalty, bearing always in mind that a pub lie official ewes a higher duty to the people of the state than to any single individual. In performing the service I was obliged to say things and give advice which often pained me, but I was dealing with the per sonality of J. C. Walton and had to be governed accordingly.
 "The klan fight must still go on. With the personal issue at last elim- mated the path is clear. The klan already stands condemned by public Hopini oneYilr OklahC ma.s It now re- mains to translate that public opin- ion into law and to see that the laws are enforced.
 q am glad to be free to continue the fight unhampered ~and l now promise that it twill be carried into evary precinct in the state. As a public official I am proud of my part in this vital struggle to crush the invisible empire. As a private citi- zen, I am only toe eager to do what I can to rally the anti-klan forces and to save the state from rule by hooded mobs and secret organiza- tions."
 OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla, Oct. 13.- (By Associated Press. )-Oklahom legislative situation tonight assumed the proportions of 3. bitter political controversy, with forces of Gov. J. C. Walton girding to combat an i'm peachment act instituted by the low CT house of the statelegislature
 Having already thrown aside his most prominent administration ad- visers-Aldrich Blake, the executive counsellor, and Dr. E. T. Bynum state bank. commissioner-the gov ernor now is said in official quar- ters to be building an organization by which he hopes to split the ranks of his legislative opponents.
 While the executive nemself re- fused to outline his plans, it is ru- mored that his supporters have pre- pared a definite campaign and only are awaiting the reconvening of the legislature Monday to launch theil defensive.
 Meanwhile Clifford w. King. ar assistant to the attorney general whom the governor appointed today will act as the executives personal adviser.
 No successor to the former bank commissioner has been named.
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 Statements Issued.
 Both Blake and Bynum issued statements today attacking the gov ernor for his recent official activi- ties. The former executive counsel Tor declared that he had been busted because the governor had been de feated in his fight against the Kr Klux Klan, but that despite his re- moval he intended to carry the anti klan campaign into every precinct in the state."
 The house committee appointed tC investigate impeachable offenses al legged to have been committed by va rious state officials continued it's ses- sion today and examined more thar a score of witnesses. Several of the governors special agents, including Buck Garrett and Zack Mulhall, were called before the committee, as were also a number of local business mer and bankers.
 THEOLOGICAL SCHOOL IN NEED OF STUDENTS