Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-09-01
Comment BY Press
On The RiOting Here

exhibition of mob frenzy.
In such affairs The New York
Herald sees only the issue of uphold
ing the efficiency of the law,-New
York Herald.
Back to Barbarism?
Is America headed back to the
rude days of early pioneering, when
the forces of justice were Inadequate
to cope with the lawless elements
and every man did his own shoot
ing? The orgy of fighting in the
streets of Perth Amboy between
Klansmen and their enemies with
the police utterly Intellectual to keep
order, holds an ominous threat.
Americans in their senses will see
little to choose between the two
sides. The Klan deserves the initial
blame because of its past record of
masked gatherings and mob admin
~istration of private justice. But
blame rests in only slightly less de-
gree on the Perth Amboy mob that
interfered with a peaceful gathering
and beat up heads in the fashion
approved in Ireland in less happier
days.
The Khan has little right to COM
plain SO long as it's leaders permit
mob secrecy or violence in its name.
They can If they will end the evil
aspects of the Khan. Above all they
can unmask and thereby make 1T i'm
possible for outsiders to riot in the
name of the Khan.
Every law-abiding citizen has a
right 10 complain both of the Khan
which stirs up such hatredh as ere
tied the disgraceful scenes at Perth
Amboy and the enemies of the Khan
who by reason of those hatreds for
got their Americanism and reverted
to the tactics of barbarism.
Theer is a huge element of fair
minded common sense in America
hat always controls in the long run.
But the innocent bystanders of the
nation might as we'll realize that the
issues raised by the Khan hold a
large-sized threat to the orderly
progress of America and that there
are on both sides animositles max
ing for the breakdown of law WAd
angers of the past are being un-
chained as terrible and destructive
as any wild animals of the jungle
New York Tribune.
The Mask and Robe Bearing Their
Fruits
Only what was to be expected has
happened now that demonstrations
nv the Ku Klux Khan have been the
occasion of serious rioting in this
state after even worse outbreaks
during the month in Ohio and Penn
sylvania. II is not in human ma
ture for those to submit tamely who
see in the Khan an organized effort
to exclude them from their partici-
nation in American affairs for racial
or religious reasons. Similar eff
forts nave arisen in this country be-
fore with similar results.
Those who have read their histor-
les will remember the "Know-Noth-
ings," and will not classify the pres
emit secret society with its reconstruc-
ton times model as much as with
this ancient political party. Such
movements have not been uncom-
mon in American history, have al
ways produced counter movements,
left much bitterness of feeling and
finally passed away without useful
result.
Unfortunately. it is not a good de-
tense of the Khan to cite the high
morality of its protested purposes,
The big trouble in the world is not
made by the malicious Or the GRIM
inal. They are never in sufficient
numbers nor can they carry an APP
peal to the public which gives them
the necessary power. Bad intentions
are sure to fail from the start.
Well-intentioned people are those
who spread tragedy-those well-in-
tentioned people who are too impa-
tient, who lack a n of proper
ton. who can not walt for the mills
OF the gods to grind. The German
Kaiser had no sense of humor was
obsessed with his W Importance.
could not wait for Germany to win
by economic competition the place
that was almost within her grasp.
But il he had wished the horrors
that followed his ambitions there
would have been no war, for his own
people would have slain him.
The Khan would incite trouble
even If it did not wear masks. Wear
ing them, it incites that suspicion
and fear which breed hate and are
especially directed against a mar
that does not show his face. 1t IL
certain, also, to get the bad name o
those who find in the mask and rob,
an opportunity to pursue their OWL
private ends and leave the onus foI
their misdeeds to the Khan. TIL,
Khan lis born for trouble even as tn,
sparks fly overwhelmingly Eve
ming News.