Evening star., 1923-11-27

The impeachment of Gov. Jack Wal
in the opinion Of the majority of edi-
tors. who feel that Oklahoma has only
begun the general housecleantng
that will be necessary to bring about
law and order. Granting the incom-
potency of Gov. Walton for the office,
these editors think the outcome is
merely an incident in the general
movement of the Ku Klux Klan to get
complete control of the political ma
chinery of the nation.
This thought is particularly EN-
phasized by the Buffalo News. which
feels the masked missionaries have
i issued their challenge. and 1t IS
challenge which soon or late must be
met, for the tenets of faith which II
propagates have no place in Ameri-
can life" The Boston Transcript ex-
claims: THE king is no more; let
/ Oklahoma now dethrone the Klan. 1t
is the only decent thing to do. Like
wise. the New York Post declares the
governors removal is victory for
law over force and abuse Of official
Come is tempered by the realization
| of the part played in 1t, however ie-
galIy. by the klan, and now II is
Oklahoma's task to see that the Man
| Is equally powerless to place upon
her the stigma of inability to guar :,
antee equal rights to all her citizens.
Though walton's removal seemed JUS
tilted "he was not the only one that
was guilty" continued the Wichita
Beacon, because oklahoma Will 90
we'll to look in another direction ana
clean up the situation which brought
about the recent dramatic crisis.
Granting that the Oklahoma legisia-
ture was justified in ousting walton,
its duty to the public is not yet 1uiiy
discharged, agrees the MlhheapoiiSS
tribune, which believes the formal
legislative promise of an inquiry into
the Walton accusations is move IN
the right direction, but 1t is only
start. and It asks, '1s there IN tace
an invisible government In okia-
homa, or was Walton talking through
his hat?
X j; = :.
Hv no means commencing Walton
because many of his acts were not
based on sound judgment, the MIL
waukee journal, however, says:
"TEroughout the trial even the
shadow of the thing that brought the
Oklahoma situation TO head-the
Ku KluX klan-was banished from
the room. Leaders have pledseo
themselves to unmask the Klan and
disclose its membership. VIII they
do it?" While admitting there was
good and sufficient evidence to brihs
about the unanimous vote agaHist
Walton. the New Orleans Times
Picayune is also convinced that !ne
country is waiting TO see What me
Oklahoma lawmakers VIII aios, do wen ael
crecy and mask" The Roanoke
Times neither pities nor sympathizes
with Walton, but admits his removal
from office by no means enos Wnat
has deyeloped historv into an and ugS adds. 1T
would be sorry day for OklahoHna
or any other state when either the
Waltons or the klansmen among It's
inhabitants gain the asc9noahiGSy' u,s
it. the Oklahoma Legislature VIII
best serve society and incidentally
acouit itself of prejudice II II now
investigates alleged Khan outraees'
finds and publishes the exact trutn,
and then emulates Michigan in bar
ming the treacherous mask from ths
highways and from the Bill OF
Rights" With the same viewpoint.
the st. Paul Pioneer, SUCCESS @ ,be ~
Minnesota legislation of 1923 on the
same subject which makes 1t mis-
demeanor to wear q mask IN a pup.
liu place, except for PURPOSES ol
the Springfield Republican sees IT,
"the state Is rid of its king; now let
IL rid itself of it's Klan. And those
who can best do. the ridding are the
klansmen themselves. AT best they