SUNDAY MAGAZINE
VOL. XXXII. No. 7 ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1921 PRICE, FIVE CENTS
The Ku Klux Klan at U. of M.
(By ." 1. ".) The Knights of the K K. K. out-
With the great majority of the A T1, 7*line their objects as follows: To pro-
people in this country discussing the A Kan sm ansafl ew tect the weak, innocent, and defense-
mysterious Ku Klux Klan, pro and less from indignities and wrongs of
con, it is to be expected that a local the violent and brutal; to protect and
angle might appear-it has, and with . Said one member of the faculty of the University of Michigan, defend the constitution of the United
some startling revelations. But be- who admitted that he was a member of the Knights of the Ku Klux States, to aid and assist in the exe-
sm strln reeain.Htb- Klan:atesnotinooindssutnaltlaw andet
fore coming to that, it will be well to Ka cution of constitutional laws and to
mention the general "lay of the land" "The Ru Klux Klan, aa I understand it, is an erganization of true oppose all forms of tyranny.
as it appeared the first few days of American men, in the highest sense of that term, who want the laws Last winter and spring the campus
of America to express th e undamental principles of the Declara-
Thomas gaBrien tion of Independence and the Constitution of the United States and who them one in particular, were old
Chief of Police Thomas.O'Brien want the enforcement of these laws to be strict and without fear or Mhig, en-tioea grdotd
when approached regarding the sub- favor. Michigan men-this one a graduate.
ject, said that he knew of absolutely "As I understand it it is n intended to make war upon any par- Quietly, effectively, a powerful organ-
A Indestad .itit i no inizationsnae wasuonbuiltr-. Fcly tdns
no klansmen in Ann Arbor. He de- ticular group, but it is to make sure that no particular group shall izaton was built. Faculty, students,
clined to commit himself on what ac- make war on America. and townsmen joed. The town
tion he would take should any be "Apparently there are some things about the organization that might membership is said to include some
found. County Prosecutor Jacob F. go farther than this. According to the artkiles appearing in the Detroit knomen. The student membership-
Fahrner was equally certain that no Free Press, the machinery of the organization might lend itself, in tinable. Many faculty men ap-
members of the klan were in the unscrupulous hands, to very undemocratic things, even to those things proached ony sbct mediay
town. He said, however, that if the it was organized to control: a perpetual emperor for example. I do rejected the idea. But, as far as rec-
klan was as represented by recent ac- not approve of some of the things the Free Press articles accuse the ae taine , ew ree
counsn the Free Press that he. . ords are obtanable, few reaized that
would leave no stone unturned to organization of doig: if, however, that paper can prove that these they were being broached on member-
curb their efforts. He would, if s things have been done in the name of the Klan, I, for one, will with- ship in the fast-growing Ku Klux
sible, rout them out of town. "No draw and I know others who will do the same. But I will have to 'be Klan. Many joined, in good faith, as
organization which .does not gi men shown' as will thousands of other members. Today I cannot see the evidenced by the interview published
the rii danger." in connection with this article.
righto trial by jury has a right This man denied that the members of the klan are obliged to take
to exist," he said. fearsome oaths, or that they are compelled to do whatever they are about chalk "K. K. E s" which have
The possility of any of the Ku ordered to do by high officials of the klan.
Klux lurking in Ann Arbor looked appeared periodically on campus
discouraging-from -a newspaper's walks. Small boys like to make chalk
point of view. courage or foster lawlessness, racial rity of the Stars and Stripes and the marks. K. K. K. is an attractive com-
But things began to get interesting, prejudice, or religious intolerance. It Constitution of the United States of bination to lever.
A Ku Klux was found-and regard- is not designed to act in the capacity America." . In scouring the faculty for inter-
less of the preceding statements to of a law enforcement or moral ocr- The Detroit Free Press, in its ex- views endeavoring to find Klansmen,
the contrary and President Marion L. rection agency; except in so far as pose of klan, claims that the organiza- many were found who voiced a strong
Burton's assertion, expressed through the members of the organization may tion is decidedly anti-Jew, anti-Cath- opposition to the organization. Some
the Free Press, that he thought none be able to assist the regular officers olic, anti-alien, and anti-negro. The ten days ago, an article appeared in
were in the University, this klans- of the law in the apprehending of Free Press has been lodging many the Detroit Free Press in which Dean
man is a naegmber of the faculty-a criminals and the upholding and sus- claims of cruelty, unlawfulness, and Henry H. Bates, of the Law School,
noted member of the faculty. He taining of the laws, honor, and integ- unpatriotic acts to the organization. made an eloquent appeal against the
granted an interview, which is print-' Ku Klux Klan, It was widely quoted
ed above. The pursuit of finding more throughout the country. He presented
Ku Kuxers waxed more exciting. H ard W ork LO n 1 IShleP S his ideas in such logical sequence
Three other prominent members of that the New York World; credited
the faculty, upon the reception of an with the origin of the campaign
oath of secrecy regarding their identi- i tes C ollege ,JI_,en against the klan, wired him compli-
ty, admitted their connection with the menting on "the best interview
mysterious organization. And, with (By Hamilton Cochran) But the ways were many when there against the klan, we have seen."
surprising accuracy, each has placed It is a far cry from the quiet of a burned in the breast of a man the de- "An organization which deems it
the lowest number of klansmen at 50! college campus to the bustling deck of sire to tread foreign shores. Officials necessary to exist in secret as the Ku
From equally reliable sources, the in- a trans-atlantic liner, yet when col- of large steamship lines have many Klux Klan order appears to do has,
formation has come that some 200 lege students are attacked by the im- friends, and among them the fathers in my opinion, no reason for existing
residents of Ann Arbor are also affili- pulse to break away from the daily and uncles and cousins of college stu- except in extraordinary times," said
ated with the famous body. grind of everyday existence for a sum- dents. Letters of introduction to these Prof. Ulrich B. Phillips, of the history
When were these men initiated into mer, the change is little heeded. The pompous executives sometimes actual- department. "At prese1it however,
the order? Who secured them as wanderlust is in their blood and the ly brought results. Then again, many there is absolutely no need for such
members? What is the KuKlux Klan? prospect of hardships and even heavy forms of rhetoric came in handy to an order," he added.
It appears that the Knights of the work does not deter them from their university men who were fortunate The whole nation is watching the
Ku Klux Klan, Inc., was founded Oct. purpose to "see the world." enough to catch the ear of a shipping outcome of the campaign against the
26, 1915 at Atlanta, by William Jo- As soon as the hurry and worry of master. The gentle arts of argumen- klan. It is said that the leaders of the
seph Simmons, who is now the "Im- final examinations were over last tation, debate, cajolery, bluff, and in organization are to be taken to Wash-
perial Wizard," and "Emperor of the June, these dauntless adventurers, some rare cases bribery, were used to ington where they wil have to submit
Invisible Empire." It grew, from less hailing from almost every college and convince the reluctant skippers that to severe questioning. And, taken as
than 50 charter members, to more university in the land, made their way college men were just the ones they a whole, the situation locally will
than 600,000-men in every walk of to the sea coast in search of easy had been looking for to man their bear watching. There are more than
life, in every corner of the United means of conveyance across the West- ships. 0 klansmen in the faculty; there are
States. It is interesting to notice a ern ocean. The conveyance, however, With the exception of the few who many more among the townspeople
few of the aims and objects of the was not so easy as most of them had had had sea experience with the navy and students,-many are watching. the
klan as the Imperial Wizard has an- supposed, for the seamen's strike had during the war, most of the collegi- outcome with interest, others with
nounced them in the press of the na- put a serious crimp in shipping af- ans were terrible "landlubbers." Liv- various serious considerations, but all
tion. fairs in general, and ten howling sea- ing in inland towns, for the most part. appear to be eager for future devel-
"The Ku Kux Klan does not en- men clamored for every open job. (Continued on Page Five) opments.