s page A8-The Chronicle, Thursd Klans long 1 By STRAT DOUTHAT Associated Press Writer Strat Douthat is the AP Southeast regional reporter based In Atlanta.* ATLANTA ? James Venable add Dave Holland both lead Georgia klaverns of the Ku Klux . Klan, but they differ in assessing recent confrontations between Klan supporters and civiL rights demonstrators in all-white Forsyth County. "It's a big mistake to stir up ill feelings between the races,'' said Venable, an 83-year-old lawyer and imperial wizard of the National Knights. He said the nation's 42 Klan groups tshould unite and work within the system. Venable, who did not attend a violence-scarred Jan. 17 demonstration, advocates voter drives rather than violence - as the best avenue for achieving Klan goals. Holland serves as grand dragon of the Southern Knights. He said that leaders of the recent SBI a By TOM MINEHART Associated Press Writer CHARLOTTE -- Claims that North Carolina officials failed to keep white supremacist organizations in check have drawn fire from the State Bureau of Investigation agent who recently took over monitoring extremist groups. Wayne Truax said the SBI and the state have worked hard to keep groups like the White Patriot Party under control. IrTrfian^cases, Truax said, the state initiates an investigation, then turns it over to federal authorities to prosecute under stricter federal laws. Other activities may have violated no law at all, he said. ,4Until the law is broken. they're not doing anything more than exercising their constitutional rights," he said. But U.S. Attorney Sam Currin said the White Patriot Party gained momentum because it was virtually ignored at the state level. "A year ago, when the White Patriot Party was marching through cities and towns of Norths Carolina, conducting mmrnm I? MIDEARN 12 CREDITS IN Classes St I DATA PROCESSING WORD PROCESSIN< I BUSINESS I FINANCIAL / I CALL ^^725 L c ? ay, January 29, 1987 for 'good ol' ( civil rights rally, which he attended wearing his white robe and hood, have aided his recruiting efforts. "Hosea is the best thing that has happened to us in years," Holland added, referririg to Hosea Williams, the Atlanta city councilman and civil rights advocate who led the Jan. 17 march and vowed to return after a mob which included Klansmen broke up the demonstration. Klan watchers across the South said Holland, more than Venable, typifies the leaders of today's right-wing hate groups. They said Klansmen and neoNazis, who wear combat fatigues rather than white robes, seent to be increasingly active and violent. "We think there has been-^ slow, steady growth of Klan and - neo-Nazi activity across the country in recent years, especially in the Northwest, the Midwest and the Southeast," said Leonard Zeskind of the Center for Democrat Renewal, formerly the National Anti-Klan Network. defends anti-K paramilitary training in the countryside, nothing was being done about it -- not much condemnation of their activity and no prosecution," Currin said. "A mentality developed among' White Patriot Party, members that they could do anything they wanted to do. They just felt that they were immune from the law, that nothing would ever be done to them. They operated basically at will, and they rose to prominence very quickly." That comment b rough! sT~ strong reaction from Truax, who said, "If Sam Currin or anybody else thinks the Klan or anybody else is prospering because we've done nothing, they don't know what they're talking about." Truax said the federal government has many more resources than the state to counteract such groups. The resources include an investigative grand jury and the authority to wiretap. Currin and Truax agreed that a Raleigh federal grand jury's Jan. 7 indictments of five White Patriot Party leaders had crippled the party, an outgrowth of the STOP II k THINKING I ' ABOUT I COLLEGE | J TERM ? COLLEGE SIX WEEKS r art Soon for I CLERICAL 3 MEDICAL OFFICE UD AVAILABLE I TODAY! 1 8701^^^! days' of politi The KKK also has roots in New FnolnnH c r._ i Tt iivt w jcuucd c r n makine vour shon c> i r nake life so good, it's 1. AUDIO VIDEO CONCEPTS \ for All Your TV and Audio Needs L^BL?^ ff 2828 University Pkwy. -oc - n (Across from Coliseum) / aO* I V I U iLOOK^^S SEEK LISTEN > Beautyrama sw Walkertown Rd. ly Shopping Center w Renting air Space aneed hair designers XDJMANICURIST WANTED _ =OR NAIL SALON 1 I I 18-9512 or 725-3074 ... 1*1 | * s * f 9 ... / >o good. Byp ' > m rcsss? ^^00 a. -.^v. Uanes "Mall A i r? ? a /^r \7 * r n uuuu ran eji tout Lite. Silas Creek Parkway and Stratford Road Winston-Salmi. Open KM): 30 Monday thru Saturday and 10 Sunday Phone 765*8321 for information ji < 9 (