Evening star., 1924-06-28
1onal United Entry Urged Heads
BRYAN GIVEN POWER
BY KLAN FACTIONS TO
FIND A COMPROMISE

Continued from First Page)
committee had Iabored for days and
nights, realization came that there
could be no immediate solution of
| the problem.
! Hopeless and weary, the commit
tee members were summoned in
J prayer on their departure by the
| great commoner, who for hours had
| waged an earnest fight against what
| he repeatedly declared was an issue
| that not only would rend the party
out would array man against man.
Adjourn Until Afternoon.
Before seeking rest the committee
directed Chairman Homer S. Cum
mings to notify the convention that
the resolutions committee had been
unable to complete the party decla-
ration for 1924 and to ask for an ad-
journment of the convention from
$3.50 O'Clock until O'Clock this after
| noon.
| Meanwhile the committee was to
| meet at 1870 pm to receive the re-
| with full authority to bring about a
| settlement satisfactory to the com
mittee and-it was hoped-to the
| convention.
l "A
| their support. They were parties to
| conferences last night which were
designed to bring together the con-
tending factions on plank accept
| a BILE to all.
Before coming to the Klan issue
the committee approved a plank pro-
| posing a referendum on the league
of nations and pledging the party
other nations in the promotion Of
| world peace. This plan was the sub
ject of five hours Of discussion with
Newton D. Baker. Secretary of War
| to the last for a repetition of the
1920 declaration calling for imme-
diate American membership in the
| league.
Uncertain About Fight.
The former War Secretary prepared
a rough draft of minority report,
but when the committee adjourned
he had not reached final decision as to
| whether he would take his fight to
the convention. The plank finally
approved showed several important
changes from draft submitted by a
subcommittee which had been in
trusted with the task OF writing the
| declaration on the basis of various
| Three Khan planks were taken un-
| der consideration. One by Bryan
| omitted the name Of the invisible en-
pire; a SECOND. which was a com
| posite draft of the suggestions of
| several of the antiklan leaders, de-
| nounced the Kan by name, and the
| third. which was presented by the
| member from Alabama, referred to
| the Know nothing party" recalled
| that the Democrats nad denounced
| that organization in 1855. and de-
| clared that there was no reason now
| why it should not specifically oppose
| the ku Klux Khan.
| The composite plank, which had the
| support of a minority in the plat
! form committee says:
Reads Khan Out of Party.
| I'VE condemn political secret So
cieties of allskinds as opposed to the
| exercise of free government and con-
| trary to the spirit, If not to the let
ter of the Constitution. No member
of such society can justly claim to be
| disciple of Thomas Jefferson
we therefore pledge the Demo-
cratic party TO oppose the efforts OF
the ku klux KIan or any similar
organization that interferes with po-
! lltical freedom or religious liberty.
or which engenders racial prejudices"
| The devotion of the Democratic
|
| teed under the Constitution is re-
| affirmed in the Bryan plank which
makes no specific mention of the
| Khan
With these three pIanks before
| them, the members of the committee
| decided to follow the same procedure
| as in the debate on the league, allot-
| ting five minutes to each speaker,
| with the exception of Bryan and Rep
| resentative Finis J. Garrett of Ten
rt N
| who were voted as much time as they
| might care to take.
believes Khan VIII Die.
Opening the debate. Bryan said he
did not believe the klan was d neces
sary or a permanent organization. and
| that if left alone it would be forgot
ten four years from now. He added
| that the inclusion of the name OF the
Invisible Empire in the platform
would result in the wrecking Of the
Democratic party.
IF the Klan is named" Mr.. BRYAN
said, 1.-The Democratic party Will cease
to exist as a political entity and Will
go to the country with religion as
joseph Kellogg. the member from
New York. argued that the issue
would not be lodged and that the
Khan should be named. If the party
did not name it, he said, the people
would feel that Democracy Is AFRAID
of it.
Lending his voice to the position
taken by Mr. Bryan. Representative
Garrett declared the klan was
temporary thing that would disap-
pear in a few years, unless 1t con
tinued to receive undue publicity BY
political conventions. He argued
that since Congress cannot leglsiate
on the matter it would be futile Tor
the Democratic party to recognize ~
in it's platform: that il is a question
for states to regulate by prohibiting
the wearing of masks.
Complaint From Maine.
A charge that the Klan had dis
rupted the social, religious and po-
litical life in Maine was made by
W. r. Pattengall. the member from
that state. He insisted that the klan
be named.
Senator Owen of Oklahoma told the
Klux Klan in the platform would
ruin Alfred T.. Smith as a candidate
and abolish McAdoo
He asserted that in his state the
klan was fading away and that the
same condition obtained in other
southern states. The discussion be-
came so general that the five minute
rule was abolished and there was an
agreement that the time should be
limited to fifteen minutes for pro-
ponents and thirty minutes for op-
ponents. but this agreement later was
aorogated and debate became un-
limited. About this time one member
Of the committee said he had come
from his delegation instructed to vote
for resolution naming the klan and
urged that solution be arrived at
before daylight.
Hell, it's day Light now" exclaimed
another committeeman.