Harrison George wrote a perceptive and illuminating series of articles on the Oklahoma Klan in 1923, just after his release from five tears in Leavenworth. The Second Klan took power in a number of State governments and a slew of local municipalities in places that the First Klan never existed precisely at the same time as Fascism took power in Italy, the Baltic states, Bulgaria and threatened to in Germany. We would not be remiss today in studying the places like 1920s Indiana and Oklahoma to learn again of the many deep roots of a specific U.S. fascism has put in this soil.

‘Martial Law in Oklahoma Only Fake Move Against Ku Klux Klan’ by Harrison George from The Worker. Vol. 6 No. 294. September 29, 1923.

(Special to “The Worker”) TULSA, Okla. A state of insurrection and rebellion exists within and throughout the state of Oklahoma,” according to a proclamation for statewide martial law issued by Governor J.G. Walton, in calling out 6,000 state militiamen. This is to raise the bid for support of the invisible empire” of the Ku Klux Klan which is to say for the support of business men, big and little of Oklahoma, Martial law in Tulsa was not enough.

It is clear from Governor Walton’s own words that a state of “insurrection against constituted authorities” does not exist, for the very good reason that, as Walton states, the Klan has gained control of constituted authority prosecuting attorneys, sheriffs, jury commissions and Judges. But the governor, who was elected by a combine of the socialistic farmers and workers with the democratic party, having thrown overboard the radical support with repudiation of what is known here as the “Shawnee Program” embodying state-owned banks, cement plants, the thousand dollar exemption tax law, minimum wage for women, etc., is forced to find the support of another economic class to fortify his political power. Thus he has turned for support to the business men and other capitalists who hold the Ku Klux Klan in the hollow of their hands.

The small business man is proverbially obtuse a Babbitt, and seems not to have taken Walton seriously. Hence a sudden access of moral indignation on the part of Walton against the Klan floggings which long have been the nightly practice of the Klan, and the edict of martial law in Tulsa county.

H.O. McClure, president of the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce, tried to arrange a treaty of compromise between the Chamber of Commerce which is, of course, the leading spirit of the Tulsa Klan with the Tulsa Tribune as its daily spokesman, and the governor. The Klan seems to have refused to take responsibility for past floggings, modify its future practices and support the governor in exchange for continued organization unmolested by the governor and the immediate withdrawal of martial law from Tulsa. Saturday night, Sept. 15th, the board of directors of the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce voted to refuse to accept its president’s report embodying the public part of the compromise, and within a few hours Walton extended martial law to cover the entire state.

When it is understood that Walton has sufficient evidence in his hands to convict on felony charges of riot and inciting to riot, many of the high and influential officials of the Klan, yet allows them to go about freely while the only ones who have been sent to the penitentiary are three humble and ignorant Klan members, the insincerity of his drive against the Klan is apparent. The Klan official who was proven to have incited these three members to a flogging, is still untouched.

Meanwhile, as the game of dirty politics, supported by the Oscar Ameringer “socialist” turncoats, is being played against the dirtier game of Klu Kluxism for hegemony over the people of Oklahoma, the socialist farmers who supported Walton and the ignorant workers who are the dupes of “leading citizens” in the Klan are the common victims of the whole rotten mess of intrigue that contains all the elements of Fascism.

While communists, as in Michigan, are hounded and persecuted for merely assembling to advance the interests of the working class; while war-time prisoners still rot at Leavenworth, the federal government makes no move whatever to arrest, imprison or molest in any way the leaders of the masked assassins and floggers of the Klu Klux Klan.

The capitalist government is content in the belief that with a coming industrial depression and a sharpening of the class struggle, the klan will probably clarify its program into a definitely anti-communist, patriotic orgy of illegal violence against all militant workers a typically Fascist body drawing its numerical strength from the petty bourgeoisie and the ignorantly patriotic workers.

The capitalists are prepared to surrender the government of the United States to a Fascist dictatorship, just as King Victor Emanuel surrendered to Mussolini, and as Alfonso surrendered to the Fascist General Primo Rivera. As in Italy, reactionary labor-leaders, yellow socialists and anarcho-syndicalists who oppose the dictatorship of the proletariat will be found on the side of Fascism. It is a choice between dictatorships. The nascent threat of American Fascism must be met with a united front of all workers’ and farmers’ organizations.

In December 1921 the above-ground Workers Party of America merged the Toiler with the paper Workers Council to found The Worker, published in Chicago which became The Daily Worker came from The Ohio Socialist, published by the Left Wing-dominated Socialist Party of Ohio in Cleveland from 1917 to November 1919, when it became became The Toiler, paper of the Communist Labor Party.The Daily Worker beginning January 13, 1924. National and City (New York and environs) editions exist. The Daily Worker began in 1924 and was published in New York City by the Communist Party US and its predecessor organizations. Among the most long-lasting and important left publications in US history, it had a circulation of 35,000 at its peak.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/theworker/v04n294-sep-29-1923-Worker.pdf