The Denver Jewish news., 1924-07-17

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ltcrmine such issues
in the best inter-
est' of the people of this glorious ma
tior, without any attempt at an
evasion Of responsibility by silence or
ambiguous expression.
Truth ultimately must triumph; SO
the Democratic party-the party of
truth must triumph.
When political parties forego the
expression Of truth because it might
appear safer from standpoint Of
winning an election to accept mega
tive attitude, that party ceases to
function as the instrumentality of
good government and becomes instead
the vehicle on which ambitious persons
without principle seek to obtain the
patronage of Office and empty honors,
and politics then becomes a game for
the attainment of material gain by
opposing groups without regard to
the welfare Of the nation and the peo-
pie who compose it.
We are confronted in this conven-
tion with an issue that compels the
thought of every good citizen, and in
my opinion it is the paramount issue
before this convention.
In this nation dedicated to the
principle of liberty, that vests in each
citizen the great heritage of freedom
Of thought, freedom of religion, free
dom of speech, there has arisen mem
acing group whose activities are divid-
ing our citizens, spreading suspicion,
fermenting intolerance.
As would be expected, they work in
the dark in the accomplishment of
their purposeS Of malice. A guilty
conscience y s. aims them from per-
mitting their identity to become
known to the public. They are guilty
of conspiracy to commit treason
against this nation, for the ultimate
result of the spirit Of hatred and in
tolerance that they spread is di-
vision of our citizenship, a disrup-
tion of our national harmony-and
that is Treason!
1t will be urged in their behalf that
they have the right to organize. And
truly they have. But when the his
tory following their every activity is
one of lawlessness, bloodshed, substi-
tuition of mob rule for orderly govern
ment, for all of which things, of
course, they viii deny responsibility,
yet in view of the fact that the ac-
tiyity of the Ku Klux Klan and the
existence of these conditions run hand
in hand, and with knowledge that,
unlike decent fraternities, their men,
bership roll is kept secret and shroud-
ed in darkness, but one conclusion can
be reached as to the responsibility.
1t will be urged that it is their
purpose to uphold the law. The good
citizens of the nation have always up
held the law, and the law abiding
citizen has always been held in esteem,
appreciation and love by his fellow
man. Why mask to accomplish this
end?
Is the Democratic party, the great
est of all agencies for the establish
ment of good government and the
selection of honorable officials, ready
to rel.gate to an unknown group en-
gagged in the activity of seditiously
spreading venom, this responsibility?
Or, is the Democratic party going
to accept what might appear to some
to be the expeditions course, that of
evasion, out of fear to be honest in
its expression of contempt for this
organization, it might lose some
votes?
appeal to the conscience of this
convention to proclaim in no uncer-
tain terms the Ku Klux Klan as a
menace to the body polite, as destruc-
tive to clean American government.
Any resolution that fails to name
the Ku Klux Klan as the body at
which the condemnation is directed is
evasive, because there is not before
the American public today any other
organization that is the proper sub
ject of this criticism. And the fail
uro to name the Ku Klux Klan clear
ly shows lack of courage of the type
that the country today demands Of
those who are to represent its gov
/ ernment.
To the dear people of the South, !
urge of you that you purge the good
name of the South of the false posi-
tion that this organization, undoubt-
odly without sanction of the good
citizens of the South, have placed it in
the eyes of this nation.
Join US in an unqualified condem-
nation of this group, that it might
be known TO the world that Ameri-
cans have mot lost faith in their form