The Minnesota fiery cross. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1924-19??, 1924-05-09
Authors Note

Authors Note
This article giving reasons why the
Khan should exist has been written
for q two-f0ld purpose.
First, it Is one Of the themes for
discussion In the nationwide educa.
tiOnal campaign now being conduct
ed by the Khan.
Second, 1t Is an answer to the hun.
dreds and thousands of good men who,
because they have no Negroes, Jews,
Catholics or foreigners I'm their com.
munity, fail to see reason for the
Khan.
In the great western plains coun-
try of Texas there are comparatively
few negroes, Jews, Catholics and for
eigners. Fully ninety per cent Of the
population are native-born, white,
Gentle, Protestant Americans; and
very large percentage of them are
of good moral character who believe
in law enforcement and the tenets OF
the Christian religion. In view OF
these facts, we believe that to justify
the existence of the Khan in this Sec
ton would prove its necessity to any
community in America.
The Khan a Vital Necessity
We therefore undertake to show
that the Khan has a distinctive place
to ell, a special work to do, and is
vital necessity to every community
No organization has any right to ex-
list, nor can it lay any just claim to
the support of good men, unless II
can show that it fills a distinctive
place, and performs specific service
to humanity. Money extorted from
the people to support an institution
that renders no service in return, Is
a form of theft, and should be frowned
upon by all good men. Such an insti-
tuition is burden instead OF bless
ing.
We have often heard it said, "there
are but few negroes, Jews, Catholics
and foreigners in this community
and we see no need OF the klan.
Those who think that the purpose
and business of the Khan Is to oppose
and fight Negroes, Jews, Catholics
and foreigners are sadly mistaken
and have no conception Of its ideals
and principles. True, we do not adj
nit these classes to membership; but
we make no fight on races or relig-
ions.
Masons do not admit men who have
lost an arm or a leg; but Masons
are not fighting cripples. They sim
ply demand that a man must be
sound in body to be eligible to mem
bership. We do not believe that the
negro is fighting the white race be
cause he excludes the white man from
his secret orders; or that the Jew is
fighting Christians because he ex-
cludes them from the B'nai Birth; OF
that Catholics are fighting Protest
ants simply because they exclude
them from the knights of Columbus
They have perfect right to name
these conditions of membership.
Since the Khan is not fighting races
or religions, the presence of these ell
ements in a community does not JUS
tify the existence of the Khan, nei-
Their does their absence prove that II
is unnecessary.
First, IL should be remembered that
the Khan Is a national organization
and deals with nationwide problems
as we'll as local conditions. Even II
its activities were entirely local II
could not be truly said Of any COM
munity, I'VE have no need OF Khan
here" But since every community
should be vitality interested In the
public welfare Of the nation as q
whole, and each one has special con-
ditions with which the Khan deals, II
cannot be truthfully stated Of any
place that there Is no need Of an or
ganization that has TO do with nation
al problems and seeks TO improve ma
tional as we'll rs local conditions