Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-06-30
Pattangall's Plea
To Name Khan in
Party's Platform

New York, June 2S-William X.
Pattangall of Maine, speaking for an
anti-Klan plank with teeth in 1t, said.
in part: "e.'
1--WE approved and accepted every
single word that was put in the plat
form by the majority, but we added
to it a supplementary declaration. II
you have an opportunity to examine
the report of the majority you will
find that their plan merely reiterated
the rights reserved to American citi-
zens under the bill Of rights and the
constitution. We have done nothing
more than add a paragraph which
applies those abstract principles 20 q
concrete case"
Here Mr.. Pattangall read the min
ority addition to the platform which
mentions the name Of the Ku Klux
Khan.
1--WE condemn political secret socie-
ties" read Mr.. Pattangall from the
proposed plank, and asked the con-
vention, Does anybody object to
that?"
There was a chorus of "Noes." =,
Then he went on to finish the read
ing of the plank. including the name
of the Khan, 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
principle that no man who is Catho-
lie, Jew or foreign born, is eligible to
Office"
rs there any denial Of that?" he
demanded. There were more noes.
Then Mr.. Pattangall read the re-
mainder of the declaration and con-
tinued:
Senator Owen says he is willing
to name the Khan. Where is he will
ing? On the platform of this con-
vention in New York city. / want to
name it all over the United States in
this platform. I want to name 1t
wherever the gospel Of democracy Is
preached at all. =.
EVERY man on the committee ap-
preached the subject with the desire
to do what was right and we all
agreed that something had to go on
the platform on this situation. The
principal difference of thought was
whether the platform should be alb
solutely frank or not. If 1t is unwise
to name the Khan it Is unwise to put
something more here than mere
name. There has crept into Ameri-
can life so strong an influence in GER
tain states that certain senators told
me last night that If they opposed the
Khan 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 1t is
proper that some great party should
stand for the things that we all be-
lieve in.
"This organization couldn't dis
crimninate against mel have all
the qualifications of membership. l
wonder when Senator Owen voted
for draft in 1917 if he only voted to
draft the boys who were white. Pro-
testant and native born. When a
society says to me that a man born
of Jewish parents or in the Catholic
faith can't be able to serve his coun-
try in civil life, but can be called to
serve it's country in military lie
I'll condemn them wherever l meet
them"
81 am a Democrat because was
taught to believe that the fundamen-
tai creed of the party was that
Americans of every sect were eqqual
on Democratic platform. There needs
to be sent out over the United States
a message from Democracy that our
party hates bigotry, hates intolerance
and opposes them because 1t hates
them and 1t hates hypocrisy ana
therefore calls bigotry and intoler-
ance by their right names when 1t
speaks of them"