Page:The Czechoslovak Review, vol3, 1919.djvu/259

 noted American visitors in the Czechoslovak Republic are John A. Sokol and Frank Skala who are studying commercial and industrial opportunities.

From the old country a number of important persons arrived recently to study American conditions. In addition to the bankers Tille and Horák who came here to negotiate a loan for the purchase of cotton, a commission arrived at the end of June, consisting of Messrs. Špaček and Binovec, members of the National Assembly, and a number of engineers and bankers. The commission is accompanied by Lieut. Mička, former employee of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, who enlisted during the war in the Czechoslovak army figthing in France. The visitors were received on June 27 by the acting secretary of State Polk.

The transport of 100 Czechoslovak invalids from Siberia gave their countrymen in America the first opportunity to demonstrate what they thought of these boys. Not even Masaryk’s welcome in Chicago has been heartier or more enthusiastic than the welcome extended to the wounded heroes in San Francisco, Omaha, Chicago, Pittsburgh and New York.

The invalids arrived in San Francisco on the transport Sheridan on May 27. They were commanded by Major Joseph Došek. Even before their ship docked, they were greeted by representatives of the San Francisco Czechoslovaks and correspondents of Bohemian papers. Colonel V. S. Hurban, Czechoslovak military attaché in Washington, made arrangements with the War Department for their transportation across the United States. After a few days of rest and the enjoyment of splendid Californian hospitality they boarded a special train which brought them first to Omaha, where Bohemian farmers from all over Nebraska and even Kansas and South Dakota gave them a wonderful greeting.



In Chicago, the great center of Czechoslovak population, they stopped for three days. The first night the big Pilsen Park pavillion with its spacious grounds was jammed with a multitude numbering tens of thousands. Everyone wanted to take an invalid home with him. The men were treated, feted, given auto rides and showers of money gifts. The same scenes were repeated at Pittsburgh and New York; in short the boys, one -legged, one-armed and one-yed, got the time of their lives.

In New York the company stayed a whole month, in order that the American Red Cross might supply them with artificial limbs of splendid American make, not obtainable in Europe.

The second detachment of Czechoslovaks from Siberia is due in San Diego, Cal., on July 4. They number 1050 men, and after a rest in Camp Kearney will be taken to Newport News.