On Sunday June 8th, in the Charlotte Observer, on Page 32, there appeared a three column advertisement of the Ku Klux Klan urging people throughout the country to join the Klan. I have also seen copies of the Durham paper and other North Carolina papers carrying this same advertisement. It was a very large and striking advertisement with the skull and bones and is destined to do a tremendous amount of harm in the state.

We have just had here at Blue Ridge, closing Monday, a very large conference representing the colleges of the South, in which there were some seventy-five of the outstanding college presidents, professors, and college ministers present. We studied together for ten days the whole race situation in the South at the present moment. There was a unanimous feeling on the part of these men that there should be a vigorous protest from every quarter against the organization of the Ku Klux Klan. The organization, of course, claims that it is not racial but plenty of men have the inside and know that this is absolutely false. There is no particle of doubt in the minds of this group of professors that there is real trouble ahead in the South unless vigorous action is taken to quell the obstreperous action of both sides of the line.

A clipping and letter just came to my desk this morning carrying the picture of Mr. Frank N. Burns, candidate for Mayor of Paducah, Kentucky, who is making the Democratic race for Mayor specifically on the issue of suppressing unsympathetic action against the Negro by the Ku Klux Klan or any other secret organization and these are included in his platform.

A group of persons gathering here at Blue Ridge thought it wise for me to call this to your attention knowing your tremendous interest in the peace and welfare in the State of North Carolina and believing that you might by public word or otherwise be a real service in this cause.