Evening star., 1924-08-24
DAWES DENOUNCES
KHAN AND UPHOLDS
ORGANIZED LABOR
Says Men May Join Order
With Good Motives With
out Realizing Effect.
BY the Associated Press.

AUGUSTA, Me-, August 23.-Charles
G. Dawes, Republican candidate for
Vice President, opened his speaking
campaign today in Augusta with a
declaration of opposition to the Ku
klux klan and denunciation of at
tempts by labor leaders to influence
patriotic, law-abiding union men into
political combination with Socialists"
Mr.. Dawes had announced that he
would shoot straight from the shoul-
der, politicians or no politicians" and
the audience which gathered at Re-
publican State rally at Island Park
near here was prepared for some hot
shots. It was taken back somewhat,
however, when the vice presidential
nominee mentioned the Klan by name in
his first sentences, discussed that ques-
ton at some length, and then turned
his Are on politicians cringing before
the whip of few bluffing labor lead
ers."
Opposed to Constitution.
Appeals to racial. religious or class
prejudice by minority organizations
are opposed to the welfare of all
peaceful and civilized communities,
he shouted with waving arms after
telling of the rise Of the klan in Okla
homa and in Williamson County, Ill
Our Constitution stands for religious
tolerance" he continued. ITO inject
religious and racial issues into poll
tics is contrary to the welfare of all
the people and to the letter and spirit
of the Constitution of : the United
States"
The audience stood astonished for a
moment, for Maine is counted by Khan
leaders as one of the States where
the organization is strongest; then
there was scattering applause, but
many of those present merely looked
one at another. plainly wondering as
to the effect of the statement just
made on next months barometric
State election. There was somewhat
general applause though. when Mr..
Dawes concluded the klan portion OF
his address by saying:
No, Acrimony In Conscience.
sI have told you why I am opposed
| to the Klan. Take what say into
your hearts and consciences and
think it over calmly. However 1t
| may be with the mind. there is no
acrimony in conscience"
With the klan discussion ended,
Mr.. Dawes launched into the address
he had prepared before leaving
Evanston for Maine. and the applause
! became more general, but there were
numerous looks of establishment as
he entered upon his discussion on
trade unionisn.
''The benefits of trade unions hon
| estly administered are recognized not
| only by me, but good citizens gem
! orally, whether in or out of trade
1 -. ~ q HHn
| waited, protected and dignfhed labor
and In SO doing it has been an ele-
ment in the progress of our Nation.
| Attitude Toward Unions,
But why do so many politicians
Of both parties continue to regard the
| great, intelligent, honest and con-
| servative body of trades unionism as
| II it were a puppet in the hands Of
a few socialist labor leaders and
political demagogues" he inquired,
and then regarding his own question
denied that "a few bluifing labor
leaders'' could undertake to ''play
| politics in the name of patriotic men
! whose conviction on law enforce
ment and the Constitution they do
not control, and who resent the idea
that anyone should believe that they
! would let their honest opinions on
eleme entail things be used as politi-
! cal asset" ~ .,..s
The vice presidential nominee then
turned to another question on which
| his attitude often has been discussed
! by political leaders since his nomina.
tion-that of the open shop.
| Open Shop In Politics.
"what pretext except personal
political advantage have any labor
| leaders in attempting to bring the
question of. the open shop into poll
| tics?" he asked. THE Supreme Court
of the United States has held thai
1 the right of employees. in a body te
bargain with their employers for the
| closed shop is one of the inalienable
rights of the individual under oul
II a political pafty should place
an open shop plank in their platform
with a view to its crystalization into
, law. 1t would be striking at the Con.
stftution just as much as the lawlest
labor leader, who, in the interest OF
the closed shop. would order ar
| American citizen assaulted as he
| went peacefully to his work. Ques.
! tions like that Of the open shoI
will always be an issue among good
citizens, but these differences are moi
| political. they are economic and must
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