Evening star., 1925-08-09
Orders Strength
and Personnel
Revealed.
100000 WITNESS
COLORFUL PAGEANT
Ceremony Free From Any
Disorder-Dignity Wins
Wide Acclaim.

Pulling aside for the first time the
vel that has shielded the Invisible
Empire from a curious and some
what doubling public, some 2500C
mystic Knights of the ku Klux Kan
IN all their colorful regalia, but un-
masked, descended yesterday upon
the Nations Capital in what
amounted to their greatest national
demonstration and public show OF
strength.
Marching with sturdy fortitude
beneath blistering sun, the white
robed, color-fecked hosts of 100 per
cent Americans" came out in the
open and let the country see who
they are, where they come from and
what they stand for.
If these earnest-faced, but, withal
highly good-natured fellows of the
fiery cross had thought to surprise
pageant-hardened Washington, their
fondest hopes were more than rea-
lized
100000 See March.
About 100000 men, women and
children who watched them from
the curb saw remarkable demon
Stratlon, from the time the first
mounted escort of the hooded, robed
throng turned into Pennsylvania
Avenue, at the foot of the Capitol
until, full four hours later, the rain
shot remnants of the seemingly end
less procession knelt bare-headed at
the base of the Washington Monu-
ment to pledge anew allegiance to
their principles-"one country, one
language, one school and one flag"
There was no semblance of disorder
no sign of the disturbances that
have marred Klan parades in other
cities. The police declared it one OF
the most orderly assembiageS of it's
size ever held here.
What was even more amazing to
the authorities was the smoothness
and precision with which the thou
sands upon thousands of supposedly
unframed men, women and children
of the order wended their way in
soldierly fashion along the humanity
banked line of march.
And the banks of humanity were
not long in Voicing appreciation of
these things. They cheered when the
music or the marching units pleased
them. And they stayed to see it
through. They found things to ad-
mire. Their marching, their pictur-
esque attire and their grit in coming
long distances to stand for hours be-
meath a hot sun, march for miles
only to get drenched and bedraggled
in thunderstorm.
Ceremony Is Simple.
There were on hand yesterday
neither official reviewers, grandstands
or other accessories peculiar to great
professions. 1t was simply sponta-
neous response to the invitation sent
by King Kleagle Mueller of the Dis
trict Klan to statewide organizations,
asking assistance in staging a local
khan demonstration in the National
Capital"
Although, despite the heterogenity
of the foot-sore marchers, Kleagle
Mueller still insisted the parade was
''only local affair" prominent in the
front ranks of the klansmen trod DR..
Hiram w. Evans, imperial wizard,
and other high national officers of the
order.
Furthermore, as a drenching shower
broke over the scattering ranks of the
paraders assembled on the slopes of
the Sylvan Theater, it was a national
l.
Guelledge of Columbus, Ohio, who
made the only address OF the day.
The showers not only cut short the
service planned on the Monument
grounds, but prevented the holding of
a great flaming cross" ceremonial
across the Potomac River, on the
National Capital Horseshow grounds.
This weird display will take place
tonight al s o'clock, however, in con-
neCtion with the naturalization" into
the Invisible Empire of several thou
sand candidates for citizenship"
The evening demonstration will be
preceded at o'clock this afternoon
by khan SPIRITUAL kleagle Mueller
announced.
Parade Size Is Puzzle
Just exactly how many weary
"kluXers" braved that scorching sun
to await their place in line for the long
hours that preceded their actual
swinging into action was matter of
frank speculation last night
Police made no attempt to count the
solid lines of robed figures that often
stretched from curb to curb, but by
a process of reasoning. which they
have devised for such occasions, an es-
innate of 10000 marcherS was evolved.
The Star did make an effort to count
the steady stream of humans, how.
ever, and arrived at an approxima ton
of $4,000 which was generous Klan
officials, on the other hand, insisted
that there were 10000 members in
the Pennsylvania delegation, alone
and confidently asserted their belief
that more than 100,0 900 klansmen from
more than a dozen States, took part.
Kleagle Mueller, with characteristic
sarcasm, told newspa permen that his
former announcement of 5 900 march.
ers held good, adding, however, there
might have been more"
Regardless of what the figures
show, it was plain that the klansmen
made a deep impression on "apa-
thetic" Washington by the size of
their turnout, the varied design of
their uniforms and the countless mum.
ber of bands.
Exodus Is Rapid.
With the coming of night and the
end of the days activities there de
veloped a rapid exodus of the tired
but happy contingents. Robes and
hoods were packed again into small
Boston bags or satchels, banners and
flags were rolled up. and, as quietly
ss they came. many thousand of the
Continued on Page2, Column, ~ :.