Page:The Czechoslovak Review, vol3, 1919.djvu/39

 imported to America from Bohemia. Today this market is in Japanese hands, but with German competition removed Bohemia should have no difficulty in capturing the musical instrument market of America. The same thing is true of gloves, cut glass and chemical glassware, toys, laces, etc.

It was decided at the Baltimore conference to take important steps for the establishment of a Chamber of Commerce. This institution will issue bulletins and booklets on Czechoslovak industries, will give financial ratings of importers in Bohemia, will maintain permanent commercial exhibits in New York, Chicago and probably some other cities. The formal constitution of the American-Czechoslovak Chamber of Commerce will take place in Chicago at a great convention of Bohemian and Slovak business men from all parts of the United States on February 3rd and 4th.

The most prominent feature of the December issue of the “Asia”, the Mid-European number of this excellent magazine, are stories and pictures of the Czechoslovaks. Mr. Pergler contributes an article on the Future Czechoslovak State, illustrated by drawings of members of the New York Czechoslovak Arts Club, while Miss Louise Llewellyn, well known to Bohemian audiences, as a concert singer, tells of Czech and Slovak folk songs. Her story is also beautifully illustrated with sketches by Aleš, Kremlička and Úprka. The issue contains also a picture of Masaryk at the Philadelphia convention, and the coat of arms of the Czechoslovak republic.

The most striking feature of this issue are etchings by a Czech artist of New York, Mr. J. C. Vondrouš; they present eight impressions of Prague of great artistic merit. Our readers are advised lo send 25 cents to the Asia Publishing Company, 627 Lexington Ave., New York, and get a copy of this remarkable number.

The Slovaks lost a valuable worker, and the Old Country gained an efficient leader in the departure for Europe of Jan Janček, secretary of the League. He proceeded to Slovakia in pursuance of a mission entrusted to him by the Cleveland Conference of the League. His task will be principally to arrange for regular transmission of news from Slovakia to the United States; he will also secure directions for the prosecution of relief work among the people of warridden Slovakia.

Janček has been less than a year in the United States, having come here from Russia, where he had been serving in the Czechoslovak Army as a lieutenant. He came originally merely to advise his people here of what was done in Russia, but was persuaded to accept the office of secretary to the League and did excellent work in that capacity as an organizer. He is a capable business man and before the war was an important lumber manufacturer and one of the few Slovak million aires. Of course during the war all his property had been confiscated by the Magyar Government which declared Janček a traitor.

The Slovak League plans to invest large sums of money in industrial enterprises in Slovakia, for every Slovak believes in the future prosperity of his native land. It has been decided to send other leaders to the liberated country; the delegation will consist of Author:Albert Mamatey, Milan Getting, E. Kovač and J. Matlocha. In the meantime the million-dollar fund is growing at an increased rate under the enthusiasm caused by the proclamation of the Czechoslovak Republic. The most important recent contribution was made by the Slovaks of Binghampton, who in a short campaign collected $40,000.00.

One of the principal duties of the diplomatic representative of the Czechoslovak republic is to make addresses at various more or less official occasions. Charles Pergler, the present commissioner, happens to be a highly gifted public speaker and is constantly in demand, addressing congresses, chambers of commerce and mass meetings.

Another speaker who is doing effective work to make friends for the new liberated nation is Charles M. Atherton. Mr. Atherton was until recently a Y. M. C. A. worker in the Second Czechoslovak Regiment in Russia, he returned to this country for medical treatment, but is now able to make addresses on the romantic adventures of the small Czechoslovak Army in Siberia. His talks are given under the auspices of the Y. M. C. A. in military camps and being accompanied with excellent and unique slides arouse much interest and sympathy for the brave fighters in the Urals. Mr. Atherton is also preparing a book on the same subject, and expects to give a course of addresses in various colleges.

Under the auspices of the New York City Board of Education Mrs. Anna V. Čapek is engaged in giving illustrated lectures in the various public schools of New York City. She has a number of beautifully colored slides, showing the best scenic and architectural gems of Bohemia, and being an accomplished musician she adds to her descriptive lecture samples of Bohemian folk songs. If we could have more competent lectures who would cover the country as New York City is covered, every one in America would soon know something of the new republic in Central Europe and Bohemia would be loved in America as much as America is loved in Prague.