The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-08-10
BiIbo Admits Membership As ku kIux

Washington, Aug. 10-CUPl-Sen. Theodore Bilbo, (D.-Miss) admitted last night that he was member of the Ku KluX Klan, and accused Sen. Robert Taft, (R.-O0, of seeking the support of American Red" as pres idential candidate.
 He will take anything he can get Bilbo said
 Bilbo advocate of white Suprem- acy," participated in radio inter- view over the Mutual radio system.
 Stations Picketed
 Tickets appeared in front of Mu- tuals Washington and New York stations when they heard Bilbo was on the air.
 Bilbo said he welcomed the op- portunity to clear up several miSun- derstandings about himself and his state.
 Asked to comment on magazine poll in which a group of Washing ton correspondents voted him "the worst man in the Senate" Bilbo said:
 T heard the story published in the press and made an investigation and found that it was absolutely un- true.
 Puts Taft On Branch
 Asked if he would suggest that title for Sen. Taft, Bilbo said;
 When I think of him, I think of young mocking bird just out of his shell, all mouth and no bird at all"
 Reminded that Sen. Taft said Bill bo was disgrace to the Senate, the Mississippi Senator commented:
 Senator Taft, as you know, is a very strong Republican, and he has played every string on the instru- ment in his effort to line up the pinks and the reds and the off, brand of the political life of Amer ica. to further his interest as can- didate for the presidency of the United States
 Admits Role In Klan
 When asked if he was a member of the xxx, Bilbo said, T am a member of the Ku KluX Klan No. 40, called Bilbo, Bilbo Klan No. 40, Mis- sissippi. attended one meeting and have not attended it since, because I was not in sympathy with some of the things in it.
 No man can leave the Klan. He takes an oath not to do that. He is once Ku KluX, always a Ku Klux," he said.
 Bilbo was asked how he could take an oath to uphold the Consti- tuition and still be member of the Klan. He replied, T am not in- formed that the Ku Klux Klan, as I know it, is seeking to undermine the government. It is only the Communist Party of the United States that is seeking to do that by force"
 Bilbo accused Pulitzer price win ner Harding Garter. publisher of the Greenville, Miss. Times of mis- representing the true picture of liv- ing conditions in Mississippi.
 Whites Highly Literate
 When they talk about the low standards of the people of Missis- sippi, they predicate that by lump ing the Negro race into our white population and consider them all together which gives us 8 low rat ing.
 But, if you will take the white people of Mississippi, the standard of the citizenship in literacy and in information and intelligence and patriotism is above the citizenship of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York or Massachusetts, Bilbo said.
 He said Mississippi was taking steps to have private party cleo tions instead of state primary cleo tionS to keep the Negro from having a voice in Democratic nominations equivalent to election.
 The step would be taken, he said, "so the supreme court can't mon- key with our business
 Admits Escort
 Bilbo engaged in banter with his interviewers over the report that he was frequently accompanied by bo- dyguards
 Do you keep bodyguards with you all the time, day and night?' Bilbo was asked. ~
 T do not"
 How many do you have with you tonight?"
 As a matter of precaution, did have someone escort me here tonight"
 Are any of these men armed, Senator?"
 T did not examine them"
 The studio audience laughed.
 Bilbo was interviewed on the program Meet the Press by E. K. Lindley of NewsWeek Magazine, Ce- cil B. Dickson of Gannett publica- tions, Lawrence Spivak of the Am erican Mercury Magazine and Bert Andrews of the New York Herald Tribune