Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-05-20
Governor Grants Use Of Camp Reyes
For Great Khan Gesture on June Il

be erected on the muster field. This
will be electrically fitted and after
the shades of darkness have fallen
over the military field this fiery cross
will bla ION forth to be seen for many
miles up and down the Kennebec
valley.
Reports that Camp Keyes was to
be given over to the use of the XII
Klux Khan by permission of the gov
ernor of this state have aroused en-
phatic protest in many sections dur
ing the past several days. In this
connection Senator Benedict F. Ma
.. her of this city speaking before the
Holy Name Society of the Sacred
Heart church at Portland last We'd
nesday night. publicly voiced this
protest saying:
"In Augusta, in 1917, on a broad,
beautiful plateau, the flower of the
youth of Maine assembled. Jew and
Gentle, Catholic and Protestant, to
march away to the slaughter in the
battle for freedom, some of them
never to return.
"That spot is hallowed ground And
yet that very plateau, Camp keyes,
is to be used as convention place
for an organization whose fiery cross
breathes nothing but hate. Answer
me in behalf of the soldier dead.
What Price Glory? Is it thinkable
that there will not be a protesting
voice raised against such an action?
| challenge the impudence Of the men
who dared to pervert and pollute this
sacred field.
In explanation of his granting
permission for parade of the
klansmen through the streets of
Augusta, Mayor Ernest L. Mclean
yesterday made the following state
ment:
Sometime ago, possibly two
months or more, local leader of the
Khan came to me and stated that he
desired a permit for the Khan to pa
rade the Augusta Streets
Il told him at that time that /
would be willing to grant a permit
for a parade over designated streets
provided no hoods were worn" con-
tinued Mayor Mclean.
He answered that the members
of the Khan would want to wear their
hoods and / told him that no permit
would be given by me except on the
condition that no hoods or masks
were to be worn.
Shortly after that it was rumored
that there was to be a meeting of the
Khan at Camp Reyes on June II, to
be followed by a parade. There was
some mention of it in the paper, but
nothing further was said to me for
some weeks when committee, rep
reSenting the Khan, came to me and
renewed the request for a license to
parade. l then told him that no lie
ense would be granted except upon
the condition that no hoods would
be worn.
THE committee stated that the
members could not march under
these conditions, as it was one of
their rules that members would be
entitled to march with faces covered
if they so desired. | again stated that
they could be assured that no permit
would be given by me allowing them
to march with their faces covered.
Two or three weeks later a member
of this committee returned and stat
ed that he had been in communica-
ton with several of the Khan officials
and they would conform to the con-
dition which | had imposed and
march without hoods.
Accordingly, l issued the follow
ing permit today:
THE Augusta Klavern. No. %, OF
the Ku Klux Khan, is hereby licensed
to parade the streets of Augusta
hereinafter named on Saturday. June
IL, 1926, (said parade to begin at APP
proximately o'clock p. NJ with
bands of music but without hoods