Until recently there was the suspicion that the crimes of the Ku-Klux Klan in the United States were not committed individually by members or small groups, but that they originated from the leading officials of this organization.

It is obvious that a Klan member, or group of members, acting independently from the Klan, would be unable to plan such crimes as flogging, tarring, and crippling, without the backing of a powerful organization. In view of this reasoning, it was believed that these crimes were ordered by high officials of the Klan and that they were the ones to organize these punitive expeditions.

Even if suspicious of their guilt, no one could do anything, for there was no evidence. Every time the Klan, committed a crime, its high officials came forward and declared that the organization was not responsible for criminals. "The organization," they said, "is against acts of violence, 2Klan, elected through its support, whose ouster is demanded.

We do not want to predict what the decision of the Senate Committee will be regarding Mayfield; whether he will remain in the Senate or not. No one knows what influence the Klan has in the Senate. But the investigation itself must place, once and for all, the Klan question on the agenda of American political life.

The Klan does not satisfy itself with such criminal activities as punishment expeditions, terrorizing, spying, scouting, etc. First of all it is a political organization trying to get control of American politics, a goal for the attainment of which the Klan will not stop even at murder, thus becoming a very serious menace to American life.

According to Mr. Clark, a former high official of the Klan, under the administration of Dr. Evans, present chief of the Klan, "the Klan has established complete military discipline in its organization."

Like soldiers, the members of the Klan must obey every command of the higher ups. Dr. Evans explains that such military discipline is necessary in order to gain control of politics.

The Klan menace is gaining ground and becoming serious. Being a strict, secret organization, you never know where, when or how the Klan will start or end a new wave of crime.

The Klan is strongly represented in the Republican and Democratic parties, both of which are capitalist organizations, but according to its birthplace the mark of infamy leans on the Democratic party.

The Klan was originated and is particularly powerful in the once "slave-driving South," the fortification of the Democratic party. The Democratic party, therefore, cannot deny the fact that in the South there is a considerable number of Klans in its ranks.

No one can gainsay the fact that in the politics of the South, controlled by the Democrats, the Klan has a powerful influence. It is natural, therefore, that the question of the Klan is worrying the leaders of the Democratic party, who consider it a stumbling block that cannot be removed, or, in other words, a bone stuck in their throat which they can neither swallow nor spit out.

Senator Underwood, of Alabama, now trying his luck in the Democratic presidential nomination, declared that he will propose a resolution against the Klan to the National Democratic Convention meeting in New York this summer, which he expects will be approved and incorporated in the platform of the Democratic party.

An anti-Klan resolution may help the Democratic party in New York, New Jersey, Massachussets, Maryland, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, etc., where the Klan is more despised than liked, but it would mean defeat in the South, where the Klan is in its own home and has great influence.

The leaders of the Democratic party would be more satisfied if the Klan question is entirely wiped out of the convention agenda, because there will surely be quite an army of Klans among the delegates at the Democratic convention, and when the Klan question is brought up for discussion, it will create much hot blood among the Klans. But the Democratic politicians will be up against it if Senator Underwood succeeds in having the question entered on the list of resolutions of the convention. Senator Underwood will find enough friends at the convention to support his resolution.

Yet it is possible that the Democratic politicians are fearing for naught, about an anti-Klan resolution creating hot blood at the convention. The Klans are well aware that resolutions were never the cause of anyone's death. And if the Democratic party needs an anti-Klan plank in her platform, let her have it. But the question is, will the resolution become a law? This depends on how much influence the Klans have over the legislators.

The Klans have one aim before them: to place in Congress, more people of their ranks, and once they have enough of their men (Klans), then they need 6have no fear, regardless of what resolutions the Democratic party may adopt at the convention.

The fact that the Klan carries on its criminal activities undisturbed, is the best proof that its political influence is great and powerful, because the truth is that many Klansmen belong to both the Democrat and Republican parties. And even if many of them will feel offended when told that they sympathize with the Klan, it is a fact that the Klan has forced the reactionary ideas and reactionary endeavors deep into the hearts and minds of the legislators and the leaders of both parties.

This could best be noticed by the debates regarding the new anit-immigration law and at its decision by vote.