El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-12-04
N0RN0NSFEEL
FOR MEXICANS
President Jos. Smith Says
Church Wants Peace For
Benefit of Mexico. .

I'VE want peace in Mexico so that
our people can return. but we have
deeper feeling than this.
We want peace because we feel Tor
the people of Mexico, we see them
cursed by all of the horrors Of Bloody
strife. It is a sad, sad sight"
That was the summary of the Next
can situation which president Joseph
f. Smith, of the Mormon church, gave
| his people Thursday night when ne
spoke to 300 of them as father talks
I to his children.
A majority Of the Mormons who
filled the odd Fellows hall were re1u-
gees from northern Mexico who hau
been driven away from their homes ny
the three years war. 1t was the lars Jest
gathering OF MOrmons in Ell Paso since
the refugees from the colonies OF west
ern Chihuahua huddled together in the
old lumber yards on Magoffin avenue
after being driven from their homes ny
the revolutionists and after the Iohs
trek to Ell Paso.
President Smith, though hopeful OF
peace in Mexico, frankly stated tnaE s. ne
believed that 1t might be years DeAOI
the coloRists could safely return 10
their homes. In the course OF his ao-
dress he said:
President Hopeful.
Ny feeling and my belief since tne
buAbA can Oh EEAOluLAUu III -fAI@-t~N -
been that it will be a long time, II
ever before conditions will become
sufficiently peaceful to warrant our
people in returning to the colonles
established in Mexico. The prospects
at this time, seem much better than
ever before, but I still have grave
doubts that law and order viii be sur
ficiently reestablished to insure pro-
lection to the lives Of American citi-
zens for some time yet.
1T is a sadder thing TO conteh-
plate that, not only Mexico, but great
part Of Europe is now at war. In my
opinion exhaustion will have TO come
before there is peace. War, with us
train of famine, murder disease ana
destruction, is a horrible thing and we
must remember that our individual SUI
fering is but small in comparison TO
that of thousands of others.
From the first my advice to you,
when it was evident that to remain
longer in the Mexican colonies was i'm
possible, was to seek employment mere
or go where it could be found. 1 ad-
vised you to pitch right in wherever
you could get work or land at reason
able prices and to take up your work
as though il were permanent Thus
your time would not be wasted, you
would earn your living while in exile
and lay aside a little to be in readi-
ness to grasp every opportunity when
you could return. I still think that
this is the best policy
Stnnd by CoIOrs.
You must stand by your colors.
The church feels keenly your misfOr-
tune and is ready to help in every way
but it cannot and will not take any
action that viii encourage idleness.
We will aid, but the cause must be
just. Your expulsion is no new thing
with the Mormon church. I had an
aunt who was driven out into the
night with her two little children by
mob in Missouri. AS she stood, SILVER
ing in the cold she watched her house
from Ohio and Illinois in the same way.
I can remember driving a team myself,
though but a little boy, when we ar
rived in Salt Lake in September, 1913.
But through it all we have grown.
Let US continue to keep faith. We
are growing in numbers and in conf
dence. In my trip through the south
I was gratified to find a spirit Of
friendliness and liberation that was
entirely lacking years ago. And wish
TO express our appreciation for the
way in which the newspapers have
treated us. We must be patient and
we must keep the faith. With this we
shall triumph"
TOur Of South.
President Smith has just completed
a tour Of the south and the middle
west during which he dedicated a
chapel at independence, Kas., and Wis
tied the cities of Jacksonville, Fla,
Chattanooga, Tenn, Atlanta, Ca, and
Memphis, Tenn. Together with his
party he left Thursday night for Los
Angeles, from which city he will re-
turn to Salt Lake City.
He stated that no representations
have been made recently to Washing
ton regarding the claims Of the colo
MES against the Mexican government,
but said that all claims had been filed
with the state department
Those in the party are: c. W. Pen
rose, second counselor in the first
presidency; c. ". Nibley, presiding
bishop, in charge OF the church funds;
Joseph F. Smith, jr one Of the u apos-
ties, and apostle George Albert Smith,
son Of the late John Henry Smith. Brief
addresses were made BY all Of the