The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-29

had the unqualified approval of the N the klan and wave of applause swept the hall.
 "Now, is there anybody" he asked, 'who is so ignorant of what is going on in American life today that he does not know that the secret society we name, lays down as part of its prin- ciple that no man who is Catholic, Jew or foreign-born is eligible to of flee"
 "Is there any denial of that?" he de- manded. There was more noise. Then MT. Pattangall read the remain der of the declaration and continued
 Senator Owen says he is willing to name the klan.
 Where is he willing? on the plat form of this convention in New York city? I want to name it all over the United States in this platform. I want to name it wherever the gospel of democracy is preached at all Every man on that committee approached the subject with the desire to do what was right and we all agreed that something had to go into the platform on this sit uation. The principal difference of thought was whether the platform would be absolutely frank or not.
 "If it is unwise to name the klan, it is unwise to put something in the platform that names the klan. There is something more here than the mere name. There has crept into American life so strange an influence in certain states that certain senators told me last night that if they opposed the kIan they could not be reelected. @
 'There has crept into the life of the United States an influence so strong that it needs examination. And when we find it approaching the principles of religious freedom it is proper that some great party should stand for the things that we all believe in. This organiza- tion couldn't discriminate against mel I have all the qualifications of member ship. I. wonder when Senator Owen voted for a draft in 1917 if he only voted to draft the boys who were white protestant and native born. When a society said to me that a man born of Jewish parents or in the Catholic faith can't be able to serve his country in civil life, but can be called to serve his country in military life when it needs them, I'll condemn them wherever l meet them"
 Uproar Of Approval
 At that the convention went into an uproar of demonstration.
 "I am a democrat because was taught to believe that the fundamental creed of the party was that Americans of every section were equal on a demo- cratic platform. There. needs to be sent out over the whole United States a mes- sage from democracy that our party hates bigotry, hates intolerance and op- poses them because it hates them, and it hates hypricrisy and therefore calls bigotry and intolerance by their right names when it speaks of them"
 There was a good deal of favorable demonstration on the floor when the senator concluded, but most of the noisy demonstration came from the galleries.
 Mrs. Carroll Miller of Pittsburg, who seconded the nomination of Gov ernor Smith, also spoke for the minority plank proposed by Mir. Pattangall.
 What would you think of home in America where the children shudder- ed nightly in fear of the Ku Klux Klan There are such places where citizens guaranteed constitutional protection are denied the attributes of a free life. Places where the foreign-born are dis criminated against by the shop keeper, places where the foreign-born wifi wait ing for a husband to return from his work is never sure that he will not be mobbed before he returns to his fam. fly.
 "In the mountains of my own state this guerilla organization recentlyter- rorized a community and three persons were killed. Do you call that Amer lea? Do you call that Christianity You say that political expediency de mands our silence on the subject. Since when has the democratic party knelt be- fore the god of political expediency?
 I'd rather go down to defeat in 1924 as we did in 1920, on clear cut moral issue, than win on an issue you cant recognize. Let us democrats remem Der it is better to be doorkeeper in the house of God than to dwell in the tents of Wickedness forever. If we fight this demon without fear and in the open we leave our chilren a heritage of honor, sincerity and peace, conclud ed Mrs. Miller while the convention gave her a roaring demonstration of approval some of which came from the floor and lot of which also came from the galleries.
 Morrison Takes Floor
 Then the other side of the question came on again in an argument by Gov ernor Morrison of North Carolina.
 T have not risen to speak in defense of the Ku Klux Klan," began the gov ernor, "but do desire to say something of the rights of the men who mistakenly belong to the Ku Klux Klan. Who are they? About one million men who pro fess the protestant form of Christian re Hgion, which is not preliminary tc thugism in American life.
 Are we without trial or evidence in political convention to try, condemn and execute more than a million men who are professed followers of the Lord. What do we mean by religious liberty? We mean there shall be nc legal test for office, there shall be nc discrimination on the lands against any man on account of his religious feeling NBut has any party ever pledged itseli