Evening star., 1937-10-04

etrating power of the Ku-Klux Klan
issue in American politics, the Sem
ate would not have confirmed Mr..
Black. Several Senators who voted
for him last August have stated pub
licly since that had they known of
his Klan membership they would not
have voted to confirm him.
The speech delivered by Mr.. Black
was an earnest attempt to satisfy crit
les. 1t was phrased in much more
balanced sentences than any previous
address by Mr.. Black, and in that
sense was in good taste.
But the address was shocking
revelation of an unforgivable fact and
an artful avoidance of the real charge
against the man who was nominated
for the Supreme Court by President
Roosevelt.
First, Mr. Black describes vividly
what might be the results of revival
of the controversy about the Klan,
but he speaks not one word of regret
or apology for having once joined
secret order which did precisely what
he now fears may be renewed.
Reappeared Year Later.
Second, Mr. Black says he resigned
and never did rejoin the Klan. He
wants his audience to believe that
when he resigned he completely dis
associated himself from the Klan His
resignation was dated July 7, 1925.
He reappeared more than year later,
September 2, 1926. at Klan meeting,
and made a fulsome speech, thank
ing the members in Ku-Klux Klan
phrases for having helped him win
the Democratic nomination which in
Alabama is equivalent to an election
to the United States Senate.
Third, Mr.. Black now denounces
bigotry and intolerance but even
though already nominated in 1926 to
go to the United States Senate he
sat in Klan meeting and heard
other speakers proclaim un-American
purposes and express antagonism to
racial and religious groups opposed by
the Klan. Mr.. Black was silent then
because he wanted the continued sup
port of the klan. At that same meet
ing he spoke of the ideals Of this
great fraternity to which we belong"
II he resigned in 1925 why did he
continue to say such things about
the Klan and attend its meetings
year or more later?
Fourth, Mr.. Black at no point in his
speech last Friday denounced the Ku-
Klux Klan by name. He insisted
complete religious freedom and in the
right of everybody to worship accord
Ing to the dictates of his conscience.
So did every member of the Klan.
The Klan never opposed religious
freedom. 1t insisted upon White
Protestant Supremacy" and at the very
meeting which fr. Black addressed
in 1926 he emphasized as do all Klan
speakers, the desired dominance of the
Anglo-Saxon race. The purpose of the
Khan was to prevent Catholics, Jews,
Negroes and foreign-born from holding
public Office, and not to interfere with
religious freedom. It's purpose was to
discriminate in business way against
other groups and not to disturb their
metnoo OF worship.
Not Personal Issue.
Sixth, Mr.. Black misconstrued the
episode as personal issue Nobody
has accused him personally OF being
intolerant as against Catholics, or
Jews or Negroes but of lending his
influence and membership to an or
eanization which did preach restriction
OF the political rights Of American
citizens because of race or creed or
color.
Seventh, Mr. Black boasted about his
record in the Senate on the matter of
civil rights. but forgot to explain why
he made this speech in the Senate as
recently as April 90, 1885, when the
Senate was debating the anti-lynching
bill:
I'VE will have made ourselves, it
seems to me. just little absurd in
view of the magnificent progress which
we have made and the improved re-
lationship which exists between the
races who live in the country, if we
stop the real business of the Senate
In order to consider a measure which,
according to the maximum figures,
would have affected only IA people
last year"
How about the relatives of the IA
Negroes and how about the millions of
other Negroes who read about lynch
ings and wonder if they would be
among the next IA to be lynched? Was
this liberalism" or protecting the
civil rights of Negroes?
Mr.. Black is plainly ineligible to sit
on the bench because of clause in the
Constitution which forbids appoint-