Arizona republican., 1922-04-26
BISHOP ATWOOD
SAYS LAWLESS
MENACES
SOCIAL FABRIC.
Republican A. p. Leased Wire1


NOGALES, Ariz., April 25.-De-
ploring the present wave of crime,
lawlessness and immortality, Rev. j..
A. Atwood of Phoenix, bishop of the
diocese of Arizona, in his annual
address this afternoon before the an
nuaI state convocation of the Epis-
copal church of Arizona, took occa-
sion to bitterly denounce the Ku Klux
klan and to criticise citizens who
wink at the eighteenth amendment.
The three day convocation was
called to order here today.
"One need not be an alarnlist to
take cognizance Of the facts as they
exist" the bishop declared. There
is no real excuse for the men who
try to take the law into their own
hands and resort to mob rule. Lynch
law may have been justified in from
tier days but any secret society like
the Ku Klux Klan is un-American
and its members when they are guilty
of outrages should be punished and
their methods condemned by all right
minded people. The lack of reyer-
ence for law lies at the root of most
of our evils of today"
During the great industrial de-
preston that has existed in Arizona,
the bishop pointed out, this state has
been comparatively free from labor
difficulties that have affected other
communities.
Better feeling and mutual under
standing, with few exceptions, exist
between labor and capital in this
commonwealth than in most states"
he continued. "The church in Ari-
zona has been reconciling force for
the most part and our clergy have
stood for justice and equal rights to
both parties
but we cannot overlook the fact
that here as well as elsewhere a
spirit of lawlessness and crime has
been Witnessed, a lowering Of all
moral standards.
There are low forces and false
ideals which threaten destruction of
our whole social fabric. The sacred
ness of life is little regarded. as mur
der after murder occurs and those
who commit the crimes go unpun-
ished. Sexual immortality has in
creased with appalling rapidity es-
pecially among the youth Of the
land !"
Bishop Atwood asserted that the
home is no longer the center of
family life
Alas he went on, "too many par
eHIS eSGGIl lIlull1eIcul 10 the McndfC
of their children, and in pursuit OF
enjoyment and in growth of femin
ism, which makes so many of our
wives and mothers go gadding about
all the time seeking ever for some
thing new, they neglect the most i'm
portant and sacred responsibility of
womanhood. =
Discussing the prohibition law,
the bishop said:
Good men may differ as to
whether we ought to have a prohibit
tion law, but. having it. there should
be no difference of opinion as to
whether it should be upheld. If we
do not obey the law of the land, then
chaos will overtake our boasted free
dom and civilization. Freedom is
not license. The individual is not
free to do what he wishes"
Rev. B. r. Cocks of Phoenix was
re elected secretary of the convoca-
tion and Rev Francis Bloy of Mesa
and Rev Edward S. Freeland Of
Phoenix were chosen as assistants to
the secretary
Fifty delegates and many other
visitors from various parts of the
state are attending the convocation.
The Rev. Cocks said it is the biggest
and best convocation that the Epis-
copal church ever held in Arizona.