St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1944-09-01
Will Ku KluX Klan
Ride Again? Writer
Wonders, Makes Conclusions
BY Nora O'LearY SOrem

lowing article is a member of the Hamline
Methodist Church and a graduate of Ham,
line University, st. Paul. In a letter to
the st. Paul Dispatch last week, she made
an apology as a Methodist layman to "all
Negroes, Jews, and Catholics in this COM
munity for statement made by Rev.
William E. Thompson, 75-year-old Methodist
minister, which might be taken to mean
that the principles and the record of the
Ku KluX Khan are compatible with the
precepts and activities of the Methodist
Church" 1t is understood that Mr.. Thomp-
son, who is a retired preacher now serving
a congregation in West St. Paul, will be
removed as the pastor of the church be-
cause of his utterances in defense of the
klan of which he was a Kleagle. Mrs.
SOrem is a former social worker Her
husband is, an officer of the U. S. Army
medical corps serving overseas.
Last week the readers of the St.
Paul Dispatch were startled by a
story featuring an interview with
Rev. William E. Thompson in which
he stated that "as a minister of
God" he was proud of his member
ship in the Ku Klux Khan. Being
lay member of the Methodist
Church, of which denomination Mr..
Thompson is an ordained minister,
we were very indignant and asked
for an interview in his home. This
interview plus several hours re-
search into the inglorious history
of the xxx. has brought US to
the following conclusions:
First, study of history reveals
that if patterns of confusion re-
peat themselves, the Knights of the
Ku Klux Khan, or some similar mob,
will surely "ride again" at the
close of World War II as at the
close of the Civil War and the close
OF World War I. Normally" has
habit of getting lost on the bat
tlefield, and stupid little men have
habit of running in circles around
any fanatic or charlatan who can
point to a minority group and cry,
Its his fault! Kill him and we
shall protect our sacred institu-
tions." When the great defense
plants shut down and thousands of
people are suddenly through with
their joy ride of easy spending, we
are going to see the little men run
ming in circles again, and the same
cry will be raised against minority
groups, led by the same kind of
racketeers who provided the Grand
Wizard "Col." Simmons with a
salary of 100000 a month taken
from the pockets of Suckers" who
were willing to pay $1,000 to join
the Khan for the "protection" it
guaranteed them.
Second, the minorities who will
be prosecuted will be everyone who
happens to differ from the domi-
nant white Protestant group. Be-
cause they are descended from the
people who first came to these
shores they think that they alone
are american" The Khan organ
lzers were clever enough to ana
lyze the minority problem in each
district when they plotted their
campaign. Considering the nation
as a whole, the anti-Catholic move
ment was their strongest selling
point, and exhibit A was a grue-
some and ridiculous "oath" falsely
presented as the VOW taken by all
Knights of Columbus in which they
were supposed to swear allegiance
to the Pope in a program to over
throw the government and murder
all Protestants. Negroes, Jews,
and people of Japanese ancestry
were also supposed to be threaten
ing the "pure American stock"
After World War II we shall prob
ably see an attempted revival of
persecution of the Nisei Japanese
Americans), of the Jews, particu-
larly recent refugees, and of Ne
groes in industrial areas who will
be competing with others for the
lessening number of jobs.
Third, the American people have
learned something about the Khan
techniques and the government will
probably be better able to hold
them in check when they "ride
again." Under President Grant the
Federal Government put down by
force the remnants of the original
Khan. The Khan was revived in
1915 and in 1921 the government
M PO