Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-09-16
To
LAY ASIDE
CLERICAL \
| CLOTH
DR.. Lincoln Mcconnell, In Hot
Reply to Woodward, UphoIds
Anti-Kissing War.

DR.. Lincoln Mcconnell. in a letter
burning with sarcastic criticism and
innuendoes. made heated reply Tues
day to the attack made upon him by
Mayor Woodward.
The minister, after implying that
Mayor Woodward had been an ex-
drunkard and other unenvfa bile
things, branded him as a Common
scold" and flung down the gauntlet
to him in the declaration that he was
perfectly willing to doff his clerical
garments at any time the Mayor felt
that his health and happiness de-
handed satisfaction.
DR.. Mcconnell denied that he had
inveighed against "spooning." "Heav.
en- torbid!T he declared. II merely
was taking stand for law and order
"hlch the Mayor had attacked"
MeconneIps Letter.
His reply to the Mayor except for
one unprintable expression. Is given
here in fIll:
Here Is Or. McConneIrs letter:
James G. Woodward. in the Mavor,.
Office, Atlanta. Ga:
Sir-l have your very interesting
letter Of this date and think # but
proper. in view OF the fact that YOU
have honored me with three sheets of
matter and 10 cents postage. to re-
ply to you in somewhat extended
fashion.
In the hrst place. you were not my
subject Sunday night. / had q large
subject. You were merely On Illus
tration. was preaching on Sowing
the Wind and Reaping the whirI-
wind Hosea viii:7), and was trying
to show that the laws of cause and
effect operated in all realms, not
merely the physical. was showing
that the wind" OF bad thinking re-
suited in the destructive moral
whirlwinds," etc, etc, and in de-
veloping The thought I came natural
ly to that bad conduct called crime
and laWlessness, and here is whe-s
you came in. l was talking against
the dangerous tendencies of our tina.
and / referred to the fact that many
good men so talk at times as to cause
the thoughtless to believe that they
have no respect for the law, its off,
GERS or machinery, the inevitable -
suit of which must be the breaking
down OF the last vestige OF fear or re-
spect that remains in the minds OF
the criminally inclined for the law
l said: Il was amazed the other day
to read what seemed TO be an inter-
view from our Mayor himself, in
which he scathingly attacked the po-
lice, referring to them in such con-
temptous terms as to indicate his
utter Lack of respect for them. TAX
ing as an excuse the recent arrests OF
some persona for Epoonirg' ne
sneered at the snake In the grass
Methods etc. etc. IN such mannsr
and terms as to bring the very Office
into disrepUte. According to the ro~
port he did not confine his sneers -
the particular men who made the ar
rests but the impression is inevita-
Bile that he, the head Of this great
city, feels a contempt for the officers
of the law"
Actually and More.
/ said further: III Mr.. Woodward
does not know that such expressions
from a man in his high position are
dangerous and have tendency to en-
fool to be the head of this city, whila
If he really feels as he seems to feel
he is UNIT for the place"
As nearly as I can recall my words,
that is what I said on that subject,
SO you see l was not accurately re-
ported. for actually said more about
you than the report indicates.
The fact is, no reporter was here,