ESPERANTO CONGRESS
LANGUAGE AND WORLD-PEACE
FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT. PRAGUE, Aug. 6. Whatever views one may hold on the subject of an international language, there can be no denying that the vast congress held in Prague this week has aroused a great deal of interest not only among enthusiastic Esperantists, but also in State and civic circles, while it cannot be disregarded that the League of Nations has even sent official delegates. The spectacle of 2,700 men and women, drawn from no fewer than forty nationalities, meeting together on equal terms and conversing with more or less proficiency in a common tongue could not fail to be impressive.
In wishing the Esperantists every success in their movement of international fraternity, Dr. Nitobe, the official delegate of the League of Nations, said at the opening of the congress that no international problem was more important than that of an international language. To abolish war was their supreme objective. But they must remember such an idealistic aim would take some considerable time to effect. They must not overlook the fact, too, that Esperanto and the League were as compared with war but recent inventions. Dr. Nitobe made a passing allusion to the possibility of Esperanto being made a more or less official language of the League, and remarked that although he was speaking for the moment unofficially, he did in fact anticipate that the time would assuredly arrive when all men seeking peace would discover a common medium of expression. In looking round and seeing the unity of spirit which prevailed amongst them he could not but express his opinion that this enthusiasm was of such a character as would succeed in time.
No one could have been other than impressed with the national dress ball which was held at the Representatives’ House on Tuesday evening. The floor was crowded with dancers dressed in highly-coloured costumes, as well as were the rooms around the corridors. Dr. Nitobe seemed highly delighted with the enthusiasm which prevailed on the floor, and has referred more than once during the congress to the “inner sentiment” amongst Esperantists, which he says he views with so much pleasure.
What has astonished the British delegates has been the warm welcome that has been extended to them by the German Esperantists, who were even present at the various stations by night as well as day to cheer them along their way through Europe. At the Congress, too, they have treated the English with every consideration, and, on account of the exchange, have regarded them as “rich.”
Several Governments have sent official representatives, including Belgium, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Saxony, Ukraine, and Jugoslavia. Many British openly expressed their regret that the English Government was without an official delegate. The Congress has been so large that it has at times been unwieldy, and it has undoubtedly taxed the highest powers of the talented organiser (Mr. August Pitlik, of the Ministry of Commerce). Nevertheless, the congress, from a propaganda point of view, has certainly been an immense success, and one would be greatly surprised if the Czech Government did not lead the way in respect to its introduction into the schools. In any case there are portents. An exceedingly large number of Czech Esperantists are teachers, and most of them seem to consider their services will shortly be utilised for the extension of Esperanto work in Czecho-slovakia.