The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1926-09-24
KHAN PARADE AT WASHINGTON
AGAIN

! hIuXefS nave been preparing for months the big
parade of their night gowned followers down
Pennsylvania Avenue. Advance estimates last
year were $4,000 when they knew they would have
10000 to $4,000 in line. They ran 4O-odd special
trains from all the surrounding states, and fair
ly swamped the capital with their show of will
ing dues-payers This year they have forecast
gathering of $4,000 members, despite the fact
that President Coolidge has stayed far away and
there are no prominent officials in town to recog-
nize them.
Imperial Wizard Evans, who was reported a
few months ago as declaring the khan to be out
Of politics, has just informed the people of Ala
bama that Sem Tom Helm, who has four years
yet to hold office, is obnoxious to good Protestant
Americans as represented by the khan. The sena-
torial candidate nominated in Alabama this year,
defeating the candidate of the Underwood ma
chine, is credited with the support of the Ala
bama khan, but Evans and the national office
supported Musgrove, who ran fourth In Texas,
the new governor has demanded that the khan be
ousted from all state offices. In Colorado, Sen
Means, its favorite son, is in hot water because
of that affiliation. And in Indiana Sen. Robin
son finds that the hooded hosts are embarrassing
to his canvass.
Whether the khan will intercede with Coolidge
fcr a prompt appointment to the federal bench
for Sen. LenrOOt of Wisconsin, the most conspicu-
Gus of the years standpatters to be defeated for
denomination depends on several factors. One
factor is Sen. Norris of Nebraska, the next chair
man Of the Senate judiciary committee Norris,
as leader Of the Progressives has not been read
out Of the Republican organization in the Sen
ate as Frazier Brookhart and the late Sen. La
Toilette were. He will be able, as chairman of
the judiciary committee, to block the confrma-
ton, or at least favorable report for confrma-
ton, of any nominee of Coolidge this winter He
knows that Lenroot, if made federal Judge for
life, would be tempted to take out on organized
labor his lOngstanding ill-will toward rail labor
unions that have defeated him. Norris will prob
ably refuse to permit Lenroot to get into posi-
tion to take revenge on labor.
Another consideration with the khan politicians
is the danger that it will be blamed if Lenroot shall
be rejected. What they need in order to restore
their advertising is a few winners. Lenroot is
SO lame lame-duck that they will hesitate to
give him public endorsement again. For, once
on the bench, suppose he turned against them as
he turned against the Wisconsin progressives and
organized labor, after accepting their help for
yearsl
One very good reason why the khan movement
Like all other clerical movements of all sorts in
the past, has won little respect from either the
professional politicians or organized labor in
Washington, is that its leadership is as second
rate as its program is retrogressive. The men
the khan has sent to Congress are insignificant,
just as were the men sent to Congress by their
clerical opponents They do not see humanity.
They see only religious controversy, or race diff
ferences
The thing that Evans and his friends may do
Is what some of the more influential clergy have
done IN industrial centers-they can defeat some
OF the regular politicians for denomination. They
have not had much luck with the men whom their
votes put into Office.