The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-15
KOWARDLY KLAN
SENDS THREAT TO
CHICAGO RADICAL
Aim Cheap "Tar" Note
To ComradSs Spence


one Of our Scotch comrades, threaten
ing to tar and feather him if he does
not cease his fight for the emancipa-
ton of the workers.
The Khan pretends to hate the Jews,
the Catholics and the Negroes, but
this letter, trying to stop the mouth
of a class conscious worker, is to a
Scotchman, who has never been in
Russia, who was born in Peterhead,
Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The letter
is written to w. Spence, who has
lived for many years in Canada, now
in Chicago. He served for over five
years in the Canadian army in France
and has a heroic war record. But he
took the phrase, Make the world
safe for democracy" seriously, and
since his return to America has been
active in organizing the workers to
fight for better conditions.
Calls Scotehman a Jew.
In the face of his Anglo-Saxon
birth, and his long war service, those
property loving, working class haters
the Klan-had to call the man with
broad Scotch brogue an "ungrateful
little Hebrew" and cook up ridic-
ulous story about his migration from
Russia in the steerage, and the
change of his name from Spenski to
Spence. Comrade Spence says he will
go on organizing the workers, that
the cheap lies and tricks of the tools
of big business-the Klan-will not
scare him in the least.
docs "Konklave 142" of the Khan
admit sending this letter, which is
full of direct lies and laughable at
tempts at logic? To cite only one
example, the Khan letter says: "Our
organization is founded on Christian
principles" Then it goes on to de-
ride the race from which Jesus
sprang, and threatens violence in the
name of religion which has a gold
en- rule, and says, Love thy neighbor
as thyself."
The letter shows that the Khan is
organized for no other purpose than
to fight the organized workers, wheth-
er they be Scotch, as in this case, or
Catholic or Negro. There is only one
charge in the letter which is not
childishly apparent as lie, and that
is activity in favor of the working
class. The Ku Klux Khan, which, by
the way, aided the Federation of La
Dor officials to nominate Len Small, is
anti-labor and pro-capitalist.
Here is the letter:
Take Warning.
Chicago, Illinois.
April II, 1924.
Konklave 142.
Knights Of the X. X. X. of Illinois.
w. Spence:
You have been under investiga-
tion by Klansmen members of a To-
cal Klavern who have reported to
us that you have consistently Will
fed and minimized the aims and
purposes of Khan Kraft. You have,
also, to our knowledge, allied your
self with an organization which has
as its object the undermining OF
American ideals and institutions,
our glorious heritage from our fore
fathers who fought and bled, that
men might be free to enjoy liberty
and the pursuit of happiness. Even
the Christian Church and its Am
bassadors have nos escaped your
slanderous tongue.
This is a crime we cannot con-
done as our organization is found
ed on Christian principles and an
undying faith in the wisdom of the
great architect of the Universe.
When you left your native Russia
with hundreds Of your Jewish COM
patriots in the steerage Of an Amer
lean bound vessel, you decided for
reasons best known to yourself to
adopt an Anglo-Saxon name, think
i ing perhaps, that by so doing you
would be better able to cloak your
nefarious operations, but you reck-
oned without the Khan, which has
ten million ears and as many eyes.
You deluded no one but yourself,
when you left your real name, of
Spensh or Spencovitch at the port
of embarkation. You thot perhaps,
that you would be able under your
assumed name to spread your &C
cursed propaganda with a minimum
Of risk, but your jig is up, you un-
grateful little Hebrew. In justice
to America, which offers you count
less opportunities to succeed in a
legitimate way, and to the Most
High, who has guided your foot
steps to this promised land, you
should get down on your knees and
offer prayer and thankfulness for
the many blessings and bounties
which you are privileged to enjoy
in this wonderful land. We hope
and trust that the perusal Of this
missive will forever put an end
to your slanderous invectives and
false doctrines. Should this fail,
we should like to acquaint you with Z