There are already enough laws on the statute books of the States against mob violence, assault, murder, mayhem and other crimes, and the enforcement of these laws will go a long way toward killing the “masked terror.” No law, however, is enforceable unless public sentiment is behind it, and if the public officials, especially the sheriff’s forces and the city police departments are filled with men sworn to obey “unconditionally” the orders of the “Invisible Empire” and to use “any and all justifiable means and methods” in the accomplishment of the Ku Klux program even public sentiment can do but little. In this connection, I want to call attention to an editorial which appeared in the Searchlight, the official organ of the Ku Klux Klan, under date of July 23, 1921, which reads:
“It is sometimes amusing to note the ridiculous situations which ignorance oftentimes leads men, even of more than average intelligence. For instance, it doubtless is amusing to members of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan to hear a judge instruct a grand jury to probe that organization because of its ‘lawlessness and un-Americanism,’ when they know that anywhere from a third to one-half the members of the grand jury are members of the K. K. K., and know that the good judge is all unconsciously making an ass of himself by attempting to express an opinion on a subject that he knows nothing about.”
The attempt of the Ku Klux Klan to enlist the police authorities in its organization and bind them with its vicious oath is the most serious count in the indictment against the system. The potentialities are far-reaching, and unless the organization is checked in that direction, the consequences must necessarily be grave. How the situation, in that respect should be met, I leave to others.
The foregoing suggestions are merely intended to set people to thinking, and from these ideas may come better suggestions as to the proper methods which should be pursued in checking and eliminating the rising tide of Ku Kluxism. It should be carefully remembered, however, that the task of wiping out Ku Kluxism will not be an easy matter. The organization is headed by a shrewd individual who has already tasted the sweets of success. All the energy that desperation and cunning can devise will be used in resisting any effort that will be made to suppress the organization. Behind this individual are thousands of fanatics, who for one reason or another believe that this “noble cause” is the salvation of the country. While fully one-half of the men who have parted with ten dollars went into the organization out of curiosity, and will probably drop it, the other element will do all it can to keep the movement alive, even in spite of the exposure made by the New York World.
Behind the publicity of the World should therefore come the united efforts of every agency in America which discountenances such a scheme. Every organization engaged in civic work should bring all the available pressure to bear upon the legislative branches of both State and Federal governments to secure the enactment of suitable laws against Ku Kluxism. Then when adequate laws are secured, the power of public opinion should demand that these laws be enforced and irresponsible and secret government, private regulation of the public peace, interference with law-enforcing authorities, and class hatred and prejudice should be crushed.
Half-hearted measures will do no good. Unless the American people are prepared to deal vigorously with Ku Kluxism, they may as well turn over to the system the free and untrammelled right to carry out its secret program, because mild measures will have but little effect in stemming the tide this movement must inevitably bring should its propaganda be successful.