South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-12-04
MENNONITES NOW
SEEK NEW PEACE
Two Hundred Thousand PeO-
pie to Migrate From Can
ada to Mexican Land.

7,ants have been completed for the
most ext, nsiye trek" In the known
tisf0r,- ~ the Western Hemisphere.
TAO hundred thousand Mennonites
now uving in western Canada VIII
ffI,. There and take NJ permanent
residence on the great Bustillo ranch
e. Mexico. located IN thu Ftates Of
chihuahua and Durango. The first
movement will witness the transfer
OF s. 900 OF the sect, who viii go
carly this winter 20 their new land
OF promise. but the entire migration
is expected % cover a period OF two
years The Menuonites have OBJ
,alned option on 900 1000 acres In
Mexico and have already purchased
$4,000 acres for the first settlers.
odd as Il may seem. these 200. 900
Mennoultes are leaving peaceful
Canada for War-TaYaged Mexico for
the purpose OF avoiding war. The
sect for eeveral centuries has had az
one 90 .ts chief tenets peace az any
price" and church obligations pro-
h.bit ne members from taking any
oath. such as was necessary IN the
World war when Canada-aHd The
United States as weil-sOught to
dras- them into the armies. A pa
cir g the Mennonites gave the au-
tho-l.ies a grave problem during the
war and the Canadian church de-
clarcd the dominion government had
promised DO. when rs members first
located In Canada. that they could
wol ship IN their own way and would
not De-. called upon 20 fight. The
Mennonitcs say this agreement was
violated No oath OF any nature Is
perrittet by the church. even oaths
OF office or OF allegiance, and al
though revolutions have seethed IN
Mexico for 10 years. the church
leaders believe their interests are
safer there.
To Go Through Kansas City.
For one year J. F. Wiebe of Her
bert. Saskatchewan, In charge Of the
advance party. has been taking blsh-
ops OF the church and other leaders
into Mexico. going as far as the City
OF Mexico. TO arrange the details and
10 confer with Pres't Obregon and
officials OF state governments. For
the first $4,000 acres OF land the
MennOnites have paid 100000, hav-
ing sold most OF the property hold
ings in Herbert ard IN other nearby
towns for nearly 100000.
The Bustillos .ract I'm its entirety
consists OF 21a million acres, once
owned by the famous ZulOaga fam
lily and Carlos ZuglOaga still controls
much OF the property. II was
through this big ranch that Gen
Pershing led his punitive expedition
after Francisco villa and his out.
laws in 1916 after they had raided
Columbus. The church will be al
lowed TO buy as much more OF the
track as II wants after the trek
Is completed Chihuahua is the
nearest large city. Villas ranch al
CantuHIo s not far south OF the
J Mennonites' tract.
Henry f.: Bull6. traffic agent at r
Paso for the Chicago & Great West
ern railway. has announced that his
road has been granted the routing
OF the 100000 men, women and chill
dren. and that they will enter the
United States at Emerson. Mimi, and
at Portal. Saskatchewan, from which
points they Will go to Minneapolis
thence 10 Kansas City. Fort Worth
and over the Texas & Pacific TO E
Taso. Most OF the negotiations fol
the Mennonite movement were made
by the Herbert Chamber OF Com
merce and Herbert city officials.
NJ sooner was IL announced tina
the land was bought and mOvemfn
arranged for than FL Paso mer
chants sent representatives to th'
MennOnites in the hope OF selling Z
the coion'sts between one ard tive
million dollars worth OF farm ma
chinery. implements and supplies.
VIII Travel 'in Bond"
The trek will have one peCulia
feature. All of the 200. 600 vii
travel through the United State
under bond. The Washington gov
eminent refused 20 let them pas
through under any other arrange
ments. When the land in MeXic'
was purchased options obtained an'
details carried through SATISFACTORY,
with the Mexican authorities. thi
was but the beginning Of the Men
nonites' difficulties en- leaving Can
ada. While Mexican officials hel,
out a welcoming hand. Canadian Of
homes they never would be permitte,
q 20 return. The United States official
informed the sect % would have q
make bond. and the railroads sait
they would not agree TO haul tn
Zig party unless Mexico would guar
antee IL accept them Trouble arOs
over passports Mexico waived tn
passport requirements. but not tn
United States After much parley
ing with Washington the Unite,
states agreed TO minimize passpOr
rel tape. When prospects looked
rosy Mexico insisted that the Men
noniies should exclude sick, DISABLED
and undeslrables. and. although
peaceful people, the MennOnites ar
tenacious and united and refused &
accep; thi- edict.
United States immigration author
ities also informed them that II an
OF their number became dissatishe
ar were ousted by Mexico they coul
neither settle here nor cross 10 Can
ada. All OF these obstacles causes
muh delay. but the Mennonite bish
OPS and their business agents perse
rer~d iu their efforts until the ar
rangements now are satisfactory Z
80 three governments and the rail
roads
The Mexican government Wi
transport the Mennonites from IN
border free OF charge. The frs
train viii carry about 1000 mem
hers who will get buildings unde
way improvements already haF
begun. one train at a time WI
empty its banded passengers a
Bustillos.
Near Norman Colonies