"I, in the presence of God and man, most solemnly pledge, promise, and swear, unconditionally, that I will faithfully obey the Constitution and laws; and will willingly conform to all regulations, usages, and requirements of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, which do now exist or which may be hereafter enacted; and will render at all times loyal respect and steadfast support to the Imperial Authority of same; and will heartily heed all official mandates, decrees, edicts, rulings, and instructions of the Imperial Wizard thereof. I will yield prompt response to all summonses, I having knowledge of same, Providence alone preventing." Until I had resigned as Kleagle I had never been able to even see a copy of the constitution and laws. This was in the possession of the King Kleagle of Tennessee, who stated that he had had great difficulty in securing it, and had been compelled to give a very rigid receipt for its care and custody. The organization was evidently afraid to allow this booklet to get into general circulation among the members, for the simple reason that its general perusal would have shown the members the truth. They would have discovered that the organization was a "one-man" affair, with "Emperor" Simmons in practical control, with a life-time easy job, living on "Easy Street" as a result of money that came into the organization from the public. They would also have found that they were members of a military organization, and that the "Emperor" was the Commander-in-chief. Obedience to the "Imperial Authority" means obedience to "Emperor" Simmons. This first section binds a "citizen" to obey "unconditionally" laws he has never seen and is not permitted to see, and also to obey all laws that may be enacted in the future regardless of whether he approves of the laws or not. Any man who takes this obligation and keeps it, gives "Emperor" William Joseph Simmons a blank check on his life, his liberty of thought, and his entire actions. Any one who doubts my statement has but to read this section of the oath. It is there in plain English. Regardless of the merits of the organization, no fraternal order man ought to be a member of any society in which he has so little voice in the management of its affairs, and the head of which has so framed the constitution that he will enjoy a lifetime of "easy money." And the incorporators of the "Invisible Empire" say in their application for a charter of the "Knights of the Ku Klux Klan" that they want to be classed with the Masons and Knights of Pythias! In both those orders, the constitution and laws of the order are always open for the inspection of any member who cares to see them, and I have yet to hear of an official of Pythianism or Masonry who has been chosen to hold a position for life. Some officials have held office on merit for many years, but their tenure for life is not fixed in the constitutions.