Noted Persian is Here to Plead for Peace

‘Abdu’l-Bahá Abbas of Teheran, Persia, head of the great Bahá’í movement, a leader in the campaign for universal peace and a man whose teachings are read in every land, arrived in the city today to preach the gospel of universal peace and to address the local followers of the Bahá’í faith.

With him are Dr. Ameer N. Fareed, Mirza Ali Akbar, Mirza Ahmed Sohrab and Mirza Hahmood of Persia, who act as his interpreters. Upon his arrival he immediately took quarters at the Hotel Lankershim. He had hardly become seated when the telephone began ringing and his followers came flocking in to see him.

This morning ‘Abdu’l-Bahá announced that one of the causes for his visit here was to conduct a memorial service for Thornton Chase of 227 Rampart boulevard, who up to the time of his death two weeks ago was one of the strongest followers of the Bahá’í movement on the Pacific coast. The ceremony took place this morning in Inglewood cemetery in the presence of several friends of the deceased.

“Will you take a message to the people of Los Angeles?” he asked The Evening Herald through his interpreter. And then he spoke the following:

“Praise be to God. The United States has made wonderful progress. Its prosperity is daily on the increase. Educational facilities are unsurpassed, science is marching on, industrialism is expanding and agriculture is thoroughly scientific.

America’s success is due to the fact that she is a commercial, not a fighting nation. She is not contemplating war with other nations.

“International peace is the greatest issue of today. The time will come when all races and creeds will be united into one race and religion.”