Daily Kennebec journal., 1924-04-17
PETITION WITH 1000 SICNERS To Be
PRESENTED At CITY GOVERNMENT MEET
MONDAY FOR USE CITY HALL BY K. K. K.

Officials Of the Augusta klavern
of the Ku Klux Klan will make a
second effort to secure the use OF
City Hall for meeting in the in
terests of the Klan, when they will
have an order granting its use for
specified date introduced at the
April meeting of the City Govern
ment, next Monday evening. A pre-
vious effort to secure the use of the
auditorium was defeated by vote OF
the Board of Aldermen, after the or
der and accompanying petitions had
been considered in joint convention,
and at which r. l.. Flanders the
Kleagle of the local klavern appear
ed and spoke in behalf of the mea-
sure.
On the first appearance with their
order before the city government.
considerable objection was raised
by several members of the Board
of Alderman and of the Common
Council. because the petitions &C
companying it and signed by over
800 Augusta citizens. did not state
that the hall was wanted for a Ku
Klux Kla2 meeting.
The order to be brought before the
City Government next Monday eve
ming will also be accompanied by
petitions and these petitions speci-
ficially state that point. The petit
tions which are being circulated by
workers for the KIan are worded as
follows:
I'VE. the undersigned, citizens of
the City of Augusta, do respectfully
petition the Honorable Mayor and
Board of Aldermen, that, whereas
they have shown unjust discrimina-
ton and prejudiced partiality in the
refusing of the City Hala for a lee
ture under the auspices of the Ku
Klux Klan, they either reconsider
and permit it's use to the Ku Klux
Klan for lecture or refuse it to any
and all who apply for it for any pur-
pose.
I'VE also request that this petition
be acted upon when presented"
The Kennebec Journal represen-
tative was permitted to examine the
signed petitions at Klan headquar-
ters at Golden Cross hall, Wednes-
day, was shown petitions carrying
746 signatures. While the reporter
was in the X. X. X. Office another
petition was turned in with II
signers, making total of S23
signers to date. Mr.. Flanders, the
kleagle, stated that there were three
other papers in circulation and he
had little doubt that the petition to
be presented to the City government
with the order for the use of City
Hall auditorium would carry 1000
names.
I'VE are not having the slightest
difficulty in securing signers for the
petition" said Mr.. Flanders.
Citizens of Augusta, whom our
workers are aware are not members
OF the Klan. are very pleased to
sign the petition for the use of City
Hall auditorium, and in many cases
state their indignation that we were
turned down in our previous re-
quest"
Calling attention to the signatures
Of many prominent business men and
professional men with stores or Of
fees on Water street, Mr.. Flanders
said:
That surely is an indication of
the general sentiment prevalent,
that there is no plausible reason why
the Klan should not have the use
of City Hall auditorium, as we'll as
any other organization"
When asked as to who the speak
err would be at the City Hall meet
ing, If the city government acted ia
vorably OIL the order. Mr.. Flanders
stated that he would not announce