Early published comment from West regarding the Klan.

[skeptic 823]

Now, this is surely interesting, and perhaps something of what the public today might wish to note.

" Chief Scout Executive James E. West visited Houston in late January 1923. The following quotes are from Jan 23-24, 1923 Houston Chronicle articles. The Ku Klux Klan was very much in the national headlines. While he does not explicitly mention the Klan, I believe Mr. West's remarks which follow are directly aimed at the Klan.

"At this time when the spirit of intolerance apparently is gaining such headway in the social life of this great American government I think it would be appropriate for every big daily newspaper in the United States to carry the 12th Scout Law in big headlines so the world might occasionally read it and maybe profit by it."

"The basic law of scoutcraft is that the scout must be reverent to God; faithful in religion and tolerance toward the religious conviction of his fellow scout."

"More than 90 percent of the Boy Scout troops in America can be traced to churches or to the leadership of the churches. We have Catholic Boy Scout troops and we are proud of them. We have Jewish troops and we are proud of them. We take them all -- all religions and creeds -- and weld them into the melting pot of pure Americanism and build them into responsible American citizens."

[yknot 1233]

3 hours ago, skeptic said:

Now, this is surely interesting, and perhaps something of what the public today might wish to note.

" Chief Scout Executive James E. West visited Houston in late January 1923. The following quotes are from Jan 23-24, 1923 Houston Chronicle articles. The Ku Klux Klan was very much in the national headlines. While he does not explicitly mention the Klan, I believe Mr. West's remarks which follow are directly aimed at the Klan.

"At this time when the spirit of intolerance apparently is gaining such headway in the social life of this great American government I think it would be appropriate for every big daily newspaper in the United States to carry the 12th Scout Law in big headlines so the world might occasionally read it and maybe profit by it."

"The basic law of scoutcraft is that the scout must be reverent to God; faithful in religion and tolerance toward the religious conviction of his fellow scout."

"More than 90 percent of the Boy Scout troops in America can be traced to churches or to the leadership of the churches. We have Catholic Boy Scout troops and we are proud of them. We have Jewish troops and we are proud of them. We take them all -- all religions and creeds -- and weld them into the melting pot of pure Americanism and build them into responsible American citizens."

It's more likely aimed at anti Catholicism, which was rampant and in the headlines at the time. The Klan was being criticized for its anti Catholic positions. Note he mentions Catholic boy scouts first.