New York Supreme Court Rules Against Secrecy of Klan

(Jewish Daily Bulletin)

The Walker Anti-Klan law does not constitute an unreasonable and arbitrary exercise of the legislative authority, the Court of Appeals ruled yesterday.

As a result of this decision, the Ku Klux Klan, as well as its women’s auxiliary, the Kamelia, will be compelled to file with the Secretary of State a list of its members, a transcript of its secret oaths, and a copy of its constitution and by-laws. The alternative is to unhood and disband.

The highest court upheld the constitutionality of the Walker law in affirming a decree of the Appellate Division, Fourth Department, sustaining a judgment of the lower court which denied a writ of habeas corpus to George W. Bryant, a Buffalo Klansmen who was arrested for violating the Walker law. His appeal from this judgment began the action in which the constitutionality of the statute was adjudicated.

At the time the case was argued in the Court of Appeals it was hinted that the Klan might carry it to the United States Supreme Court, on the ground that a constitutional question is involved.

After the decision of the Court of Appeals, it was learned that following the decree of the Appelate Division, Fourth Department, a secret, and, on the record, a benevolent organization known as Alpha Pi Sigma, Inc., changed its name to “Knights and Women of the Ku Klux Klan, Inc.”

The Walker law exempts from publicity organizations incorporated under the benevolent Corporation law.

BREVITIES

Dr. Solomon Blum. Professor of Economics at the University of California and widely known author and lecturer, died in San Franscisco at the age of 43. Dr. Blum was a graduate of Johns Hopkins. In 1913 he went to Colorado College, where he remained until 1918.

An appraisal filed of the estate of Mrs. Hannah Hannah Heyman shows that she left $816,588 of which she gave more than $600,000 to charity.

Mrs. Heyman gave $50,000 each to Montefiore Home, the Hebrew Orphan Asylum and the New York Guild for Jewish Blind, and the residuary estate of $45,348 to the Jewish Institute of Religion. Gifts of $25,000 each went to the Home for Aged and Infirm Hebrews, Young Women’s Hebrew Association, United Hebrew Charities, Free Synagogue Social Service, Federation for the Support of Jewish Philan thropic Societies, and the Palestine Endowment Fund.

Alfred A. Benesch, Jewish member of the Cleveland Board of Education, won his fight to abolish military training in the Cleveland high schools, the board having voted six to one in favor of his resolution for abolition.

The Jewish Theatrical Guild will hold its first benefit Feb. 7 at the Manhattan Opera House. Two hundred stars will participate. The proceeds will go toward construction of a memorial hall for religious, social and educational purposes in the theatrical district.