The call of the North. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1923-1924, 1923-12-05
(By Carroll Gigliotti, D. &c., L,

number Of people, seem interested in
the phenomenal spread Of the order Of
the Ku Klux Khan. It is reported to
have, all over the country, a mem.
bership Of over five million, that is
the largest membership of any Sc.
cret order which was ever ogranized
in this country. The Masonic order
never had membership in excess OF
three million, and the Knights OF
Columbus hardly reached five hun
dred thousand up to the time the Eu-
ropean war broke out. With the in
crease due to war propaganda and
the expenditure of almost thirty mil
lions, secured as its share of war
charities, the latter fraternity may
have reached, by this time, a mem
bership of three quarters of a mil
lion. - y. .A-
The press. interested in subscrib-
ers more than in pprinciples, has
fought the Kan. Churches, with few
exceptions, have fought it. Politicians
fearful of the influence the new DOW
er may exercise in elections and pub
lie life of the country, have fought it.
Even those who were willing at first
to be sympathetic, have been trans
formed themselves, either in indiffer-
emit byStanders or in open~antagonists
OF the new fraternity. In spite of
all this, the Khan has increased to
undreamed of proportions. Why I?
Because the general public is dissat-
isfied and hopes relief in any change,
or in any new influence, which may
be instrumental in bringing it forth.
Newspapers are full of alarming
reports, about collision between poll
tics and justice. Big politicians are
at the service of big corporations and
strive to give them increased power.
The general public, be it made out of
middle class men or of farmers, is
badly used up. Conditions are be-
coming worse every day. What
should people do to change them I?
Rely on laws which have been in
force for years and have merely sue
ceeded in increasing the number of
crooks and in causing the cost of
living to climb sky high?
The attorney for the insurance
trust, a former governor of the state
of Illinois, and a former states at
torney, has tried to save insurance
companies the payment of back tax
es, following decision of the Su-
preme Court Of the state which
makes them legal, on the ground that
all profits have been paid out of div
idends and that to force insurance
companies to pay back taxes would
be equivalent to putting them out of
business.
When private individuals are forced
to pay back taxes following unfavor-
able court rulings, we do not see why
corporations should be exempted from
the payment of same only because
the equivalent amount was distribut-
ed to stockholders as dividends. Stock
holders may not get a dividend for
some time to come, and make up the
deficiency, same as private citizens
or mere political experts would be
forced to do.
Politicians are appointed to serve
corporations not because of their pro-
fessional ability, but because of their
influence. Pay-rollers are scattered
all over the country and it is COM
paratively easy to place a friend or
two in a jury. Citizens are generally
afraid to antagonize big business, or
big political leaders, and our juries
must be unanimous in order to decide
an ISIS ue. Acquittal is, therefore, the
inevitable outcome of every political
trial. Political lawyers get big fees
out of their clients and the general
public is forced to foot the BILL. Un-
rest and dissatisfaction are a mere
consequence of political conditions and
the desire of change is almost gen.
eral.
We are poorly governed. News
papers claim that we have a govern
ment of laws. In theory, we have.
In practice, we have a government Of
crooks. They are intrenched in pub
lie life and are constituencies. They
associate with the worst element of
the population of the country and
are unwilling to surrender the adj