The Modern Ku Klux Klan Part 7

This chapter might well be ent.i.tled "Ku-Kluxing a Sacrament," or "How the Kleagles, for Ten Dollars, profane Christianity's Holiest Rite."

On the t.i.tle page of the fifty-four page booklet is the imprint "Copyright 1916, by W. J. Simmons, Atlanta, Ga."

I venture to express the opinion that this is the first time in the history of the United States that a ritual of a secret order, genuine or alleged, has ever been copyrighted, and the very fact that it _is_ copyrighted suggests pertinent questions. As a general rule the protection of the copyright laws is a matter of dollars and cents to an author, and the first question that suggests itself is: what royalty does Simmons get from the "Invisible Empire" for the use of his printed productions? Then comes the further question: in whom does the t.i.tle to the copyright rest?

does Simmons own it, or has it been a.s.signed to the corporation? If Simmons owns the copyright, and should die, would the t.i.tle to the ritual pa.s.s to his heirs or would the members of the Klan have anything to say as to the owners.h.i.+p of the secret book of their organization? If the question be answered in the negative the curious spectacle would be presented of an organization paying a royalty to people not members of that organization. Another consideration is the fact that as the law requires two copies of a book to be deposited in the Library of Congress, the pages of this "secret" doc.u.ment are open to the study of any one who cares to go to Was.h.i.+ngton to examine them. Therefore, in his desire to secure unto himself the property rights in the ritual, Simmons, who took the oath not to divulge any of the secrets of his organization, violated his obligation from the very beginning. As I am no longer a member of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, I have no interest whatever in the relations of Simmons to his organization, but merely suggest these questions for the benefit of the members who may be interested in the financial side of their own movement.

The name of the Ku Klux ritual is the "Kloran."

Before discussing this name, which has an interesting story, it is necessary to state that in all of the Ku Klux lingo, many words have been formed by the placing of the letter "L" after the first letter of a word.

Thus we have "Klavern," the meeting place of the Klan, from "Kavern;"

Kloncilium, from Koncilium; Klaliff, from Kaliff, etc., etc. The name "Kloran" is the word "Koran" with the letter "L" placed after the "K."

The Knights of the Ku Klux Klan is an "Invisible Empire" composed of none but Protestant Christians, yet it appropriates the name of the Mohammedan Bible for its sacred book.

The "Kloran" is called the "white book," and on its front cover bears the inscription "K-Uno," from which is inferred that it is the first degree of Ku Kluxism. There is a hint in the "sacred and inspired" pages that there are other degrees to be taken, after the member has thoroughly imbibed the pages of the "Kloran," and has pa.s.sed an examination upon the same. What these "higher degrees" are, no man, as far as I can learn, knows save only him, who "for fourteen years" communed with the G.o.ds and prepared himself for the sublime mission of saving the United States from nearly half of its own citizens.

On the inside cover is the "Ku Klux Kreed" which is borrowed from the creed of the original Klan, with such further additions as Simmons in his infinite wisdom saw fit to add, and this is followed by the "order of business," which is similar to the average secret order, but expressed "Simmonsly" and not in the usual plain language of other organizations.

The officers of the Klan as then set forth are "The Exalted Cyclops," who corresponds to the President; the "Klaliff," to the Vice-President; "Klokard," the lecturer; "Kludd," the Chaplain (borrowed, by the way, from the name of the high priest of the ancient Druids); the "Kligrapp," the Secretary; the "Klabee," the Treasurer; the "Kladd," the conductor; the "Klarogo," the inner guard; the "Klexter," the outer guard; the "Klokann,"

the investigating committee; and the "Night-hawk," who has charge of candidates.

The text of the "Kloran" starts off with an "Imperial Decree" written in the "Simmons" language, and signed by "His Majesty," telling the members that this book is "_the_ book" of the "Invisible Empire," and that the decree to preserve it, and study its sacred teachings is as binding as the original obligation. Then follows a complicated diagram of the "Klavern,"

or meeting-place, showing the stations of the numerous officers and the routes taken by candidates when going through the floor work.

The "opening ceremony," which is supposed to be inflicted upon the Klan every time it meets, covers eight closely printed pages of the "Kloran,"

and is filled with tiresome and boring conversation between the various officers. An opening "klode," to the tune of "Greenland's Icy Mountains,"

with its chorus "Home, Sweet Home" is then to be sung, and this is followed by a long-winded prayer ending with a pet.i.tion to the Lord to "bless our Emperor." After more words, the poor Klan at last finds itself open.

Then follows the "closing ceremony" which contains five pages of the same sort of wordy discourse, with a verse to the tune of "Blest be the Tie that Binds," a prayer for the success of the "Invisible Empire," and the weary Klansmen are then allowed to go home.

The bulk of the "Kloran" is taken up with the "ceremony of naturalization." In the entire ritual the alleged fraternal order is called the "Invisible Empire," with only an occasional reference to its legal incorporated t.i.tle. The candidate is an "alien" until he has been bored to death to the extent of about thirty pages, whereupon he is made "a citizen" of the "Invisible Empire" through the process of "naturalization." It is rather a curious anomaly that an American citizen, who does not need to be naturalized to enjoy the privileges of American citizens.h.i.+p has to be "naturalized" as a Ku Klux, while the foreign born, the Catholics and the Jews cannot be naturalized at all. They are forever "aliens."

The ceremony of naturalization consists in walking the candidate from station to station, causing him to listen to verbose pa.s.sages, swearing him to the obligation previously referred to, threatening him with death if he ever reveals any of the secrets, and finally making him go through a parody on the solemn and sacred rite of baptism.

As a matter of comparison with the original Prescript of the Old Ku Klux Klan, there are ten questions which are asked the "alien" upon his first entrance into the "outer Den" of the "Klavern." These ten questions unmistakably show an intention on the part of the "Invisible Empire" to turn the United States in a country controlled by a "cla.s.s" as opposed to several "cla.s.ses," and are so utterly at variance with the requirements of the original Ku Klux Klan, as to add stronger proof that the present organization is a historical fraud with no right to use even the name of the former organization. These questions which can be found on pages 25 and 26 of the "Kloran" are as follows:

"1. Is the motive prompting your ambition to be a Klansman serious and unselfish?

"2. Are you a native born, white, Gentile American citizen?

"3. Are you absolutely opposed to and free of any allegiance of any nature to any cause, government, people, sect or ruler that is foreign to the United States of America?

"4. Do you believe in the tenets of the Christian religion?

"5. Do you esteem the United States of America and its inst.i.tutions above any other government, civil, political or ecclesiastical, in the whole world?

"6. Will you, without mental reservation, take a solemn oath to defend, preserve and enforce same?

"7. Do you believe in clanishness and will you faithfully practice same toward Klansmen?

"8. Do you believe in and will you faithfully strive for the eternal maintenance of white supremacy?

"9. Will you faithfully obey our const.i.tution and laws, and conform willingly to all our usages, requirements and regulations?

"10. Can you always be depended on?"

In the above questions, the references to the Jew and the negro are obvious. The third question, "Are you absolutely opposed to and free of any allegiance of any nature to any cause, government, sect, people or ruler that is foreign to the United States of America?" refers to the Catholic, in which the Pope is considered a foreign ruler, and the allegiance mentioned means spiritual allegiance as well as political. It will be seen later, upon studying the Prescript of the original Klan, that no such questions were asked of applicants for members.h.i.+p and no such restrictions imposed.

After the "alien" has satisfactorily answered the above ten questions, and has made his "donation," the first two sections of the obligation are administered, after which follow many papers of tiresome conversation.

After walking the candidate several times around the "Klavern," giving the various stationed officers the opportunity to spout forth "Simmonsese,"

the "alien" is led to the Exalted Cyclops who addresses a long "charge" to him, admonis.h.i.+ng him of the great seriousness of the organization, and offering him an opportunity to retire and proceed no further. This offer is very largely a "bluff," because by this time the curiosity of the "alien" is at such a state that he would not think of retiring, and invariably he signifies that he desires to remain for the entire performance. There is more walking around, more verbose tommyrot, and then the remainder of the oath is administered, and the candidate is ready for "naturalization."

The "ceremony of naturalization" of the "Invisible Empire" is a sacrilegious parody on the holy rite of baptism, following a threat of death if the "alien" violated his obligation to "use any and all justifiable means and methods" to carry out the work of the political machine! There is no fraternal order in America which has ever dared to do this, and I look back upon the fact that I "baptized" a number of men, who ought to have known better, with a feeling of regret and humiliation.

After the "alien" has taken the entire obligation he is asked by the Exalted Cyclops: "Sir, have you a.s.sumed without mental reservation your Oath of Allegiance to the 'Invisible Empire'"? The "alien" answers in the affirmative.

The Exalted Cyclops then warns him: "Mortal man cannot a.s.sume a more binding oath; character and courage alone will enable you to keep it.

Always remember that to keep this oath means to you honor, happiness, and life; but to violate it means disgrace, dishonor and _death_. May happiness, honor and life be yours."

Having been duly warned of death and dishonor, the "alien" is then led to the "sacred altar" where rests the American flag, upon which is the Holy Bible, opened at twelfth of--Romans--which Simmons says is his "spiritual charter"--and across the pages of the Word of G.o.d is a naked dagger, grim reminder of the preceding warning of the snake. The Exalted Cyclops raises a gla.s.s of water, and "dedicates" the "alien," setting him apart from the men of his daily a.s.sociation to the lofty service of the "Invisible Empire." He is then caused to kneel upon his right knee, and a parody on the beautiful hymn, "Just as I am Without One Plea," is sung by those of the elect who can carry a tune. Behind the "sacred altar" burns the "fiery cross," which is an upright piece of wood with a cross arm, in which are set burning candles. When the singing is concluded, the Exalted Cyclops advances to the candidate and after dedicating him further, pours water on his shoulder, his head, throws a few drops in the air, making his dedication "in body," "in mind," "in spirit," and "in life." Having thus sacrilegiously "baptized" the alien into the "Invisible Empire of Ku Kluxism," the "Kludd," the chaplain of the Klan--very often a minister of the gospel--steps forward and delivers a prayer to G.o.d to aid the candidate to keep his obligation, the idea being, no doubt, that if G.o.d cannot or will not prevent the "alien" from "keeping his mouth shut," the dagger or the secret bullet of the Ku Klux will!

The "alien" is then formally received as a "citizen" of the "Invisible Empire," in the name of the "Emperor," and is ent.i.tled to all of the secret work of the organization, which is as tiresome and boring as the whole ritualistic twaddle. Most of this secret work is called the "Way of the Klavern," and is unimportant. One of the most interesting things of the "work" is the salute that each Klansman is required to give the American flag placed on a stand in the center of the room. The same salute is given whenever addressing the chair. It is the old salute of the Confederate Army, made with the right hand over the right eye, then reversing the hand so that the palm is in front.

The excessive number of signs and symbols used by the "Invisible Empire"

are of no importance, but it will be of interest to mention the "Klonversation" which is a system of code words, by which one Ku Klux can know another. These code words are composed of the first letters of words in a sentence, and are used as a dialogue, as follows:

Upon meeting a stranger whom he wishes to test, the Klansman says:

AYAK, meaning, Are You A Klansman? the answer being,

AKIA, A Klansman I Am.

CAPOWE, Countersign And Pa.s.sword Or Written Evidence?

CYGNAR, Can You Give Number And Realm?

No. 1, ATGA, Number One Klan of Atlanta, Ga.

KYGY, Klansman I Greet You.

ITSUB, In The Sacred Unfailing Bond.

(They shake hands with the left hand)

KLASP, Klannish Loyalty A Sacred Principle,

KABARK, Konstantly Applied By All Regular Klansmen.