Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-03-18
initial MOVE BY KHAN FOR
USE OF CITY HALL IS TURNED
DOWN BY BOARD ALDERMEN

Efforts of the Ku Klux Khan to
obtain the use of the City Hall audi
torium for a meeting in the interests
OF the Khan, were defeated by the
board of aldermen at the regular
meeting.of the city government Mon
day evening, after the order had been
considered in joint convention Of the
two bodies of the city government,
at which r. L. Flanders came for
ward and announced himself as the
Kleagle and organizer for the K. K.
K. employed in this city, who spoke
in favor of the measure as a matter
OF Justice and upholding the cause
OF free speech.
OF the use of city hall auditorium
was not killed without considerable
discussion, and for q moment Il ap-
peared that 1t would be accepted
when Alderman Scribner moved to
that effect. Mayor McLean's call
for a seconding motion met silence
however. and Alderman o. w. Tur-
ner introduced a second motion that
the order be not passed, which was
seconded almost Immediately by
Alderman Charles r. Chase. and the
defeating motion was carried with
out dissenting vote.
There was more or less tension in
the rooms occupied by the board of
aldermen and by the common coun-
Gil. as the routine matters Of the
March meeting were disposed of by
acceptance or reference to commit
tees, and the Mayor took up the
order which was introduced by
Alderman Shaw for the Khan SYM
pathizers. By action Of the upper
BODY the two branches at once went
into joint session and Mayor Nc
Lean read the order which called for
permission to be granted the Ku
KluX Khan to hold a meeting in city
hall on some date in April, to be de-
clded upon by the local officers Of
the klan and the mayor; admission
to the meeting to be by ticket with
no admission charged. The order to
be referred to the committee on fin
ance and city building.
The order was accompanied by a
petition bearing 779 signatures. When
Mayor Mclean called for proponents
tp speak for the measure, Mr.. Flan-
ders arose and stated that the men,
bers Of the Khan in this city and
many citizens believed that the per-
mission for the use of city hall should
be granted. He said that the petit
tons bearing the 779 signatures were
circulated some time ago, and that it
was his opinion that at least 1000
signers could be obtained at the pres
ent time. Mr.. Flanders told the
meeting that the Khan asked the use
OF the hall because there was none
other in the city that would accomo-
date the great crowds of people who
desired to hear the Klan lectures.
Mr.. Flanders was questioned at
some length by the Mayor and by
City Solicitor Herbert F., Locke, and
by several Aldermen and Councilman,
including Alderman Chase, and Coun-
cilmen Higgins and Williamson. 1t
was brought out in .he questioning
that Mr. Flanders had not yet acquir-
ed legal residence in Augusta, COM
Ing here from Portland January 2 to
succeed Fred Conant as paid organi-
ger and kleagle of the local Klavern.
Mr.. Flanders attention was called
to the fact that the wording of the
petitions accompanying he order did
not call for the use of the hall for the
ku KluX Khan, but rather for a meet
ing in the interests of "Americaniza-
ton He told the meeting that the
workers who circulated the petitions
told those whom they solicited that