Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1946-08-16
BilbO Admits
He's Member of
Ku KluX Khan

WASHINGTON, ID. {. (NNPAJ
blIDo, Democrat, OI mississippi
DIunIIy admitted IN a TadIO broad
cast last FRIDAY night InaJ ne Is a
member VI the hu hIuX Man ana
tnat a mississippi Man unit Is
named alter MN.
ASKED about ms membership dur
ing an interview by tour newspaper
and magazine correspondents, buOO
replied:
Il am "A member OF the NJ hIuN
Khan No. AZ, called the DIIDO Nan
NO. ~, Mississippi. 1 attended one
meeting ana nave not attended II
since, because / was not IN sym
pathy with some OIL the Things III
It,"
Concerning his present status ~
the organization, ne sand:
No man can leave the Man. lie
takes an Oatn not to do that. Once
IA hu hIuX, always u hu hIuN.
Lawrence SPlvak OF American
Mercury Magazine asked:
Senator, now can you take an
oath to uphold the laws OF your
State ana your country ana he a
member OF an organization Jnat
secretly undermlnes the law, as the
Man does =
Il am not Informed that the ku
klux Khan, as / KNOW II, Is seeking
10 undermine the Government,
Senator BllDO replied. 1t Is only
the Communist party of the Umteu
States That Is seeking to do that by
force"
lie said he was mot advised" as
10 present aims of the Khan, but
commented:
II heard GOveTnUr-eleC Iaimadgc
tell some newspapermen last FRI
day night they could md out all
about 1t by consulting Governor
Arnall Of Georgia. He Is "a member
and received a plaque award as u
member"
The Khan would not support Gov
eTnOr ATnall because no traitor to
an organization, or any Khan, ever
got any support" BilbO said.
When asked about reports of a
statement attributed to mm during
the recent Mississippi primary
campaign to the effect the best
method of preventing a cOlorcd
person from voting was TO see him
the night before" Bllbo at FIRST
challenged the accuracy of report,
ers.
Pressed by the interviewers, he
explained the meaning of his state.
ment was that his Interpretation OF
Mississippi law held colored people
had no legal right to vote IN the
Democratic primary. Therefore, ht
said, he felt the best thing was e
see him and advise him the NIGH
before and tell him he had ne
right"
Bert Andrews of the New YorL
Herald Tribune asked whether tn,
effect was to ''intimidate" colOre,
people.
You can call it what you may,
said BilbO, ut is good diplUmacy
and good strategy to keep then
llbHl NbllUk.
He said he was not in sympathy
with Lynch law" and had Tough
1t when Governor of Mississippi.
Asked by Andrews whether h,
agreed with the opinion of Wash
ingtOn newsmen who voted hin
The Worst Man in the Senate
in a magazine poll, Bilbo parried
IL think the best judge of Servic,
in the United States Senate wouIC
be the people of the State and ! an
perfectly satisfied with their yer
dict every time I've asked for the
jOb-three times"
Bilbo was asked to comment on
a recent speech by Senator Rohert
A. Taft, Republican. Of Ohio, il
which Taft termed him "a disgrac,
to the Senate"
Bilbo cOuntered that Taft wa,
known as the "blah blah blah" o,
the Senate and that Taft rcminde,
him "of "a mockingbird just hatche,
out of the shell-all mouth and no
bird"
Bilbo spoke over Station WOI
and the Mutual network at then
offices on X street northwest, a,
plckets marched in front Of IN,
building. Thanked by three per
sonal bodyguards. Blbo dodgcc
the picket line Of some $50 person,
in front Of the VOL building by
using back entrance to the studio