American Fork citizen. [volume] (American Fork, Utah) 1912-1979, 1915-02-13
J. D. Th0rne Arrives
From War Zone
Talks Interestingly On Conditions In
England and the Effect Of
the War.

nome Tuesday afternoon, Mr.. Thorn,
from a two years mission in England
ana Mrs. Thorne from a two weeks
Visit with her brother, Pres. German
~ Ellsworth, in Chicago. Mrs. Thorne
met her husband in Chicago, and af-
Ter visiting all the principal sights of
.he windy city, they visited Nauvoo,
Qulhcey, Carthage, Independence and
other old historical church places and
IN returning home, they visited Keo-
kuk, where the greatest power plant
on earth is located, Kansas City, Dem
yer and then came over the scenic
d. & r. G.
Both are looking well and report
having greatly enjoyed their trips,
though both are equally glad to be
back In the Valleys of the Noun
tains."
Mr.. Thorne left on his mission Dec.
y, 1914, and was released January Is.
1915. He was eight and one-half DAYS
on the water, and landed In England
December 30, 1912. He arrived I'm his
Held of labor in Colchester, lust at
the time when the persecution of two
years ago was at its worst. The
ministers had succeeded in working
up an intense prejudice against the
elders, and at Ipswich, in connection
with the other elders, he was the VIC
tim OF some very rough treatment at
the hands of the Infatuated moi who
gave the elders a beating and smash
ed the furniture at the church'D
meeting place. At Lowstoft and Nor
witch the elders we're also roughly
treated, and often had to seek police
protection. Once In Ipswich a mob
of 10000 people gathered In front of
the church in angry demonstration,
and when 1t was given out that tho
elders had given them the slip, the
mob went to their lodging place, and
besides demolishing the windows,
completely covered the lodge with
stale eggs. The elders. however,
were still at the church and were
accompanied home by twenty police
men at ! o'clock In the morning.
This vigorous opposition lasted for
two or three months. after which II
began to subside. and has now almost
entirely disappeared, In all the
trouble the police were good friends
On the elders and are their fast friend
today.
Mr.. Thorne vas appointed presi-
dent of the Norwich Conference Jan.
10, 1914, which position he held UNI
I'll his release.
His field of labor was In Lowstoft,
Hartlepool and the other coast towns
that have recently come into fame
because of their being bombarded by
the German Fleet and raided by the
German alrshlps. AS a momento, he
brought home a section of a German
shell that was exploded In Hartle-
pool, and he describes Interestingly
the obstruction wrought by the big
German guns.
Yarmouth, one of the principal
coast cities, escaped injury by acct
dent on the part of the Germans.
Around all coast cities there are lines
of buoys TO indicate sand bars, shall
low rocks, etc. The day before the
bombardment, those at Lowstoft had
been moved out three miles further
than usual. The Germans, following
their maps which they supposed to
be accurate, thus missed their mark
several miles, and the big shells, In
| stead of tearing great holes In Yaar-
mouth buildings, sen up great col
ums of water as they fell and eXplod-
ed in the sea. Their range, however,
was more deathly In the other coast
cities.
Yarmouth is the principal shipping
point for connection with Belgium,
and he saw thousands Of wounded
SoiuiNio ioubhA Hoil' iiom NhN wv
ties with the Germans, He also saw
$4,000 soldiers go TO the front and
many more going into drill quarters
to get ready for the war, Almost
every able bodied member OF the Nor
mon church there has enlisted, and
the same Is true Of the people gener-
ally. The young man who will not
enlist is looked upon with distain and
soon losses his job, So intense is
this feeling since the Germans raid
ed the English north coast, that It
amounts almost to CONSUMPTION, and
the government is not now experience
ing much difficulty in getting tho de-
sired number OF recruits.
There were many Germans In Eng
land when the war broke out. Theh
places CT business have suffered ana
they are watched 60 closely that their
condition Is the same as being II
jail. All strangers are treated with
the utmost suspicion, and the elders
have to report to police headquarters
- H.