When this clamour died away the Imperial Wizard said in even, thrilling tones. ‘One such visitor is with us tonight. The Grand Dragon of the Realm of the Air will introduce our guest.’ For some moments there was polite applause, dying down until again the steady pumping of engines and paddle were the only significant sounds. Then Major Sinclair stepped forward to intone: ‘Brothers of the Fiery Cross we are honoured by the presence of a great scientist and aviator visiting us from Europe. He has fought the Turk, the Bolshevist, the Catholic and the Jew, and he shares blood with our ancestors who explored and settled this land. His mother was French, his father British. He has often spoken in private of his own ideas which are, I think you’ll agree, one hundred percent American. He does not come to us to criticise and confound, like many strangers to the South. He respects our traditions. It was the British, we shall always remember, who supported the Confederacy. But if I seem narrow in my loyalties to the South, I beg to be forgiven by my brothers. I seek merely to demonstrate that not all outsiders are critics, bigots or agitators.’
He told them how I was a professor of science, an engineer, a flyer and a God-fearing Protestant. ‘An opponent of all we fear and hate. I have invited him to this Klonverse as a representative of those who support us objectively and freely. But also, brothers, he is one who has personally witnessed the horrors of unchecked alienism. We take to our hearts a true Knight of the Air, who has fought hand to hand with bloody Bolshevism, saved thousands from the Red Terror. I give you my friend - as I know he will be yours - Colonel Max Peterson!’
The applause I received was generous but reasonably cautious. I had not expected to speak and was nervous. Nonetheless now that I was here I determined to speak from the heart. All I had was sincerity. I was moved almost to tears as I began my address. While the Nathan B. Forrest continued down the muddy Mississippi on her way to Vicksburg I told them of the terrible dangers facing Europe, how I had been a prisoner of the Bolsheviks. Indeed I gave them in a sense my whole life story. Gradually I captured their interest and their sympathy. Encouraged by this my oratory began to soar to heights it had known only once before, when I made my matriculation speech in Petersburg. I described the pathetic sight of desperate women and children begging to board refugee ships, the victims of jealous and vindictive Jews. The Catholic church weakened Italy, France grew feeble by allowing Jews to control business and parliament. Even England was in danger from the same atheists, Socialists and Zionists who attacked beaten Germany. I described how Mussolini and his people resisted the Pope, and consequently building a nation which would attract back many U.S. immigrants. In Ireland the Orange Lodge and other Protestant organizations were directly attacked by Catholic republicans seeking to impose tyranny upon Ulster. (I knew many Klansmen had been recruited from such lodges and noticed a stirring of interest.) Then I spoke of the threat of Islam. I explained how Jewish money, Catholic guns and Negro bloodlust formed a united threat to all our great institutions. I went on for at least an hour, describing the virtues of Americans, their originality in all fields, particularly science and engineering. I showed how industrial centres were threatened, how aliens crept into the entertainment world at every level, many owning newspapers, some already planning radio stations. Only strong legislation could fight the lure of gin and jazz. Russia was destroyed, Europe teetered on the brink. If America were not to fall to Chaos she must set an example. They were on their feet now and stamping, waving their assent. I was elated. I concluded with my own vision of an American future. It would be strong and untainted. Clean, independent cities and towns and richly cultivated land would provide for people in plenty; they would never be afraid to walk down a street or lane at night. The alien, discouraged from procreating by heavy taxes imposed for every child he fathered, would disappear in a matter of decades. Genetic science would produce stronger, healthier Nordic Americans to impress the world.
‘And finally,’ I concluded, above the steady rise of applause, ‘it will be an America where the word “Klansman” is synonymous with honour, nobility and good blood. Your descendants shall again lead this nation. The Klansman alone, as Mr Griffith has shown, stands for progress and decency. He is willing to fight to the death for his Christian purity, for a faith whose vitality has created the finest civilisation in the world, which mighty heroes have defended down the centuries with strength and courage, since the glorious days of Athens and Sparta!’
My idealism, my honest spontaneity, impressed every man aboard. I sat down to sustained applause. My accent, normally a matter of suspicion, was confirmation of my integrity and proof of their own Christian tolerance. I had no selfish reason for holding my opinions and this gave my words extra meaning. I felt I had found my own at last. The Grand Kladd acknowledged my stirring testament. I was so elated I hardly noticed when the Kladd began the ordinary reports of the meeting. Klan recruiting was proving enormously successful in all Realms, particularly the Western and Mid-Western heartland, where Klansmen or Klan-backed candidates held many important offices. They remained misunderstood, savagely resisted in places, but their strength grew daily. I was impressed by their trust in allowing me to be present at these secret speeches, particularly when the Grand Klokard rose to report on the various prominent men who could be relied upon. ‘Elections come up all the time. And we’re taking them. Next year, for instance, when Memphis holds her elections we’ll win across the board. We’ve already picked candidates for State elections. Our momentum simply can’t be stopped. Membership counts in millions while millions more will vote Klan. Republican and Democrat candidates are being prepared by us for the Presidency itself. Within five years a Klansman could be our nation’s Chief.’
This last piece of news was as novel and as exciting to those on the floor as it was to me. I now realised why this particular Klonverse was so important. Both funds and morale had to be raised to embark upon an important new phase in the Klan’s political programme. From the crowd stepped a Grand Cyclops who announced his rank and Realm. He was in accord with all that had been said. However he was unhappy about bad publicity which could lose the Klan key elections. Certain members had taken the white hood merely to fulfil personal vendettas. Twice in Missouri recently Klansmen had shot to death members of families with whom they had feuded for years. ‘Even the niggers have rights. I know of a case where a nigger girl and her father got killed on account of her having a Klansman’s child. These iniquities, however rare, are fuel for the alien-backed press. They’re blown out of all proportion by our political enemies. I believe the Imperial Wizard should issue an edict banishing transgressors from the Klan. If he doesn’t, we’ll lose support when and where we need it most.’
Raising a purple- and gold-trimmed arm, the Imperial Wizard showed his willingness to reply. ‘Wouldn’t you agree that what’s appropriate for Massachusetts, Brother Cyclops, isn’t necessarily okay for Texas?’ His accent was slow and reasonable. ‘Those people have specific and serious problems out there. The same goes for California with her Jap farmers. If some of our boys brand or whip the people who step out of line - and I don’t say I approve - it could be it’s the only way, in that part of the country, that makes sense. I’m sure none of us here bears any man ill-will, irrespective of his race, colour or creed. But we must never forget the fundamental reasons for our Order being reborn that fateful night on Stone Mountain, Georgia, seven years ago. We have to bear in mind what attracts ordinary folk to our Order. We’ve shown we’re prepared to take action which others are afraid to take. In defence of a decent Christian way of life, we must always be prepared to take up arms when the occasion demands. Fear has to be a weapon in our arsenal as much as conviction or faith. It’s our duty to set an example.’