Evening star., 1924-08-22
DAVIS CALLS KLAN
BY NAME |NATTACK
0NB|GOTRY IN US.
Democratic Candidate Urges
Coolidge to Help Remove
Issue From Race.
COMMON HONESTY MADE
HIS CAMPAIGN SLOGAN
Public Resources Squandered, Cor.
rupt Men in Office, He Tells
New Jersey Crowd.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
SEA GIRT, N. j.. August 22.-Calling
the ku klux klan by name. John
w. Davis. Democratic presidential
nominee, declared in an address here
today that this organization or any
other which raises the standard of
racial or religious prejudices must
be condemned by all those who be-
lieve as l do in American ideals"
Having thus made his own position
clear. Mr.. Davis expressed the hope
that President Coolidge. as the Re-
publican presidential candidate, would
see fit. by some explicit declaration"
to join with him in entirely removing
the klan issue from the field of
political debate.
Mr.. Davis said these matters must
not be permitted to divert the atten-
ton of the public from the vital ques-
tions now before them and added that
the klan issue had no proper part in
this or any other campaign.
Prepared After Arrival.
The Democratic nominees declara-
tion with respect to the klan was
prepared after his arrival hefe and
was made at the conclusion of his
set address, the second of his cam
paign. 1t follows:
There is one other word / wish to
say. 1t concerns a matter that has
no proper part in this or any other
campaign. and which must not be
permitted to divert attention from
those issues the people must settle
in November by their votes. / men
tion it now in the hope that l may
dispose of it once and for all, so far
as l am concerned
Since my arrival in Sea Girt have
been asked by more than one person
now present in this audience what
views l entertained concerning the
organization known as the ku klux
klan. l am constrained to think that
those who ask this question did not
hear or have not done me the honor
to read the speech of acceptance
which 1 delivered at CIarksburg on
the 11th of this month.
Sees FcriI to Nation.
"In that speech l had occasion to de-
clare that nothing would SO utterly
destroy our happiness and security
at home and our dignity and in
f1uence abroad as the separation of
the citizenship of this country into
discordant groups along racial or
religious lines. | affirmed my per-
sonal belief in the great guarantees
of religious freedom and religious
toleration which have made this
country what it is. ard l assert 1t
to be the solemn duty of every
believer in American institutions to
oppose any challenge, organized Or
unorganized, of this sacred doctD'te
under whatever name or in whatsi er
character 1t might appear.
1t was my purpose to state these
truths in language plain enough to
leave no room for doubt or misun-
derstanding of my personal views and
in terms sufficiently broad to include
any and all forms of bigotry, preju-
dice and intolerance. On that decla-
ration l stand. If any organization,
no mater what it chooses to be
called, whether ku Klux Khan or by
any other name. raises the standard
of racial and religious prejudice or
attempts to make racial origins or
religious beliefs the test of fitness for
public Office, it does violence to the
spirit of American institutions and
must be condemned by all those who
believe as 1 do in American ideals.
Asks Coolidge to Speak.
81 repeat that these matters must
not De W ulNCil thS oeeSh
ton of the public from the vital ques-
tions now before them. l venture,
therefore. to express the hope that
the nominee of the Republican party
will see fit by some explicit declara-
tion to Join me in entirely removing
this topic from the field of politicai
debate"
Here where Woodrow Wilson received
his first call to lead the Democracy oil
the nation, Mr.. Davis began his hght
to again wrest control of the Govern
ment from the Republican party.
Mr.. Davis made it clear in an ad-
dress delivered before mass meeting
of New Jersey Democrats that In his
Judgment President Coolidge failed
in his acceptance address to meet the
issue of corruption in public office.
Referring specifically to the oil,
Veterans Bureau and prohibition
scandals, Mr.. Davis declared that the
Republican party could not escape
responsibility for the acts of its high
officers elevated by it to high places
of power. Then he added:
Finds Answers Inadequate.
"If the fact is that the public re-
sources have been squandered, Is IL
any answer to say that a budget sys-
tern has been installed?
IF unfit and corrupt men have
been put and kept in Office and left
to their own devices, Is 1t a sufficient
defense that the administration was
not actually desirous of dishonesty?
IF the wounded veteran has been
defrauded of the care that was his
due, is there any comfort to him in
the fact that Congress made lavish
appropriations"
More Than "Indiscretfons."
Mr.. Davis declared that those who
ask the country to pretend that the
acts of those public officials involved
in the scandals were simple tndis-
cretions" which should be overlooked
when there is sign of repentance"
assume "a degree of Indifference or a
lack of interest on the part or the
people which would be itself a re-
fiection upon popular government
IF 1t be true that public interest in
these things has waned," he asked,
lis it not public duty to see that 1t
is revived before the day OF Judg-
ment comes?"
I'm view of the record of the past
three years." Mr.. Davis said, they
(the Repubiicans) pray, not without
reason, for a government OF common
sense. We stand for one OF common
honesty"
Mr.. Davis spoke as follows:
This Is my second appearance at
ff1OCxiruoI cu7 Du 80 TS-,I.ss--- = -,----"