The Butte Miner, 1924-06-29, p.26

# CONVENTION REFUSES TO SPECIFY KU KLUX *Continued From Page One.* don't wear this shroud. It is also true that there are other criminals in the country who do not wear the shroud. I am amazed to see this controversy because it is the greatest opportunity the party policy represented by the press as being defeated or victory for the Ku Klux Klan. It is neither one nor the other. The democratic party should not knowingly deprive any American citizen, however humble, of his right to worship God in his own way. **Draws No Lines.** "I have been taken care of by negroes all my life and I would despise myself if I wounded the feelings of the humblest negro in the land. When Justice Brandeis was made a justice of the supreme court of the United States I admired his great brain as a character. I did not care that he was a Jew from Russia, for he received the blessing of the Bible. Our Christian religion is founded on the teaching of a Jew. When our sons went to war on America's great battle, we did not ask their race or creed or color. "Shall we now allow the democratic party with the greatest opportunity in all history to be divided on this question?" the speaker asked, and there were cries of "no" from the audience. "Shall we use this question in any way, directly or indirectly, to nominate or demote any candidates whatever? The democratic party is too great for that. This is not a question of courage. It is a question of the democratic party. A member of the committee said we should not put the condemnation of the Ku Klux Klan. Well I've got the courage to oppose the ku klux klan. I'm not afraid of a ku klux, living or dead. There was not any ku klux in the mountains of North Carolina. In Louisiana, the Ku Klux Klan was shown to be killing men outside of Baton Rouge. It never was proven and they suppressed a trial showing that no man without permission should wear a mask. They did not want to stop the Mardi Gras. **Laws Sufficient.** "We've got laws in this country to control the Ku Klux Klan. We have those laws and they are adequate. We can take off of them. They tried to nominate a man there for governor for the good democrats. Protestants and Catholics licked the stuffing out of them. We can handle the klan politically or any other way. The only question before us is whether we say at this convention that the membership of the Ku Klux Klan in itself means violating the constitutional provisions. There was no evidence submitted before us to that effect. I don't defend the ku klux. I think there are many things about it to raise against. But I know, too, there's a large number of good citizens who honestly believed, in joining the order that it was a committee to obey and support and protect the constitution and the laws of this country." At that there was a mixture of applause and boos and hisses from the galleries. Senator Owen concluded his address in a moment and was preceded off the rostrum by Senator Pattengall, who began by naming the Ku Klux Klan specifically. **Merely Supplementary.** "It was suggested," said the senator from Oklahoma that there was little objection to the minority report before you," began Mr. Pattengall. "It is supplementary to the single work that was put in the platform by the majority report. It is merely supplementary declaration. If you had an opportunity to examine the majority platform, you will find that their plan merely reiterated the rights preserved, the declaration of independence, bill of rights and the constitution. We have asked nothing more than a new paragraph which applies those abstractions to a particular organization." Here Mr. Pattengall read the minority section of the platform which mentioned the name of the Ku Klux Klan. Senator Walsh of Montana then read Mr. Pattengall from the proposed majority plank on the convention, "does anybody object to that?" There were a chorus of "noes." **Senator Speaks.** Then he went on to finish the reading of the plank including the name clause. Then the wave of approval swept the hall. "Is there any minority?" he asked, "who is so ignorant of what is going on and who loves this country and does not know that the secret society we here denounce has violated the principles that no man who is Catholic, Jew, or negro, shall hold public office here?" "Is there any denial of that?" he demanded. There were more noes. Then Mr. Pattengall read the remainder of the declaration for the minority report. "Senator Owens says he is willing to fight the klan." "Where is he willing? On the platform? He cannot name it. He says he wants to name it all over the United States to the last man. He wants to name it wherever the gospel of democracy is preached. The subcommittee or that committee approached the subject in the most conscientious way right and we all agreed that something had to go into the platform on this subject. The sole immediate difference of thought was whether the platform should be absolutely specific. And if it is unwise to name the klan it is unwise to put something in the platform that means the klan. There is something more than that at issue here. There has crept into American life a cancer of intolerance. I certain states that certain senators told me last night if they opposed the klan [continued] ence," he continued, "that those who signed the majority report are deserving of credit. When I was in Oklahoma no intelligent man will believe. We are not fighting democrats many of us still believe in it. We are fighting, the bulk of the ku klux because they get into the league. It is only a question of the name. "We made the league a party issue in 1920 in the dramatic speech of Mr. Baker and referred the crowd to the secretary's wild gestures and the tears rolled down, we applauded their boos and hisses and had to wait until the applause subsided." At the conclusion of Senator Pattengall's speech the convention allowed for a poll of delegations, and at this time a poll was ruled out. they could not be re-elected. There has crept into the life of the United States an influence so strong that it needs examination. And when we say it approaching the principles of religious freedom it is proper that some action should be directed to democratic things that we all believe in. **Membership.** "This organization could not discriminate against me — I have no racial or religious disabilities. I wonder when Senator Owen voted for a candidate for office if he picked out boys who were white—protestant and American men. When a soldier said to me that a man born of Jewish parents and raised in this country was willing to serve his country in civil life but would be proud to serve his country in military life when it needs them, do I condemn them wherever I meet them." At that the convention went into another uproar demonstration. "I am a democrat because I was taught to believe that the one supreme creed of the party was that Americans of every condition were equal in a democratic platform." "There needs to be sent out over the whole United States," the speaker continued, "a solemn declaration that our party hates bigotry, hates intolerance, hates inhumanity and hates them, and it hates hypocrisy and therefore calls bigots by their full names instead of the names when it speaks of them." **Galleries Noisy.** There was a good deal of favorable demonstration on the floor when the speaking continued. Most of the gallery noisy demonstration came from the galleries. Mrs. Carroll Miller of Pittsburg, who was listed under a fictitious name, Mrs. Smith, also spoke for the minority against the majority plank. "What would you think of a home in America where the mother and wife dared nightly in fear of the Ku Klux Klan? There are such places in the United States, where people's constitutional protection are denied the attempt, free men are denied the vote, the foreign born are discriminated against in economic relations. But where the foreign born wife waiting for her husband to return from his work is never sure that he will not be brought home dead from the ku klux family. In the mountains of my own state a few years ago the ku klux not only terrorized a community, but three persons were killed. Do you call this Christian? Do you call this humanity? You say that political expediency demands our vote? Political object. Since when has the democratic party ever subordinated itself to political expediency? I'd rather go down a million votes in a minority fight on a clear-cut moral issue than win upon an immoral expediency. Let us be democrats. It is better to be a doorkeeper in the house of God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness forever. "We fight this demon without fear and in the open we leave our children to sleep in the tents of the Ku Klux Klan. Who are they? About 1,500,000 men who have sworn to uphold ideals of Christian religion, which is not prejudice, a creed—which is intolerance. "Are we, without trial or evidence in a political convention, to try, condemn and execute more than a million men who are professed followers of the Holy Bible? Is that American religious liberty? We mean there shall be a tolerance test for candidates, shall be no discrimination against any man because of race or religion?" she asked. But has any party ever pledged itself to bigotry? Can good men pledge klan and bigotry? We cannot do it. "I am a Catholic. I have appointed Catholics and I have appointed both to office and laughed at the ku klux klan and its attempts at office-meddling. These men who can't get into the klan because they are negroes or Christians have organized this association to prove they are better than he or a Jew come. How can we help form this cowardice into our platform and isolate themselves how can we preserve freedom of speech and assembly? It is a case for the keepers of the American tradition in the United States. It is not a matter for direct political action until they violate the law and for this there are laws which move with the swiftness of lightning and the decisiveness of death." "My American brothers, let us deal with these people in the only sensible way as becomes not the followers of Thomas Jefferson or the upholders of the standards of Thomas Jefferson but as followers of Jesus Christ. We believe where the democratic party has the heart of American people in this majority report and all the people of this country will know the democrats do not need to help kill the ku klux if we adopt it and need not do so and every effort to make a half million ku klux is the next best thing to a confession." **Launches Walsh Boom.** Governor Morrison finished by launching into the Walsh boom talk. "I'd like to see this great Catholic American here nominated and elected president of the United States," said the Governor. Brambridge Colby, former secretary of state, was next on the platform to speak for the adoption of the minority substitute. "These resolutions are aimed at the ku klux," said he, "but one is 'yes' we won't and the other says 'stop the ku klux.' One of them said nothing. The obvious purpose of having a committee on resolutions is that no matter who comes before us the alien thing is our midst, abhorrent to all that we hold in the sacred sanctuary of our institutions, in the precepts of Christian faith. I have no sympathy with a group of gentlemen who meet only at the dead of night in the presence of burning crosses and the like. Those are not the habiliments of courage and honor. These men who thank God they are not the uniform of the regular army which should be familiar. "I am opposed to the majority resolution report. It is an obvious studied attempt to evade and say nothing. It does not satisfy my thoughts. It gives me no satisfaction. It does no credit to the democratic party. It is a party that cares for nothing. I believe we should adopt the minority report because it is simple, dignified and says exactly what we thought. The Ku Klux Klan is comparable to the bolshevists of Russia. It is one of those temporary plagues of history which manifests itself like a distemper." **Predicts Collapse.** "There is no man who would not regard a membership in the klan as creditable to himself. I ask you why they move at night under cover and dark. They are ashamed of I venture to predict that in a short time the klan will, like these members; you will not even find the man who remembers he was a member. "It would be disloyal, a betrayal, a desertion of democracy to do less than adopt this minority report which is the simple and undeniable declaration in our platform." More cheers from the galleries greeted Mr. Colby at the conclusion. Senator Walsh, the chairman introduced Senator Pittman of Nevada, who spoke for the adoption of the minority report. "If I allowed my personal wishes I would timidly allow toleration and would leave to those of other religious convictions to demand the adoption of this platform. But it is an occasion where I must not be governed by timidity and therefore I speak as American, a christian and a democrat to other democrats, christians, pilgrims and Puritans. "Some radical democrats of my religious convictions might be construed as predisposition on the part of my convention to remain silent and to refuse to conflict on this great question. "Let there be no mistakes about those who vote for or against this amendment. We will accept the verdict and I am not afraid to wait for the final verdict. If our fight fails, we will go forth disappointed, but we will not desert. We will not waver and we will not desert. We take our posts of duty and place and we will be in the ranks against our common political enemies." **Will Not Abandon Cause.** "If our case fails, our answer will be the same as that made by the British common, who replied to the British General Gage that they were Americans. "The cause for which we stand will not be abandoned. The democrat who hesitates to speak today. The democratic party has been always the party of the immigrant. In our party Catholics and Jews and people have always found asylum and have enjoyed its tolerance. We have always been the party of the downtrodden and the poor and the alien. The democrat has always been the party of those least able to speak for themselves. I speak for the immigrant who has won his college in time of peace, but only ask the right to win his college in peace in their country. They demand no properties rights—they ask for no special favors—but who merely ask of their government their rights and that they be protected in the enjoyment of their civil and political rights. "This issue is not sectional. It is not the north against the south. It is the forces of good against evil, American against every Ku Kluxer in every corner of the United States. "It is not a religious issue. This fight is against a secret society. We believe in the principles of this organization. We cannot deny ourselves who denounce this organization, but it is the political effect of an open public statement. "If you can denounce bolshevism, you can denounce ku kluxism. But I can here question that this organization discriminates in favor of the man in public office to Catholic, Jew or foreign born. "The temporary chairman said in his comments that we can needle Paul Revere. Then, in God's name, brothers, set the banner, as he goes forth from this convention, on the same terms for all." Mr. Moore of Youngstown, Ohio, followed Senator Walsh. He said he had gone to see the democratic party wizard and the grand dragon had been called into the ring to start a plan against the minority plank in the Ohio delegation. "I don't believe it," said Mr. Moore. "I know I can't that wizard can come in here and get a dollar out of your pocket; I for one propose to crawl out. **Analyzes Situation.** "I will discuss with you the political aspect of this situation. If you think this platform is worth a penny, then I would not give a penny for the nomination of any man on it. You and I know that if we don't denounce the ku klux klan we can't run a man in the south but who must go home where the problem exists." In the middle west, he continued, a politician would not dare ably himself with the klan, and proceeded to analyze the aspects of the situation. Delegate Ewing of Louisiana, who followed Mr. Moore, said the Ku Klux Klan matter was strictly a matter the party had to determine. Ewing said he had been the only delegate in the Georgia delegation to vote against [illegible]. He said he had started up a demonstration he did not expect or call for himself, which caused a big roar. A big virile young fellow, he strode back to his seat in the delegation of Louisiana amid tremendous reception of the klan. A young woman rushed forward and introduced herself to him. **Carried in Demonstration.** Then a parade of the standards from various parts of the convention hall followed and soon the standards of Alabama, Wyoming, Arizona, Kentucky, Vermont, New Hampshire, New Hamshire, North Dakota, New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Georgia, Illinois, Illinois, South Dakota, Utah and Massachusetts were all joined to trot around there. Still the Georgia delegation with its standard and chair refused to rise. The men from other delegations practically raised the chair to shoulders and carried him around the hall. The band played the Son of the South and it attracted tremendous attention and the convention went back into session. During the demonstration Tom Taggart and other Indiana men prevented from going into the demonstration. When the convention got back together the next speaker, "In Louisiana," he said, "we tell you frankly and honestly, that democrats here are going through. We had the big chance and somebody had had to be frankly dishonest. We had in our campaign men who sought to mobilize the anti-klan sentiment and to capitalize anti-klan. But when a delegate denounces the klan without appealing to race and religion backed anti-ku klux klan. You find today that practically every newspaper in Louisiana is anti-ku klux klan. I can state that above anti-klan there was true democratic sentiment which embraces the principles of religious freedom and tolerty and yet without the full inclusion of the majority plank mentioning fidelity to the tolerant men and women of Louisiana." **Precedent Cited.** A man running on the platform with all its implications against him made such an appeal that he won in the primary and is now the next democratic candidate in our state. "I say that a party which does not belong to one church, nor do all the racial groups in it." M. Bryan of Memphis followed and spoke at length against the inclusion of the minority plank mentioning the klan. "You can't kill a snake by taking it up tenderly and petting it to death," he said. Mr. Busch of Chicago followed, also speaking for the inclusion of the minority report. "It is not a religious question," he said. "It is a political question. It is a question of whether the fundamental principles of our government so these religious ## Column 2 # CHILHOWEE AT WINNER, BL # BASEBALL STANDINGS ## NATIONAL LEAGUE | | Won | Lost | Av. | |--|--|--|--| New York . . . . . . | 55 | 21 | .724 Chicago . . . . . . | 46 | 25 | .590 Brooklyn . . . . . . | 39 | 31 | .557 Pittsburg . . . . . . | 36 | 33 | .522 Cincinnati . . . . . | 30 | 35 | .462 St. Louis . . . . . | 29 | 40 | .420 Philadelphia . . . . | 24 | 46 | .343 Boston . . . . . . . | 14 | 59 | .192 **SATURDAY'S RESULTS.** Chicago, 6; Pittsburg, 1. Boston, 8; Brooklyn, 9. Brooklyn, 9-12; Philadelphia, 1-1. Cincinnati, 8-2; St. Louis, 2-1. ## AMERICAN LEAGUE | | Won | Lost | Av. | |--|--|--|--| Washington . . . . . | 26 | 27 | .571 New York . . . . . . | 47 | 28 | .627 Detroit . . . . . . . | 40 | 30 | .571 Cleveland . . . . . . | 36 | 33 | .522 St. Louis . . . . . . | 31 | 36 | .463 Boston . . . . . . . | 30 | 41 | .423 Chicago . . . . . . . | 24 | 43 | .358 Philadelphia . . . . | 22 | 40 | .355 **SATURDAY'S RESULTS.** St. Louis, 1; Cleveland, 2 (called 4th innings). Philadelphia, 1-3; Washington, 4-4. New York, 4; Boston, 3. (12 innings) ## AMERICAN ASSN. | | Won | Lost | Pct. | |--|--|--|--| Louisville . . . . . | 55 | 27 | .671 Indianapolis . . . . | 49 | 37 | .570 Milwaukee . . . . . . | 46 | 38 | .548 Columbus . . . . . . | 43 | 38 | .531 Minneapolis . . . . . | 40 | 38 | .513 Kansas City . . . . . | 29 | 38 | .433 Toledo . . . . . . . | 29 | 38 | .433 Milwaukee . . . . . . | 20 | 38 | .400 **SATURDAY'S RESULTS.** Kansas City-Minneapolis, rain. Louisville, 5; Indianapolis, 4. St. Paul, 9; Milwaukee, 2. Toledo, 4; Columbus, 2. ## THEY PLAY TODAY ## NATIONAL LEAGUE Boston at New York. Chicago at Cincinnati. Philadelphia at Brooklyn. Pittsburg at St. Louis. ## AMERICAN LEAGUE Boston at Washington. Detroit at Cleveland. Chicago at St. Louis. New York at Philadelphia. Others not scheduled. ## WESTERN LEAGUE RESULTS. Omaha, 3; Denver, 4. Oklahoma City, 12; Wichita, 3. Des Moines, 7; Pueblo, 2. Omaha, 10; Lincoln, 9. To prevent theft or contamination of milk left on door steps an English inventor has devised a container into which it can be poured into a container inside a house. questions will not be recurring." **Senator Pattengall** came in for a great deal of booing and howling from the galleries when he was introduced as "that reverend demo—" "They take your applause out at me," he said. "Still and let me speak to you," said he. "We'll do it," called back a voice in the galleries. "Let's understand each other," let's eliminate the bitterness, let's clear this issue and come down to the three. I want to say that senators from Indiana and exalt above any others in this campaign," began Mr. Pattengall. "We said to them strike out three words and they would not do it. I have no objection. But three words were more to them than the welfare of a party. "A letter came to me," the democratic platform was written. "I call you to witness that these men arose to their feet and went to their states and marched when we appealed to them. They sat down only when the Ku Klux Klan came in." **Galleries Boo.** At that point there came in for a great deal of booing and howling from the galleries who stopped the proceedings altogether. In a minute the chairman using loud Bryan could not continue. Chairman Walsh, an angry tones, brought his gavel at the table and shouted that he would have them silenced before any did not demanding the spectators. "I want to start everyone," continued Bryan, unable to resist the applause which came. "You do not need a great party to protect it against the man we can do it. We need this resolution. They have Moses and Elijah. They have Elisha who is just below them. Their men whose on the mountain tops a host greater than those who march with the ku klux Klan. "The Ku Klux Klan does not deserve the advertising," continued Bryan. "Mr. Colby tells you this organization and says you must hurry the democrat organ of the minority ought to be hurry to attack these men when they are nearly gone." One of the reasons I oppose the minority report is that I am not willing to put a yell in the organization and start a prairie fire and carry this thing to the northwest in a campaign in the United States. "There is no need to permit them to divert us from as great a mission as a great moral issue. I have no more courage to fight the republican party than they are," he said in a calm sermon. "What the country needs is to get back to Christ." **Clashes Frequent.** Tired and keyed to a high nervous pitch after three weeks of debate which had led up to the vote on the klan plank, delegates and spectators in the galleries quarreled repeatedly and in one or two cases the police had to intervene to quiet rows in the convention hall. The session had begun at 3 o'clock Saturday afternoon and the result of the klan issue had passed through ## Peripheral items - **CHILHOWEE AT WINNER, BL** — Headline at top right column, article text not visible/cut off. - **Baseball Standings table** — National League, American League, and American Association standings with Saturday's results and "They Play Today" schedules for National and American Leagues. - **Western League Results** — Brief scores: Omaha/Denver, Oklahoma City/Wichita, Des Moines/Pueblo, Omaha/Lincoln. - **Milk container invention note** — Short filler item about an English inventor's device to prevent theft/contamination of milk left on doorsteps.