In Exile For 50 Years

Bahá’í Leader Comes to New York to Urge World Peace.

HE FAVORS WOMAN SUFFRAGE

Persian Philosopher and Head of a Movement for the Unification of Religions, in Which He Has Millions of Followers, Long Confined by Turks in the “Prison City” of Acro, Syria.

New York, April 11. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, a Persian philosopher and leader of the Bahá’í movement for the unification of religions, and who has millions of followers, arrived here today on the steamer Cedric, of the White Star line, from Alexandria, Egypt.

It is his first visit to America, and except for a brief visit to Paris and London last year it is the first time in 40 years that he has gone beyond the fortifications of the “prison city” of Acro, Syria, to which place he and his father, Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í movement, were banished by Turkey 50 years ago.

He comes on a mission of international peace, and will address the peace conference at Lake Mohonk the latter part of the month.

He was clothed in a long black robe open at the front and disclosing another robe of light tan. Upon his head was a pure white turban, such as all Eastern patriarchs wear.

Thinks Women Will Get Votes.

“What is your attitude toward woman suffrage?” asked one of the reporters.

“In Persia, where women’s faces are never seen save by their nearest relatives, the women played a heroic part in the early days of the Bahá’í movement, urging their husbands and sons on to martyrdom, and paying the same penalty.

“The modern suffragette is fighting for what must be, and many of these are willing martyrs to imprisonment for their cause. One might not approve of the ways of some of the more militant suffragettes, but in the end it will adjust itself.

“To be a Bahá’í means to love all the world, to love humanity, and try to serve it: to work for universal peace and the universal brotherhood.” replied ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá was greeted by fully a thousand of his followers in America, principally New Yorkers. He held a brief reception, after which he was taken from the pier to his hotel.