Evening star., 1937-09-14
BLACKS SUPPORT
OF SMITH IS CITED
Justice, if He Ever Joined,
mo Klansman at Heart
Declares Friend.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala, September IA
(N.AN.A).-Postmaster Cooper Green
of this city, who was Supreme Court
Justice Hugo l.. Blacks personal rep
resentative in Alabama while Black
was United States Senator, said that
If Justice Black ever joined the Klan
he did so for political reasons and not
because he was Klahsman at
heart"
Justice Black supported Alfred E.
Smith against Herbert Hoover in 1928
and Senator John H Bankhead
against former Senator Tom Hefiin
in 1880 and appointed both Catholics
and Jews to Federal jobs while Sem
ator, according to Postmaster Green,
through whom patronage applications
and recommendations passed while
Senator Black was in Washington.
Il don't know whether Justice Black
was a member of the Klan at any
time." said the postmaster, himself
former KlanSman, "but I know that
he never was Klansman at heart and
never subscribed to certain Klan prin-
ciples
IF Mr.. Black joined the Klan," Mr..
Green continued, "it was at time
when everybody in politics or business
in Alabama virtually had to do so or
quit. The Klan practically controlled
| this State in 1925, when it was at its
peak. Every elected Office holder and
| appointee virtually had to be Klans-
man or sympathizer. Even business
men had to put TWK cards (trade
with Klansmen) in their windows to
keep their customers.
Smith Support Pointed Out
Had he been member of the Klan
at heart, he certainly would not have
supported AL Smith at time when
there was such a split in the Demo-
cratic party IN the South over a
Catholics nopnination for the Presi-
dency. That proved that he had no
religious prejudices. The Smith can
didacy broke the solid South in 1928,
but Black and Alabama were for him.
Alabama was one of the seven States
he carried, when even his own State
of New York went for Hoover.
| Senator Black, as he was then,
came back from his vacation TO make
an address in Birmingham, ANNOUNCE
ing he was for Smith and the Demo-
cratic ticket all the. way. and intended
to ask all his friends to vote the
straight Democratic ticket. That
took courage in 1928, when the Klan
was still strong here.
His support probably was the de-
clsive factor in the State, for Smith
carried Alabama by the narrow mar
gin of 5000 votes.
In 1880, Black made at least so
speeches all over the State for Bank
head. the anti-Klan candidate, in the
Democratic primary for the United
States Senate nomination, and
against Heflin, whose Klan connec-
tions were known all over the country
and who had frequently denounced
Smith and the Catholic Church in
speeches in the United States Senate
and all over Alabama Bankhead won
In another close race, and Black
should receive his share of the credit
for that victory.
Black Led in Fight.
When Helm contested the result.
Senator Black led the fight in the
Senate against Helm and his Klan
witnesses, and was successful In the
fight to seat Bankhead."
Postmaster Green said he had been
informed by Tax Collector j. w.
Hamilton of Jefferson County. of
which Birmingham is the county seat
tnat the life membership card pre-
sented to Black at Klan meeting
on September 2, 1926, was only an
honorary membership. Collector
Hamilton was ''Kligrapp," or secre-
tary OF the Robert E. Lee Klan, No. 1,
in Birmingham in 1926.
Everybody knows" Green added.
that an honorary membership in
any organization does not carry with
it the same rights as a regular mem
Der. 1t Is an entirely different thing.
and means little or nothing"
He asserted that while the United
States Senate was holding its dis
cussion on the seating of Senator
Black as Supreme Court Justice many
Catholics. Jews, Italians and Greeks
IN Alabama sent kilograms urging
his confirmation.
while IN the Senate. Mr.. Black
tried to recognize Catholics and Jews
IN appointments" said Mr.. Green.
adding that "at his request I often
asked DR.. A. l.. Stabler, head of
the knights of Columbus in Alabama.
to submit lists of persons to be con-
sidered for appointment"
Catholics kilograms.
DR.. Stabler, practicing physician
who is State deputy for Alabama and
member of the Supreme Council
OF the Knights of Columbus. said he
had submitted lists for Federal ap-
pointments at Senator Blacks re-
quest, but had abandoned the prac-
tice after finding his recommended
tions were not adopted.
He said Alabama Catholics who had
sent kilograms approving the con-
f1rmation of Black as Supreme Court
| justice did not represent prevailing
sentiment of Catholics in the State.
Il was asked to send such a tele-
gram, but declined to do So" he
added II believe that he should not
have been seated without a thorough
investigation and was about to press
a demand for such investigation when
the Senate acted"
DR.. Stabler, interviewed. in his office
at Birmingham, said he thought Jus
tice Black had played "the keen game
OF political opportunist allying
himself with the Klan when it was
strong. and disassociating himself
from it when it went into a decline.
He may have supported Smith
against Hoover in 1928, but he was
not as active as he might have been,
and believe his main campaign was
Tor the Democratic party and not
for the nominee.
In 1880. when he supported Bank
head against Heflin, the Klan was