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News Digest
4 Central Street_____________________________Millers Falls, Massachusetts  01349
No. 11                                                                                                                                    July, 1968
TRAVEL & CONVENTION SEASON BRINGS EXPANDED USE OF WORLD LANGUAGE;
Speakers of the international language Esperanto are finding more practical uses
for this linguistic resource in the summer of 196 8 than ever before.  Forty inter-
national youth meetings, workcamps, and festivals in which Esperanto is used as
an official language have been held or are planned for 196 8—an increase of 100%
from the previous year.  The events, most of which take place during the summer
months, range from a sociology seminar in Sweden to a Scout jamboree in England
to a road-building workcamp in Yugoslavia.  In addition to these youth events, a
number of conventions, tours, and academic meetings, open to the public of all
age groups, will use the international language.  As of mid-May, a total of 1422
persons from 37 countries (including 32 Americans) had registered for the world
Esperanto congress, including the Internaoia Somera   Universitato  held under its
auspices, which will take place in Madrid during the first week of August.
MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE U.N.,....:  The Secretary General and the Presi-
dent of the General Assembly of the United Nations cannot converse without using
an interpreter, according to a report in a Dutch newspaper.  Secretary General U
Thant has learned English, but not French, and President Manescu, of Rumania, can
speak French but not English.
EVEN LINGUISTS HAVE LINGUISTIC PROBLEMS:  The periodical Lingua,   in its
February issue, reported on the 10th International Congress of Linguists as fol-
lows:  "The presence of a large number of Russian scientists was gratifying.  But
because many of them lectured in Russian they lost a unique opportunity to better
acquaint Western linguists with their ideas."
ARMY DUMPS AGGRESSOR LANGUAGE:  An investigation by the News  Digest  has
disclosed that the U.S. Army has apparently abandoned the use of Esperanto as its
"Aggressor Language."  A spokesman at Army training headquarters in Fort Monroe,
Virginia, said, "The Esperanto field manual was rescinded by Circular 310-42 on
Sept. 8, 1967, and we have no knowledge of any current use of Esperanto in field
maneuvers."  Pressed for comment, Pentagon sources suggested that the elimination
of Esperanto was simply part of the phasing out of AGGRESSOR, the Army's war game
program in which the most realistic possible enemy was created.  Esperanto was
chosen as the enemy's language to avoid offending any foreign country.  AGGRESSOR
began in 1945 and gained importance after the Korean War.  "We don't need a make-
believe enemy any more," mused one high-ranking Pentagon officer.  "We're getting
all our training in Vietnam."
COVINA MEETING HEARS REPORTS, MAKES PLANS:  174 Speakers and supporters
of Esperanto, among them representatives of 14 local and 3 specialized organiza-
tions, attended the 1968 meeting of the Esperanto League for North America, held
July 11-14 in Covina, California.  The role of the international language in edu-
cation was the chief topic discussed, but plans for the recently announced world
Esperanto congress in Portland, Oregon, in 1972 were also a subject of attention.
San Francisco was announced as the most likely site for the traditional post-
kongreso  which will follow, the main congress in August.  Official activities in-
cluded business meetings and the tabulation of votes for League Directors.  The
chief organizer of the meeting, Leslie Green, received the most votes.  An opti-
mistic report from-the League's New York information center, a talk by the Mayor
of Covina, a lecture on Africa's language problems, and excursions were other
highlights of what was agreed to be the League's best-run meeting so far.
Page 2                                                                                                                                July, 1968
SPECIAL SUMMER SCHOOL TEACHING ESPERANTO:  A "Creative Processes" sum-
mer program in San Mateo, Calif., in which 110 children in grades 1-3 use self-
directed group consultation with "inquiry centers" to learn about their genetic
and geographical origins is employing the international language Esperanto. Mrs.
Doris Vallon, a member of the teaching team in the program at Parkside School,
reports that the children use books in Esperanto about Asia, Africa, and Europe,
and send ppstcards to various African countries as well as San Mateo's sister
city of Toyonaka, Japan.  In October, Mrs. Vallon will present a workshop on the
program under the title, "Esperanto: Enhancement Tool for Language," at the Cali-
fornia Teachers Association Curriculum Conference.
COMING UP
MAJOR CONFERENCE OF TEACHERS TO BE HELD IN EUROPE:  Sonnenberg, Germany,
will be the site of an International Teachers' Conference, conducted entirely in
Esperanto, during the last 10 days of September.  Papers and round-table discus-
sions will focus on human rights, international communication, education, and
development.  Experts in various fields from West and East Europe will take part.
LEADERSHIP TRAINING SEMINAR BEING ORGANIZED:  The Union of Internation-
al Associations is to sponsor a training seminar for present and future leaders
of international youth organizations and their national affiliates, according to
a recent report.  The seminar, to be held in UIA's headquarters city, Brussels,
in August, will be organized by TEJO, the world organization of young Esperanto
speakers.  Problems of administration, finance, and public relations are among
the topics on which experienced leaders will brief the seminar participants. Any
individual or organization interested in attending the seminar may write to JEN
for further details.
WORLD YOUTH FESTIVAL TO HAVE SESSION ON ESPERANTO:  The leftist-run
World Youth Festival, to be held this year in Sofia, Bulgaria, from July 28 to
August 6, has decided to hold one of its sessions on the subject of Esperanto,
in cooperation with the organization of Esperanto-speaking young Bulgarians.
Cultural events are also being arranged for Esperanto-speaking participants.
RECENT EVENTS
BRITISH AND JAPANESE SCHOOLCHILDREN COMMUNICATE VIA ESPERANTO:  An arti-
cle in the June, 1968, issue of Esperanto  describes how British and Japanese clas-
ses recently began exchanging letters without knowing each other's languages.
The teachers of the two classes both knew the international language Esperanto,
and translated their children's letters into, then out of, this language.
SEMINAR EXAMINES ESPERANTO-SPEAKING FAMILIES:  Questions relating to
the growing number of families in which Esperanto is the home language were dis-
cussed, and several such families were observed, at the fourth International Semi-
nar of Esperanto-Speaking Students, held in April in Torun, Poland.  An education
specialist from the University of Torun, after observing the seminar, remarked,
"The phenomenon of Esperanto-speaking families has hardly been studied at all by
specialists up to now."
YOUTH LEADER DIES: Polish youth leader Marek Pietrzak, a member of the
Executive Board of the Polish Student Association and also an accomplished figure
in the national and international youth movements for Esperanto, died suddenly on
May 29, of a heart ailment. He was only 30 years old. His death deals a severe
blow to the rapidly expanding activities of PEJ, the organization of young Polish
Esperanto speakers.  The Polish Esperanto movement is one of the world's largest.
COAST CHILDREN AID EYE DISEASE VICTIMS:  SFERIDO, the youth division of
the San Francisco Esperanto Regional Organization, has undertaken the project of
selling postcards illustrated with african art to raise money for the benefit of
"E3", the worldwide campaign to send a mobile eye clinic to East Africa, where
cataract operations and other care could give sight to thousands who are now
blind.  The clinic will bear the name of the originator of Esperanto, L.L. Zamen-
hof, himself an oculist who chose to practice among the disadvantaged.
Page 3                                                                                                                                July, 1968
PUBLICATIONS
JOURNAL ON LANGUAGE PROBLEMS TO BEGIN PUBLICATION IN DECEMBER:  The
first issue of La Honda Lingvo-Problemo,   an international, multilingual scholarly
journal on all aspects of the problems arising from language diversity, will be
published in December by Mouton and Co., of the Hague and Paris.  The journal
will appear every 4 months and will contain articles of special interest to those
concerned with the study and solution of the world's language problems.  Each
article will carry an extensive summary in Esperanto.  Mouton is among the fore-
most publishing houses in the field of linguistics.  Its lists include works by
such eminent American figures as Chomsky, Sebeok, and Greenberg, and it also pub-
lishes the periodical Linguistics.     Subscriptions to La Honda Lingvo-Pvoblemo,   at
$7 per year, are now being accepted, and may be made through JEN.
ESPERANTO LITERATURE SURVEYED IN JEN MEMBER'S ARTICLE:  The spring,
1968, issue of Eva,   a literary review published at the University of Pennsylvania,
carries an article by Prof. Humphrey Tonkin entitled "Code or Culture:  The Case
of Esperanto." Tonkin, who is a member of the English Department at the same
university and also a member of JEN, surveys the history of Esperanto literature
and illustrates its development with selections of poetry.  He devotes part of
the article as well to an examination of some statements about Esperanto by noted
Americans whose opinions, according to Tonkin, contradict evident facts and serve
the cause of English-speaking supremacism.
NEWS FROM JEN
JEN MEMBERSHIP RATES REDUCED:  The Executive Board of JEN, at its June
meeting in Philadelphia, made several important decisions and reforms.  Among
them is a drastic lowering, on a trial basis, of the dues for new members and for
those who join with a group.  Effective immediately, the introductory dues for
those under 30 who have not been members before are $1 for membership until the
end of the current calendar year, or $2 for membership through the current and
the  following  year.  Group membership dues have also been cut—from the regular
§5 per group plus §1 per member down to only $3 per group and $.50 per member.
Group membership is designed especially for school Esperanto classes and youth
Esperanto clubs.  The new special group membership rate should enable every
young member of such a class or club to join JEN—America's only  organization
of young Esperanto speakers.  Membership under these introductory and group spec-
ial offers includes all  the privileges of regular membership:  the News  Digest,
the right to vote and hold office in JEN, special rates on JEN publications,
and—best of all—the resurrected, no-holds-barred, world-notorious JEN-BULTENO.
If ever there was a time to join JEN—or to give a gift membership—it is right
now,   before the Executive Board comes to its senses and withdraws this experi-
mental extra-special offer.
JEN-BULTENO  COMES BACK TO LIFE:  The long-lost JEN-Bulteno, published
by JEN as a forum for the Esperanto-speaking youth of the United States from the
founding of the organization in 1962 until 1966, is reappearing this summer, to
the delight of all its friends and the horror of its perhaps more numerous ene-
mies.  To get your copy of this first post-lull issue, become a member or support-
er of JEN immediately, before the limited supply runs out or is confiscated.
JEN GETS NEW ADDRESS:  The June meeting of the JEN Executive Board
resulted in several personnel changes, some of which are shown on p. 4 of this
issue of the News  Digest.     Most important, you should now direct general corres-
pondence and correspondence about membership to the new Corresponding Secretary,
unless using the special reply envelope furnished by JEN.
UNIVERSITY*tSE CINJ9AG0 GROUP TA*KEl! 'OVER COURSE:  The International Lan-
guage Society of the University.of. Chiqa0O,#|jks taken over administration of the
International Correspondence-»Com sj ,^n Esperanto, according to a recent agreement
between the Society and JEW?^ IftCTmV- arrarujement is expected to guarantee high
standards in the selection of materials and instructors for the one-semester,
direct-method course.  Inquiries about the course should be sent to the Society
(address on p. 4).
Page 4
July, 1968
TO INFORM YOU , . .
—* 72 CONGRESS DATES FIXED:  July 29 - Aug. 5 are UEA Portland congress dates.
—SFERO ELECTS:  JEN Board member Frank Lanzone chosen new SFERO prexy.
—VALLEY FORGE MILITARY ACADEMY:  Penna. School will teach Esperanto in fall.
—ESPERANTO TEACHER SHORTAGE:  In San Mateo, Millbrae, & Woodside, Calif.,
where Esperanto teaching already officially approved.
—FIRST ESPERANTO BE-IN:  Happened May 31 - June 3 in Graz, Austria, with hippies
from Austria & Yugoslavia;  was wild.
—50 CAMPERS LEARNING ESPERANTO:  Calvin Cope teaching them at Camp Kennolyn, Cal.
—SCHOLARLY JOURNAL REAPPEARS: Biblia Revuo   being published again, now by Ital-
ian Bible Society;  includes articles on oriental studies.
—YOUR CONGRESSMAN:  He isn't getting News   Digest;     why not?
— "COVINA  INVITAS  VIN":     Leaflet in Esperanto about this town available free from
Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 4215, Covina, Cal.  91722.
—LATIN AMERICA:  KolombEJO now has 4 Esperanto courses running in Bogota.
—MAYOR USES ESPERANTO:  San Mateo, Calif., mayor using world tongue for contacts
with Japanese sister city and international Scout jamboree.
—E. GERMANY:  Publishing materials now in Esperanto after long ban on the lan-
guage relaxed.
IMPORTANT ADDRESSES
INFORMATION
BOOKS
Esperanto Information Center
156 5th Avenue, Room 821
New York, N.Y.  10010
Esperanto Book Center
156 5th Avenue, Room 822
New York, N.Y.  10010
Esperanto Information Center
410 Darrell Road
Hillsborough, Calif.  94010
West Coast Esp. Book Service
2129 Elizabeth Street
San Carlos, Calif.  94070
JEN: GENERAL INFORMATION,
MEMBERSHIP, SUBSCRIPTIONS
CORRESPONDENCE COURSE
NEWS  DIGEST
PEN PALS
Mrs. Julie Tonkin (Corresponding Secretary)
2131 Tryon Street; Philadelphia, Pa.  19146
University of Chicago International Language Soc.
1212 East 59th Street;  Chicago, 111.  60637
Jonathan Pool (Editor)
5238 South Kenwood, Apt.
1;  Chicago, 111.  60615
Miss Ellen Lewis (Correspondence Service Director)
15 Salisbury Road;  Brookline, Mass.  02146
JEN
4 Central Street
Millers Falls, Massachusetts 01349
Return Requested
New Address Requested
Non-Profit  Organization
U.  S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO. 5
MILLERS FALLS, MASS.
01349
DATED MATERIAL