Putnam patriot., 1921-09-23
ATTACKS MIAMI
 FOR IRWIN CASE
Living Church" Wants Bishops To Help Discover Humi'-
 iators of Archdeaeon
Advises churshmen To Boycott Miami
 Until Criminal, Are Found

That whether or not the civil and police authorities of Miami, Fla. in- tend to forget the now international ly famous case of the tarring and feathering given Archdeaeon Irwin. formerly rector of Christ church, pomfret. the Protestant church in America has no intention of so doing, has been excellently voiced in an ed- itorial in the current number of The Living church. Patriot readers are thoroughly ia lmiliar with the Irwin case. The Arch deacon. for several years worker among the southern Florida negroes. was taken from his home in the mid dle of the night and after having been beaten was tarred and feathcred. No trace of the criminals has yet been discovered.
 The editorial from The Living Church is as follows
 Nearly two months have elapsed since the outrage at Miami, Fla. whereby our arehdeacon for colored work in Southern Florida was attack ed by white ruiiians and was tarred and feathered. We are assuming, as matter of course, that the eommuni- ty will xindicate its self respect by experiencing and severely punishine i the criminals. Thus far t seems not l to have been successful in doing so. We learn from a dispatch from the sergeant of detectives in Miami that No progress has been made in the archdeaeon's case. He could give no description of the men CT automo- piles" One wonders what detectives are good for. The sergeant's telc- gram seems to indicate that the gen tie art of being detective has not de- yeloped far in Miami
 We trust that the authorities of this city understand that the Episeo- pal Church throughout the country feels that it has been assaulted in this assault upon one of it's missionaries. We send missionaries into the heart of Africa. into China, and into other pagan lands. and they are safe, If a missionary were assaulted in the hin ierland of Liberia We should officially and corporately make every effort Co secure redress and to protect him and his successors in future China lost a seaport to Germany by just such an outrage. So far as the missionary is concerned. we should honor him as a martyr. in whatever degree he was in jured. His name would stand high in the annals of the church
 If the authorities of Miami fail in their duty it can only be because their own civilization is less advanced than that of Liberia, where missionaries are safe: for We need not be told that they cannot sppnehend and convict the criminals if they try to do so. If Liberian ofiicisls can protect mission aries and Miami officials cannot. which demonstrates that 1t has the higher civilization? We are rather anxious that the Florida officials should demonstrate their administr9 tive equality with Liberian officials.
 And it k certain that the entire Episcopal church makes the cause of Archdeaeon Irwin it's own. The pre- siding bishop and council meets in De- tober. If the criminals have not been apprehended by that time we shall hope that a suitable reward for their arrest and conviction will then be of Tered. But even more we shall hope that the Miami officials will vindieate the expectation of all reasonable Americans that they themselves per form their duty and SO vindicate not only the law but the white mans civ ilization.
 Miami advertises its beauties and . attractions as winter resort. lt Iseeks to attract tourists. We are con : fident that it's advertising will be in vain unless it can demonstrate that it is a community in which law and or der prevail.
 Church people have been rather prominent in ifs winter colony in re cent years. We venture to suggest that before any of these shall make ' reservation for next season they will write the mayor of the city and ask Nftdt AllAA4ti ftNIRHtH VI atW Ah RtAtA M avenge it's insult to the Episcopal Church, and that they will find A civ ilized community in which to spend the winter months in place of Miami if ample reparation be not made.
 As for the chureh's work among the negroes of Southern Florida it is go- ing on, and the bishop of the district may rest assured that he has the whole church behind him.
 As for Miami | t shall fail to win dicate it's civilization, we may perhaps suggest to the entire religious press Of this country that they carry conspicu- ously across one of their page through the winter the slogan: Keep Away From Miami. the Town in Which Missionaries Are Not Safe.