Evening star., 1928-10-04
Anti-Smith and Pro-Smith
Meetings in Fuquay Springs
Show Bitter Feelings.
RUM, RELIGION AND RACE
ARE ONLY REAL ISSUES
Waterpower, Farm Relief, Tariff
and Other Economic Matters
Usually Minimized,
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN,
Staff Correspondent of The Star.


RALEIGH, N. c.. October 4.-Pas-
sion and prejudice are stalking through
this Southland. A political campaign
that for bitterness has rarely been
equalled is on. In it are bound up pro-
hibition religious intolerance and ra-
cial hatreds. Here in the Tarheel State
the anti-Smith faction of the Demo-
Gratis is dragging the religious issue
more and more openly across the trail.
The pro-Smith Democrats, for their
part, are digging down into the old
race issue 30 defeat Herbert Hoover,
the Republican nominee. The Repub-
licanS. for the most part, are confln-
ing themselves to organization. par
ticularly in counties where in the past
they have been deplorably weak. They
are watching the Democrats tear at
each other. hoping that the gaping
wounds in the dominant party will this
year give victory to the minority party.
travelled out to Fuquay Springs, a
little town in an agricultural district,
II miles from Raleigh, where two po-
litical meetings were scheduled for the
same night One was an anti-Smith
Democratic meeting, the other a meet
ing of the regular Democratic organi-
zation supporting the party's national
ticket. One was addressed by Earl w.
Hotelan of Washington who announced
himself a member of the Ku KluX Klan.
The other heard an address by Rep
resentative E. w. Pou, who has served
In Congress for many years. One meet
ing was attended by some 400 men,
women and children, and the other
by about 800. Anti-Smith sentiment is
epidemic in Fuquay Springs. 1t is
known as lone of the worst spots"
from q pro-Smith Democratic point of
view, in this part of the State. That
accounts for the fact that the anti
Smith meeting had the larger attend
ance.
Indicates Great Interest
The account of these meetings in
Fuquay Springs is given not to convey
the impression that they are typical of
all the political meetings that are be-
ing held nightly in every part of the
State, or even of a. great number of
them. 1t is given to show the lengths
to which some of the speakers are go
ing in their efforts to sway the pas
Sions and prejudices of considerable
percentage of the people. The very fact
that these two meetings in the little
town we're attended by 700 persons is
an indication of the pitch to which
the campaign is arousing the people.
In ordinary political campaigning, a
meeting at Fuquay Springs would not
bring out an audience hundred strong:
perhaps not half that size. Hotelan,
the Klan speaker at the anti-Smith
meeting, came to Raleigh for an address
sometime ago and did not draw a
crowd of more than so people. it is
said. And, indeed, invective of the kind
he employed is likely to drive many
anti-Smith Democrats back into the
party fold before election day.
The American Legion log cabin, a
rudely constructed building which is
used for all kinds of town meetings,
was the scene of the anti-Smith Demo-
cratic meeting. 1t was jammed with
opponents of Gov. Smith, rural folk.
farmers in overalls, substantial citizens
of the community. A Protestant min
lister opened the meeting with prayer
in which he asked for religious tolerance
and for guidance in the crisis confront
ing the State. And then Hotelan, the
speaker of the evening, launched into
a tWo-and-a-half-h hour talk. which. for
invective against Gov Smith and Tam
many Hall, not to mention the Catholic
Church, had Senator Tom" Heflin
backed off the boards.
When ne spoke of Gov Smith, It
was to call him Alcohol Alfred En-
manuel Percival Smith" 1t inevitably
brought loud outlaws from the crowd.
And when he turned his attention to
John j. Raskob, the Democratic nation
al committeeman. 1t was to call him
John J. Ratkiller, or whatever his
name is" At the conclusion of the
meeting an effort was made to take
up collection in envelopes bearing the
inscription keep on KruSading. Let's
Put a Capable Protestant Executive in
the White House" More than half the
crowd escaped, however, without the
envelopes.
On Vacation From Klan.
Mr.. Hotelan declared at the start
of his address that he was member
of the Ku Klux Klan, but that he was
speaking merely as Democrat and not
under the auspices Of the Klan. He
said he was on a vacation from his
Klan duties.
II want to confess" he Said here
and now, that / am member of the
Ku Klux Klan, and I want to remain
member until die and go to heaven"
He has been speaking up and down
the State for some time, denouncing
Gov. Smith and urging all Democrats
to vote against him. At a recent meet
ing he told his audience that Gov.
Smith had said to Senator Carter Glass
of Virginia and to Democratic National
Committeeman Cohen of Georgia that
| if he were elected President he would
put a negro, Frederick @. Morton, hold
ing an appointive job in Harlem pay
| ing him $500, in his cabinet. Senator
Carter Glass issued vigorous denial
| of any such statement. The Klan
lecturer said that he had been mis-
quoted; that he had never said Senator
| Glass hold him or any one else of this
incident. The story, he said, had come
CONTINUED on Page 4, Column 1.)