The manner in which applications for membership are solicited in connection with the work of the official lecturers is illustrated in the following description of a lecture:
“At the regular meeting of the Newport News Klan No. 8, Realm of Virginia, held in its Klavern, Monday, May 30, a resolution was introduced and passed by unanimous vote that Your Majesty be requested if possible to return Col. J. Q. Nolan to Newport News at a future date to deliver another address. Colonel Nolan spoke at the Imperial Theater with a seating capacity of eight hundred with the standing room only sign displayed before he even began speaking. There were fully as many turned away as were able to hear him. If possible to have him return we will secure the Academy of Music for his address and we can promise him a packed house. Colonel Nolan won the hearts of all who heard him and the request for his return comes not only from Klansmen but from men and women from all walks of life. At the meeting following Colonel’s Nolan’s address, ninety-one applications were presented and interest has been aroused to fever heat here. If it can be made possible for Colonel Nolan to return, please have him do so. At the same time we would like to extend a warm personal invitation to Your Majesty to come with Colonel Nolan, for Newport News and our Klan would feel it an honor indeed to entertain Your Majesty.”
Several of the “News-letters” support my claim that the organization is endeavoring to throw its coils around all public officers. This is seen for instance in the letter of May 20, 1921, which reads:
“You may state in your weekly letter that in one city in Virginia we have the chief of police, the commonwealth attorney, the postmaster, the police court judge, members of the city council and the managing editor of the leading paper and many other prominent business and professional men. This is Newport News.”
The “News-letter” of June 10, 1921, shows a still more sinister situation. The Exalted Cyclops of Norfolk, Virginia, writes:
“We have just taken in the chief of police. He is a fine up-standing fellow, a major in the World War. We had a hard time getting information regarding him, but when we found that he was eligible we had no trouble enlisting him in our ranks and when he was initiated you never saw such a pleased fellow; he radiated it, and when he learned he was to have our support in upholding the law he was certainly pleased, especially with our military organization, which we offered him in case of trouble. He then informed us that the city is insufficiently protected and that we are sitting on a volcano regarding the negro question, that there is a great deal of unrest among them and that we might have a riot at any time and he was very much worried. He told us that not many months ago there was a riot in the negro district, caused by negro soldiers attacking a district police station to release a negro prisoner, but it never got into the papers—so it was news to all of us. He welcomed us and the military company is to be trained and two hundred and sixty repeating rifles will be turned over to us in time of trouble. I asked how many in the three hundred present at the meeting would be willing to join the organization to assist the chief, and every one of them stood up. How is that for one hundred per cent Americanism? They were told they might have to sacrifice their lives in case of trouble, but they did not flinch at duty. The chief of police states that any man we select to head these two hundred and sixty Klansmen will be made by him assistant director of public safety in charge of these Klansmen.”
Imperial Kleagle Clarke, commenting on the above communication, states: “We call that almighty fine. The Norfolk Klan is working along the right line and deserves to be highly commended for the steps it has taken in enforcement of the law and preservation of order.”
An examination of the Norfolk communication reveals some interesting points. In the first place the author of the letter says: “We had a hard time getting information regarding him, but when we found that he was eligible we had no trouble enlisting him in our ranks.” In other words, some of the best and most efficient police officers in the United States are Irish-Catholics, and since, according to the Ku Klux Klan, they are foreigners and to be classed with the negro, it is highly important, first of all, to ascertain the religion of the chief of police. As he probably is not an active churchgoer this task was rather difficult, but when he was found to be a Protestant, he was eagerly sought after. Now that the chief has taken the oath of allegiance to the “Invisible Empire,” and has surrounded himself with his two hundred and sixty Ku Kluxes, I would not give much for the chances of a Catholic to get on the Norfolk police force. It is also interesting to read the fact that this particular Klan states that it is military, and that a military company will be trained and drilled, and that rifles will be issued to this secret organization. If this is a straw indicating the way in which the Ku Klux wind is blowing, it is not unreasonable to suppose that in the course of time there will be a gigantic, secret, national organization drilled as soldiers, and under the autocratic command of the “Emperor of the Invisible Empire.”
The “News-letter” above quoted again makes an extract from the report of the Exalted Cyclops of the Norfolk Klan, which is really more dangerous to the United States than the one previously discussed. It is more dangerous for the reason that it reflects the insane light of religious fervor and fanaticism in connection with this movement, and shows how the attempt of Simmons to build a secret Empire on the religious idea is bearing its fruit. I bespeak for this effusion a careful reading:
“I did not think it possible that my enthusiasm for our noble order could be increased, but your letter of the fourteenth instant, has filled me with added inspiration. Having been offered an opportunity for service in the field in Missouri, I am resigning my position with the government here and hope soon to be among the chosen disciples of our great Emperor proclaiming his inspired doctrine of new freedom to the world. Beyond the simple office of treasurer in my home county I have never sought public honors nor craved political preference, but in the glorious work of this God-inspired order every ounce of my energy will strive for excellence. I shall never seek the honor or preferment of office except wherein I may contribute to the honor and preferment of my Klan. My fellow Klansmen have here seen fit to confer upon me the highest honor within their power, and God being my witness, I would not barter it for any other honor that life may hold. My only consolation in leaving my faithful Klan for a time is that I may aid in the promulgation of the glorious institutions of freedom which my sons battled for beneath the Stars and Stripes for which I have pledged my blood beneath the flaming symbol of an unconquered race of men.”