Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-08-29
ISSUES REAL AND IMAGINARY

A communication from Hon
George W. Hezelton OF Gardiner
published in the Letter Box. approves
hhe efforts OF Mr. PattangalI 70 make
the Khan an Issue in the coming cleo
bion, suggesting to make the Re-
publican slogsn: "A vote for Fernald
81 a vote for Coolidge and Dawes
That slogan would be true as Tar
as II went, but It would not go far
enough. There are many Repubh-
cans in this state who. we have rea-
son to believe. would prefer for "a
slogan: "A Vote for the Republican
State Ticket ts Vote for the Re-
publican National Ticket"
Any Republican adopting or acting
under any other slogan will. under
the conditions existing, ind himself
in an anomalous predicament In
event OF the victory for the Repub-
lican ticket which we confidently ex-
poet
There are intelligent people who
are una BILE to see any Khan issue
really In the State election. Judging
by the vote In the Republican prl-
Ynaries there may have been in
this State at that time 10000 in
paid membership OF the Khan. Prob
pbly not more. certainly, it would
seen there could not in the nature
kpt things have been many more.
ssome expect that on September Sth
hhere will be thrown in this state
R25. 900 ballots. Evidently someone
Hs making a mountain out OF a mole
mill. and the most conspicuous among
this number adding to the mole-hill
hor the Ku-Klux Is Hon. william r.
,Pattangall. Mr.. Hezelton, We be-
lieve, is also adding his contribution
ko the size OF that mole-hill.
j. II appears to many a self evident
:tact that the Khan cannot in this
state under these conditions ana IN
the election OF Presidential year
be in any sense an issue; that the
result, cannot in any way determine
and end that kind OF n controversy,
whatever other results may be.
Mr.. Hezelton gives as his reason
why tho Khan Is an issue that 1t Is
being talked about all over the state
Well. here is the Ward 4. Portland,
scandal, one of the scandals Tor
which the Khan evidently Is not by
anyone considered responsible. Is
that an issSe in the forth coming
election? It is not. although the
Governor OF the state is telling
the people what he knows about IL
and the public is hoping to see the
PARTIES responsible for it behind the
bar.. Can that be cleaned UP simply
by the September election in TINS
State. whichever party wins! ot
course not. Neither may be the
Khan. Neither are party issues ana
cannot be In Maine. And those VINO
are telling us that the Khan is an
issue are helping that organization
more than it would be possible 10
do in any other. way.
Those who do not believe in the
methods OF the hitu. " w
that among them undoubtedly are
we'll meaning. loyal American clu-
gems OF all political parties. should
not contribute TO the growth of the
organization by attributing to it a
power which 1t does not possess.
Opposition to senator Brewster.
who has frankly declared he Is not
n member Of any secret order. and
stands squarely on the Republican
platform, and IL elected will be the
o.icial OF all the people OF Maine
without regard to sect or schism'
canno, do otherwise than render aid
20 the Democratic party and conri-
butte TO the glee Of the paid organ
ixers and manipulators of the ku
Klux Khan.
Those in Maine, who vote as
though there were no Khan in ex-
istence, whatever their party views
may be, will, we believe, contribute
hes, to the solution of our public
policies.