Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1923-09-19
Ed T O RIAL
COMMENT
TIME FOR LEADING GEORGIA
DAILIES TO LIFT THE MASK
OF SILENCE.

most amazing Is tltE uItSl III
difference shown by the lead
ing daily newspapers of the
state-with the exception of The
Macon Telegraph-to the great
menace of Ku Kluxism right in
our midst and all around US.
They are having nothing to say
concerning this menace. Wheth-
er they regard it as of no i'm
portance or whether they are
timid concerning it we do not
undertake to Say, but the fact
remains that they are not saying
anything about it and save for
brief flutter on the part of The
Georgian in 1921, have never
done so.
We have before US five of
these papers of the same date,
September II, 1928, published
in four cities in Georgia each
larger than Columbus; and in
order to give some IDEA OF their
indifferences to this great NEIL
ace to law and order, we are
going to quote headlines over
editorials appearing in them on
that date.
In The Atlanta Journal: The
Music Clubs Concerts; ;" Hope
Dawns in the Ruhr;' The Lie
of the Party, (having reference
to politics), and "Boston's Air
port, and Atlanta
In the Atlanta Georgian:
"Critics of Birkenhead;' Re-
freshing,' (referring to the re-
turn to America of Russian
pianist) The Worst Enemy
referring to the hatred Of ma
tions in Europe) !; BUTTERFLY
the Stricken" (referring to the
disaster in Japan; "a Taxation
Point"
In the Augusta Chronicle:
Gov. Mcleod and the Negro"
"A Fair Yield of Cotton in This
Section and Good Price Means
Good Business;" "Burbanks Go
ing Into Retirement.
In the Savannah Press: Fiji
ty Years of Typewriting;" Bob
ed HAIR" "McAdoo's Explanat
tion;' "Is the Title in Danger?p
referring to the title Dempsey
holds as champion heavyweight
boxer.l
In The Macon News, published
in the hotbed of the most recent
flogging outrages: "Maine VS..
Georgia. 1.-THE Battling
Eclipse" "Ireland in the
League"
These newspapers are among
those which are supposed to
take the lead in any matter per-
tanning to the welfare of the
state, and yet they are saying
nothing about the greatest men
ace that has faced Georgia in
the history of the state. 1t is
different with dailies in the
smaller cities of the state. Sew
eral of them, notably The Cor
dele Dispatch and The Americas
Times-Recorder, are most pro-
nounced in their denunication
of the secret organization the
members of which recourse to a
mask and darkness in order to
administer their super-law.
What are We coming to when
the newspapers which are sup
posed to take the lead in
thought and action in the state
are clam-like in the face of the
lawless activities of a sinister
organization that threatens the
very foundation of our institu-
tions and the destruction and
constituted uthority?
All of these newspapers pro-
claim their advocacy of law
and order, but if they really de-
= sire to see law enforcement in
our country let them train their
editorial guns on this secret,
oath-bound organization, whose
hind cloaks and masks so that
even they themselves do not
know each other, showing what
they have already done and what
the result of their activities
eventually be unless they are
curbed and destroyed. For if
this organization is not "a law
less band, and in disguise at
that then there can be no law
less band.
Klansmen profess to be stick
lers for law and order; they
issue manifestos announcing
their adherence to the law and
to 100 per cent. Americanism,
and yet every deed they do is
done under cloak and hood and
the darkness of the night,
method utterly repugnant to
spirit of Americanism.
Are these Georgia newspapers
edited by men of unquestioned
ability and foresight, or weak
kneed that they fear to speak
out in behalf of the state and
Its people, is their silence an
endorsement of the Ku Klux
hlan and what it really stands
Tor? We should really like to
hear from, them, if they are
ready to remove the mask of sill
ence. .Ar,.