Evening star., 1937-09-15
PLEDGE OF BLACK
T0KLAN REPORTED
Fealty to Principles Given
in Speech Credited to
Associate Justice.

nifying life membership in the Ku
Klux Klan at mass meeting in
Birmingham, Ala, September 2, 1926,
Hugo L. Black, now an associate JUS
tice of the Supreme Court, turned to
the assembled Klansmen and renewed
his pledge of fealty to "the ideals of
this great fraternity to which we be-
long," according to the third of series
Of copyrighted articles by Ray Sprigle
in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette and the
North American Newspaper Alliance.
On July 19, 1925, Just before en-
tering the Democratic primary in
Alabama as a candidate. for the SEN
atorial nomination, which he won,
Black submitted q letter of resigna-
tion from the Klan, the newspaper
articles state.
Following Bibb Graves, who had
Just won the gubernatorial nomina-
ton, Black, according to the news
paper, told the Klansmen that 1
know that without the support of the
members of this organization I would
not have been called, even by my
enemies, the junior Senator from
Alabama l realize that 1 was elected
by men who believe in the principles
that I have sought to advocate and
which are the principles of this or
ganization."
Introduced by Evans.
At the meeting Black was intro
duced to Imperial Wizard Hiram Wes-
ley Evans. He recalled that they had
come from the same town in Clay
County and that, as a boy, he had
studied under the imperial wizards
father, Judge" Evans.
Blacks address to the Klansmen
was recorded in shorthand by the
Klan stenographer, transcribed and
filed as an official record of the or
ganization. From that transcript, &C.
cording to the POST Gazette, the fol-
lowing verbatim account of the ad-
dress is printed:
MY friends, it is my sincere trust
that to the members of this organi-
cation in the future, as in the past,
will be Hugo Black 1 prefer that
to the title, from my friends.
This passport which you have
given me is symbol to me of the
passport which you have given me
before. I do not feel that it would
be out of place to state to you here
on this occasion that 1 know that
without the support of the members
OF this organization l would not have
been called, even by my enemies, the
Junior Senator from Alabama (Ap-
plause)
agreed on Principles"
II realize that l was elected bv
men who believe in the principles that
have sought to advocate and which
q the principles of this organization.
1T is, indeed, pleasing to me to be
present on this occasion in the pres
ence of one who received instructions
from father, when I can also say
that l received instructions from that
father as the teacher of my early boy
hood. Some Of the most pleasant
memories of my life cluster around
Judge Evans. / knew him as Judge.
Some of the greatest inspirations that
have come into my life I received from
your father. I can recall him now
as though 1t were yesterday, walking
up and down, with his cane, and his
long coat, perhaps walking up and
down In front of the boys and girls
IN that old frame building at Ashland.
for half an hour and never say a
word, and finally perhaps say the
very words which you have heard him
utter so often. Stop, hit his cane on
the table, and say, young gentlemen
and young ladies, if you can't say
something good about a man, don't
say it, and he would continue TO
march. These words have been writ
ten into my heart and into my con-
science.
Counsel Invited.
Like all poor human beings, I am
frau and l am weak. My conduct
will not always meet with your ap-
proval. 1t would be futile to hope for
such an event to occur, but my friends,
I want you to know this: No man can
really interpret the sentiments and
the hearts of the people unless he is
willing to listen to the counsel and
the suggestions and the thoughts, and
grasp the heart-strings of the people
whom he loves and hopes to help. I
crave your counsel, / want your ad-
vice, I want you to let it be known
all over this State of ours, which is
my native State, and which I love
with all the fiber of my being, that
there Is no man who lives under the
Stars and Stripes, who is SO humble
and who is so insignificant that his
words will not be received by me, that
his counsel will pass unheeded by my
ears, because my friends, I know !
am weak. know that I cannot truly
represent you unless you back me, not
only with your good wishes, but II
something comes up that you want
to know where l stand, or If ques-
ton arises when I take a position
contrary to your viewpoint, I want tc
know it. There will be, and there is
now, but one way, and if my heart
remains true to the God of my father
and my mother, there will never be
another, to secure conduct from me
and that is to convince me that the
thing that is wanted is right. Gap.
plause.)
Would Hew to the Line.
II would prefer, my friends, to serve
but one year, and go out of Office with
the knowledge and the consciousness!