AMERIKA ESPERANTISTO APRIL, 1920 OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ESPERANTO ASSOCIATION OF NORTH AMERICA 1 MmmmtmSmM 'a' AMERICA ESPERANTISTO OFFICIAL ORGAN of The Esperanto Association of North America, Inc. a propaganda organization for the furtherance of the study and use of the International Auxiliary Language, Esperanto. CO-EDITORS: NORMAN W. FROST H. M. SCOTT MRS. I. M. HORN CLUB DIRECTORY This department is conducted solely for the benefit of our organized groups through- out the country. It furnishes a means of keeping in close touch with the work in other cities, for the exchange of ideas and helpful suggestions, and for the formation of valuable friendships in a united field of endeavor. BERKELEY, CALIF. Berkeleya Esperanta Rondo.—Classes Monday and Tuesday evenings at 8.00.—Meetings Thursday evenings at 2508 Vine St. Address Vinton Smith, 530 62nd St., Oakland, Calif. OAKLAND, CALIF. Oakland Esperanta-Rondo; L. D. Stockton, Sec. & Treas., 438 15th St. 19 SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF. San Francisco Rondo, meets Second Tuesday eve., room 124, Chronicle Bldg. F-ino M. D. Van Sloun, Sec'y, 946 Central Av. MONTREAL, CANADA. Montreal Esperanto Society, Group No. 1. Room 13, Tooke Bldg., St Catherine St Meets Wednesday evening at 8.00 o'clock. WASHINGTON, D. C. La Kabea Esperanta Klubo meets every Sat- urday, at 8.30 P. M.. at Room 305, Y. M. C. A. Bldg., 1736 G St., N. W., Washington, D. C. Kolumbia Esperanto Unuigo. Public meeting third Tuesday of each month except July and August at Public Library. Club meetings each Thursday evening except third at 20 Randolph Place, N. W. All Esperantists in- vited. CHICAGO ILLS. La Gradata Esperanto-Societo, Dvorak Park. Jaroslov Sobehrad, Sec'y. 1116 W. 19th Place. La Esp. Oficejo. 1669 Blue Island Ave. Kunvenas 2an kaj 4an sab. ĉiumonate. 19 BOSTON, MASS. Boston Esp. Soc, 402 Pierce Bldg., Copley Sq. Meets Tues., 7 P.M. Miss A. Patten, Sec. WORCESTER, MASS. Worcester County Esperanto Society. Business Institute, every Friday, 8.00 P.M. PORTLAND, ME. Portland Esperanto Society, Trelawny Bldg. Miss Emma Sanborn, Sec'y, 16 Conant St. DETROIT, MICH. Detroit Esperanto Office, 507 Breitmeyer Bldg., open daily. Library at disposal of everybody daily, 7 A.M-9P.M., except Tues. and Fri. Classes meet Tues. and Fri., 8.10 P.M. La Pola Esperanto Asocio, B. Lendo, Sek„ 120 29th St. MANCHESTER, N. H. Pionira Grupo. Sek., Daisy E. Flanders, 714 Beech St. 19 HEBRON, NEBRASKA. La Hebrona Grupo kunvenas ĉiun Jaŭdon 8 P.M., 660 Olive Ave., kaj ĉiun Dimanĉon 10 A.M., 500 Olive Ave. Roland Jeffery, Pres., Harry Hogrefe, Vice-Pres. Groups are listed for 12 issues of the maga- zine, at a cost of only 25 cents for the two- line insertion. Extra lines are 10 cents each additional. The heading,—name of city or town—is inserted free. This matter warrants the immediate attention of every club secre- tary. PLAINVIEW, NEBR. Esperanto-Fako de la "Sola Skolto" (Lone Scout), 500 N. Dearborn, Chicago, 111. (Re- vuo por la Junularo. Organizu grupon inter la geknaboj. Granda sukceso. Abonu tujl Tare .75; Kvarmonate .25.) Fakestro, Chas. P. Lang, Plainview, Nebr. HOBOKEN, N. J. "I.O.O.F. Esperanto Club No. 1 of Greater N.Y.'' meets every Tuesday at 8.30 P.M. in 61 First St., 3rd Floor West All welcome. Pres., Mrs. M. O. Haugland; Sec'y Wm. Preusse; Instructor, A. Mendelson. Address all communications to the secretary at above address. BUFFALO, N. Y. Buffalo Esperanto Society, A. E. Warren, Pres.; Miss Ray Morris, Sec; meets Thurs- day evenings at 60 High St. 19 NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. The Greater New York Esperanto Society, including all chartered clubs in Manhattan, The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Richmond, Long Island, Westchester County and the New Jersey suburbs, Miss Leonora Stoeppler, Sec, 105 W. 94th St The New York Barĉo, or Esperanto sup- per, is held on the THIRD FRIDAY of every month (6.30 P. M.) Information from sec- retary. La dimanĉa kunveno, al klu fiiuj estas bon- venaj, okazas je la tria horo, posttagmeze, ĉiun dimanĉon, ĉe la logejo de S-ro Joseph Silbernik, 229 East 18th St., Manhattan. CLEVELAND, OHIO. La Zamenhofa Klubo; S. Kozminski, Sek., 3406 Meyer Ave. ERIE, PA. La Pola Studenta Klubo, Paŭlo Palka, sek. Adreso: St John Kanty College. PHILADELPHIA, PA. Phila. Esp. Soc. Miss Marie Knowlan, cor. Sec, 1420 18th St. Meets 4th Fri., Hotel Hanover, 12th and Arch Sts. Rondeto de Litovo-Polaj Esperantistoj, 2833 Livingston St. Esperanta stelo de Polujo.. Sekr., S. Zysk. Kunvenas mardon vespere inter 8-10 h., 507 N. York Ave. 19 PITTSBURGH, PA. Esperanto Sec, Academy of Science and Art- James McKirdy, Sec, Box 920. Fridays, 8 P. M. MILWAUKEE, WISC. Hesperus Esperantists. S-ino B. H. Kerner, Sek., 629 Summit Av., 3d Tuesdays, 8 P.M. 19 Amerika Esperantisto American Esperantist Entered as second-class matter May 15, 1913, at the Postoffice at West Newton Station, Boston, Mass., under the Act of March 3, 1879. A true translation of the non-Kngliih portion of this magazine filed with the Post- master, Boaton, Mas*. Published Monthly by THE ESPERANTO ASSOCIATION OF NORTH AMERICA WEST NEWTON, MASS. One Dollar a Year. Single Copy Ten Cents. Po Dudek Respond-Kuponoj afl Du Spesmiloj (Oraj) Jare. VOL. 26 APRIL, 1920 No. 1 BREAKING DOWN THE WALLS OF HATE "And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech." This was before they built the Tower of Babel. Since then the world has travelled far, for now it numbers its languages and dialects by the thousand. The Bible Societies sell a book containing a verse from each language in which they publish the Word of Peace, 400 in all, and appeal for funds to print the gospel in other languages still. Truly one may reflect in the motto of the Baxter Bible: "Multae Terricolis Lingvae Coelestibus Una." (On earth there are many tongues, in Heaven but one.) When a thousand or more clerks and cooks, waacs and waiters rushed from London to Paris for the Paris Conference, their cry was, according to a wit: A Berlitz! The outcome of seven months of pandemonium of bad French, bad English, bad Italian, and a good deal more bad language, was the Covenant of the League of Nations, the League of Labor, and the Peace Treaty with Germany. The official versions of these—the most important political documents in the history of mankind—are in English and in French. Read side by side they exhibit many incon- sistencies. Even in parts the text is not quite intelligible, and one can imagine some international lawyer in the future quibbling as to which of the versions most clearly expresses the intention of the framers- Several experts who were in attendance at the Peace Conference left it strong advocates for an international language. Civilization had come to a sorry pass when men whose time was precious had to wait two or three days for the services of an interpreter. With an Digitized by Googk 2 AMERIKA ESPERANTISTO international language the time occupied in the negotiations could have been shortened by two-thirds, and much of the world's unrest avoided. Charles Roden Buxton, one of the greatest linguists in Europe, wrote after his experience as official interpreter at the Berne Con- ference: "The chief mechanical obstacle to the common work of the peoples lies in the language question......If all the delegates could have spoken Esperanto, not only would they all have understood one another, but (a point not sufficiently realized) THREE TIMES AS MUCH BUSINESS COULD HAVE BEEN DONE IN THE TIME. All the intelligence of Europe was once united by the common use of Latin. We have got to bring similar conditions back again." 'Esperanto is the Latin of Democracy.' Esperanto prezentas al la civilizita mondo la veran solvon de la lingva problemo. The walls between the peoples, caused by the diversity of lan- guage, are none the less real because they are invisible. Recent tragic events have taught us that they are walls of Hate. The League of Nations cannot achieve complete success unless these walls are broken down. It was the aim of the little Polish doctor who gave Esperanto to the world to break down these divisions by developing good understanding through the medium of a common neutral tongue. The amazing thing is that business men, so intent on modern labor-saving machinery and impatient of inefficiency, should tolerate the present old-fashioned machinery of international intercourse. Polyglotism, with its time-wasting and its nation-hating re- sults, must be scrapped. More efficient international machinery must and can be installed. Romain Rolland, the eminent French novelist, recently wrote "I believe in the absolute necessity of an international language. Esperanto ought to be officially taught and made obligatory in all the primary schools. Without that, any serious and durable inter- national rapprochement cannot take place. Before the peoples can understand they must first be able to hear. Oh, that Esperanto would give hearing to the deaf, who during the ages have been walled up by their mother tongue." The face of civilization could be changed in THREE MONTHS if the League of Nations would compel the Governments of the world to teach their people Esperanto. Then the peoples would realize thru their second language that they are Citizens of the World, and expe- rience a foretaste of the day sung by the poet "When man to man the world o'er shall brothers be." W. M. Page, 218, Bruntsfield Place.Edinburgh, Scotland- I have to report that Mr. F. Morton Rayner, Ituna, Sask., has passed the Supera exam, with honors, attaining a grade of 91 %. Herbert M. Scott, Chairman Exam. Com. Digitized by Googk AMERIKA ESPERANTISTO 3 i YOUR SHARE IN THE CONGRESS We expect that some half a dozen Esperantists will make the trip to the Hague in one way or another; those whose purses are slender can try steerage or cattle-boats; those who are interested in the Pilgrims may find it worth while to stay over for the Leyden and English Pilgrim observances. If you are one of those thinking to go, please let the Esperanto Office know immediately. That World Con- gress has got to be a grand success and even if you stay at home we need Y O U in it. How? Here's how! You're appointed a Committee of One. Here are your instructions: Get your propaganda article all prepared this very week; follow up what you find in the official communications of the Congress Com- mittee, its program especially. With the program of the Congress and the lists of members, it should be possible to write a vivid yet un- exaggerated account of who are there and what they are doing, what Esperantists are and what the movement stands for and may achieve for world good, now that peace let's us go forward again- This account, so written, is ready for an editor at any time, and may be corrected and sent in the instant any news of the Congress comes, or before if tenses permit. Articles most acceptable to edi- tors are short ones of Vs to y* column length to use as spacing: if longer, the more short, removable paragraphs the better the chance of use. Preferably send in with name on the back of the sheet to appear as unsigned editorial or news matter. Longer articles, as for Sunday editions, should be illustrated with pictures, of the Hague, Riddersaal, the Queen, and so on. Even a few gaudy Esperanto postcards might help. Do not wait for actual fotoes of the Congress itself or for detailed report. News is of interest only before or while it is news, and timeliness is of paramount importance for newspapers. Write individually, do not duplicate unless to send to different cities, send preferably to your home paper. If well (type) written, one out of every two such articles will probably be printed without charge or thanks. There, that's your part. ESPERANTO KAJ TELEGRAFIO SEN FADENOJ Fariĝis nun tute banale diri, ke ju pli disvolviĝas interhomaj kom- unikiloj, des pli forte estas sentata la bezono de lingvo internacia. Inter la mirindaj eltrovoj de la lasta tempo, kiuj plej faciligis in- ternaciajn komunikojn, radiotelefonio kaj radiotelegrafio certe staras sur la unua vico. Ni hodiaŭ facile parolas aŭ skribas trans centojn kaj milojn da kilometroj sen ia antaŭa aranĝo de interligantaj fadenoj, se nur tie malproksime troviĝas aŭskultanto kun taŭgaj aparatoj. Sed, ho ve, la kompatinda aŭskultanto ofte nenion komprenas en cio, kion li tamen tute klare aŭdas el ĉiuj kvar punktoj de la horizonto! Sipo sur maro ĉiutage proksimiĝas al multaj diverslingvaj aliaj ŝipoj. Ilin voki kaj alparoli estas tute facila afero, sed kiam tuj venas respon- do, ĝi estas nur senviva kaj senenhava bruo. Mi ĉiam memoros tian Digitized by VjOOQ IC 4 AMERIKA ESPERANTISTO malfacilan interparolon, kiun mi aŭdis inter angla ŝipo kaj franca sen- fadena stacio en Cherbourg. La ŝipo simple demandis pri iaj kostoj de transsendo. Tia fuŝaĵo estis la vanaj provoj de interkompreno, ke fine la stacio sendis al la ŝipo la signalon "atendu". . . kaj la mal- feliĉa ŝipo sendube ankoraŭ nun atendas, car la staciisto neniam plu ĝin revokis. Tiel akra estas la bezono de interkomprenilo, ke "la bezono kreis organon,"—sed kian organon! Areton da 45 triliteraj grupoj, kiuj servas por demandi aŭ respondi pri la plej ofte bezonataj aferoj, kiel, ekzemple, jene: -QRA? — QRA Campania, -QRG? — QRG Cunard. QRZ, QRO. -QRK? — QRK, QRU? — QRU, k. t. p. Tiamaniero de interparolado certe ne apartenas al la plej facilaj kaj oportunaj, car ekzistas nur 45 tiaj demandoj-respondoj, kaj kvan- kam ilia nombro estas tre malgranda, estas jam malfacile ilin ĉiujn memori perfekte. Tamen, malgraŭ tia malperfekteco, la "senfadena lingvo" ĉiutage faras ŝatindajn servojn al ĝiaj uzantoj. Pro internacia interkonsento ĉiu radiotelegrafisto ja komprenas jene la supran iom algebran inter- parolon : — Kiel estas nomita via stacio? — Gia nomo estas Campania. — Al kiu marvetura linio vi apartenas? — Mi apartenas al la Cunard Linio. Viaj signaloj estas malfortaj. Pligrandigu la energion. — Kiel vi nun ricevas? — Mi ricevas nun bone. Cu vi havas ion por mi? — Mi havas por vi nenion, k. t. p. Sed kiu ne vidas, kiom pli oportuna estus lingvo internacia, per kiu oni povus ĉion diri, kaj ne sole uzadi nur 45 antaŭpreparitajn de- mandojn kaj respondojn? Per tia lingvo la angla ŝipo, pri kiu mi paro- lis, povus facile ricevi ĉiajn deziratajn sciigojn, dum en la 45 nunaj litergrupoj troviĝas neniu, pli malpli ĝuste difmita por komprenigi ĝian demandon. Ne sole por uzado de senfadena telegrafio lingvo internacia farus grandajn servojn, sed kompreneble ankaŭ por ĝia studado, kiel por studado de ĉiuj aliaj sciencoj kaj tehnikoj. Per ĝi fakuloj povus inter- ŝanĝi tehnikajn sciigojn aŭ kompare studi la diversajn naciajn radio- leĝarojn (interalie pri privata eksperimentado, kiu en kelkaj landoj ŝajnas terura kaj malpermesinda afero, dum en aliaj ĝi ĝuas enviindan liberecon). Eble ili havus por tio profiton starigi ian internacian so- cieton, kiu interalie zorgus pri ellaborado de tehnikaj radiovortaro. Se inter la diverslandaj esperantistoj troviĝas profesiaj aŭ ama- toraj "senfadenistoj," la subskribinto sciiĝus kun granda plezuro pri ilia opinio- D-ro Pierre Corret, 19 Boulevard de la Republique, Versailles, (Francujo). AMERIKA ESPERANTISTO RESOLUTIONS Passed by the Board of Directors of the Kali- fornia Esperantista Rondaro upon its last regular meeting, at San Francisco, California, on March 2nd, 1920. WHEREAS, it has pleased our Heavenly Father to call from our midst Major-Surgeon Herbert W. Yemans, U. S. A., retired, President of the Kalifornia Esperantista Rondaro, and Past President of the Esperanto Association of North America, and WHEREAS, he had for many years been an active and earnest worker for Esperanto, thereby meriting the gratitude of all adherents of the International Language, and WHEREAS, we, the Executive Board of the Kalifornia Esper- antista Rondaro held him in the highest esteem as a co-worker, as a friend, and as a man, Therefore, be it resolved, that we hereby express our respect to his memory, and our sincere sorrow and regret at his departure. Be it further resolved, that a copy of these resolutions be spread in full upon our minutes, and a copy be sent to his Family and to the Press. DIRECTORS, Kalifornia Esperantista Rondaro By M. D. Van Sloun, Secretary. Edward J. Burnham, for many years well-known editor of the Manchester (N. H.) Union, a world recognized scientist, historian and lecturer, died April 14 in North Chichester, N. H. He was a man of intense and many-sided energy. One of the first enthusiasts for Esperanto in the United States, he founded the "Pionira Grupo" of Manchester, and was ever active in our cause. W. H. Gove of Salem, Mass., former member of his city and state legislatures, and of Governor Poss' Council, was an ardent Espe- rantist. Taking up Esperanto some 10 years ago, he made time despite his other interests to motor in to Boston to attend the classes in Esperanto here. In 1918 at the Green Acre Congress, he was made chairman of our Executive Committee, and was planning extensive efforts in our behalf, but was prevented by severe and protracted ill- ness thruout most of the year from accomplishing these plans. He died April 14th at his Salem home. We have to record the sad news of the death in Leysin March 31st of the President of the U. E. A., Hector Hodler, long a zealous and indefatigable worker for Esperanto. As editor of our leading magazine, his name was known to each and every one of us, his learn- ing and good judgment kept it alive thru the war and set a high stan- dard of achievement. As head of the Central Office of the U- E. A. in Geneva and Berne, he fought almost alone to keep Esperanto a go- ing concern even in the darkest days of international hatreds. May his example inspire others to a like zealous enthusiasm. Dr. Rudolfo Rajczy, secretary-treasurer of the Vegetara Ligo Esperantista and editor of "Vegetarano," who contributed many trans- lations and original articles to the Esperanto movement amid his other propaganda efforts for socialism, temperance, etc., has just died at the age of 33 in Degreczen. —Hungara Esp. Digitized by GoogI 6 AMERIKA ESPERANTISTO GEMS OF ESPERANTO LITERATURE CU LA HOMO AMAS LA NATURON ? Ne tro rapide jese respondu la demandon, kara leganto! Ne ĉiuj homoj amas la naturon, multaj estas indiferentaj, aliaj ĝin timas. En iama tempo la timo neniel permesis ian senton de amo aŭ de admiro. Eĉ la kuraĝuloj timis la naturon, ili ne hontis tion konfesi. Kiel terura ekzemple por ili estis la maro! Gi detruis la bordojn, forrabis fruktajn distriktojn, ĝi minacis la ŝipojn per mil danĝeroj, gia profundeco kaŝis nekonatajn, abomenajn monstrojn. La homoj an- kaŭ timis la riverojn, kvankam sur la bordoj ili loĝis, car printempe ili fariĝis torentegoj, ili superakvigis herbejojn kaj kampojn, forŝiris pontojn, detruis domojn. La lagojn oni timis, car ilia trankvileco estis trompa, ruzege ili dronigis boatojn, ili forsendis malvarmajn ventojn, kiuj minacis la plantajojn kaj fruktojn. Oni sin ŝirmis per altaj muroj, la domoj montris la dorson al la lago, kiel ajn bela ĝi estis! La pluvegon, la hajlon oni timis, sen armilo oni sin sentis antaŭ la malamikoj de la rikolto. Kiel sin protekti kontraŭ la fortoj de la naturo? La timigita homaro ĉion provis, ĝi fordonis oferajojn ĉiuspecajn, eĉ la vivo de amataj homoj ne ŝajnis tro valora ofero, por trankviligi la ĉiopovan naturon. Ho, kia malĝoja, abomena eraro! Terurega estis la fulmotondro! Kia timo ekkaptis la homojn, kiam ili rimarkis la minacantajn nubojn, kiuj certe eksplodos kaj eble morton aŭ bruladon forsendos! Kia terura forto estis la fajro, tiel necesa kaj tamen tiel danĝera! La montoj, la montaroj estis tim- indaj! Oni ne riskis alproksimiĝon al ili, la loĝantoj de la valoj konis iliajn dangerojn. La nomoj, al ili donitaj, esprimis klare la opiniojn de la bedaŭrindaj timemuloj. Ankaŭ la arbarojn oni timis. Ne nur sovaĝaj bestoj kaj rabistoj tie minacis la vivon, kontraŭ ili oni ja kuraĝe povus batali, multe pli danĝeraj estis la demonoj loĝantaj en la densaĵo. Preskaŭ ĉiu arbaro estis ensorĉita, ne nur la demonoj el la antikva tempo, la diablo spi- onis en la kavoj kaj intermontajoj. La diablo! Kiam li eniris la naturon, la lasta brilo de ĝojo aŭ kompreno eliĝis el la nin ĉirkaŭanta mondo! La tero fariĝis preskaŭ infero. Eĉ multaj kreskajoj estis diablaj kaj ensorĉitaj, la superstiĉo sternis densan, malluman ombron sur la homan animon. La nokto, la dolĉa, trankvila amikino de l'homo, kiel malĝoja ĝi fariĝis! Je noktomezo la fantomoj forlasis la ĉerkojn, la tombejoj estis tiel teruraj, ke jam al ili la pensado glaciigis la sang- on de la homoj. La luno kaŭzis timon senliman, ĝi frenezigis la kom- patindajn vivulojn. Kometoj anoncis peston kaj militon, kaj kiel danĝeraj fariĝis la planedoj per ia malfavora konstelacio! Kiu nin liberigis el tiu ĉi honta, malinda stato? Kiu estis la sav- into, montrante al ni la naturon je alia, pli ĝoja formo? Ne unu per- sono havas pri tio la meriton, la homoj kune trovis la ĝustan vojon per siaj poetoj kaj scienculoj. Digitized by Googk AMERIKA ESPERANTISTO 7 FOR THE STUDENT DOES MAN LOVE NATURE? Do not be too hasty, dear reader, to answer this question in the affirmative! It is not all men that love nature: many are indifferent; others fear her. There was a time when fear would by no means per- mit any feeling of love or of admiration. Even brave men feared na- ture, and were not ashamed to admit it. For instance, how terrible for them the sea was! It destroyed its shores, ravished fruitful districts; it menaced ships with a thousand dangers; its depths concealed unknown, abominable monsters. Men also feared the rivers, tho they lived on their banks; for in the spring- time they became raging torrents; they flooded meadows and fields, tore away bridges, destroyed houses. The lakes they feared, for their tranquility was deceptive, with genius of cunning they swamped boats; they sent forth cold winds, which menaced crops and fruit. Men sheltered themselves with high walls; houses turned their backs to the lake, for all its beauty! Rain storm and hail men feared; they felt themselves defenceless against the enemies of the harvest. How could they find protection against the forces of nature? Terrified mankind tried everything; it made all manner of offerings; even the lives of beloved persons did not seem too precious an offering to pla- cate almighty nature. Oh, what a sad, abominable mistake! Frightful was the thunder storm! What fear seized men when they noticed the threatening clouds, which would surely burst, and perhaps send forth death and conflagration! What a terrible force was fire, so essential and yet so dangerous! The mountains, the in- habitants of the valleys knew their dangers. The names given them clearly expressed the opinions of the poor timid ones. The forests also were feared. Not wild beasts and robbers alone threatened life there; against these one might certainly with courage defend oneself. Much more dangerous were the demons dwelling in dense places. Almost every forest was .enchanted; not only the de- mons of antiquity, but the devil played the spy in the hollows and ravines. The devil! When he entered nature the last gleam of joy and understanding departed from the world about us. The earth be- came all but hell. Even many plants were devilish and enchanted; superstition spread its dense, dark shadow over the human soul. Night, sweet, soothing friend of man, how sad she became! At mid- night the ghosts left their coffins; the cemeteries were so terrible that the very thought of them froze the blood of men. The moon wrought fear unbounded; she drove poor mortals to madness. Com- ets proclaimed pestilence and war, and how dangerous did the planets become to man thru some ominous constellation! Who freed us from this shameful, unworthy condition? Who was the savior, revealing to us nature in other and more happy form ? No one individual can claim the merit for that. It was men collec- tively who found the right path, thru their poets and scientists. Digitized by Google 8 AMERIKA ESPERANTISTO La poetoj ekkomencis. Iliaj okuloj ne tiel atente observadis kaj rigardis la danĝerojn, kontraŭe, ili kovris per rozkolora vualo la terur- aĵojn, ili riskis ŝercan rakonton, ili revivigis la pli gajajn opiniojn de la antikva tempo, ili parolis pri feinoj kaj nimfoj, pri driadoj, pri Eho kaj lriso. La suno estis nomita "nia patrino," la luno "amiko de la medi- to," la steloj "niaj gefratoj." Sed la poetoj restus senefikaj sen la helpo de la scienculoj kaj elpensintoj. Pacience, per sennombraj eksperimentoj ili eltrovis la naturleĝojn. La kono de la leĝoj ebligis al ili la venkon de la sfinkso: Naturo! Depost la kaptado de la fulmo la timo iom post iom plimal- grandiĝis. Kuraĝe la homo ekprenis unu forton de la naturo post la alia, inteligente li nun uzas ilin por la beno de l'homaro. La teleskopo kaj la mikroskopo kune kun la fotografilo montras al ni la plej intim- ajn sekretojn de la naturo. Ni vidas devenon kaj morton, eternan ŝanĝadon. Misteroj estas kompreneblaj, nekonataj veroj eltroveblaj, ĉio, kion oni vidas kaj trovas estas simpla, senmirakla kontinueco, nenie ia kaŝita, demona malamiko, sendante friponajn sagojn, estas trovebla, kial do timi? La timo malaperas el la mondo, kiel nebuloj malaperas antaŭ la suno. La lumo de la scienco forigis la timon, nun la poetoj povas senlime kanti pri belajoj de la mondo. Ankoraŭ plu —ĉiu koro fariĝis nun poeta! Sentima koro sentas sian unuecon kun la naturo, ni ĉiuj entuziasme amas la naturon, nian patrinon! El Sableroj, de Marie Haenkel. This month's selection is an original production by a German Esperantist. NOTES These selections are designed mainly to give some small idea of the scope and richness of Esperanto literature. The English translation, while idiomatic, has the single aim of representing as faithfully as possible the Esperanto text. Of course, like every living language, the international has also its untrans- latable elements, and only the adept can appreciate their beauty and possibili- ties in the hands of masters, The appended notes are not meant for beginners, and are critical and literary rather than pedagogical in their nature. La homo.... La naturo: we see here two uses of the article for- eign to English: (1) the so-called "generic", article, which precedes a noun (singular or plural) representing the whole of anything (as, a race, species, etc.); (2) the article before abstract nouns.—Ne tro rapide.... Ne ĉiuj: notice thruout this selection how the negative im- mediately precedes the word it negatives, and not necessarily the verb; translate accordingly.—ian: ia means either "some" or "any" (kind of), depending on the context—here "any." Some crude writ- ers render every "any" by ia ajn: but ajn in the classical authors sel- dom occurs except with the kiu-kia series.—tion konfesi: notice thru- out this selection how the unemphatic pronoun object precedes its verb; this is usual Esperanto style. forrabis: lit. "robbed away."—fruktajn____trompa.... abomena, etc.: notice how the masters of Esp. use simple roots wherever possi- ble rather than cumbersome compounds, even if less logical, provided they give clear sense: less experienced writers would have put fruk- Digitized by Googk AMERIKA ESPERANTISTO 9 The poets made the first beginning. Their eyes were not so keen to observe and consider perils; on the contrary, they threw a rozy veil over terrors. They ventured a comic tale, they revived the mer- rier opinions of ancient times: they spoke of fairies and nymphs, of dryads, of Echo and Iris. The sun was named "our mother," the moon "friend of meditation," the stars "our brethren." But the poets would have accomplished nothing without the help of scientists and inventors. Patiently, thru numberless experiments they discovered the law of nature. The knowledge of law rendered possible for us the conquest of the sphynx, Nature! Since the captur- ing of the lightning fear began little by little to lose ground. Brave- ly man took possession of one force of nature after another; intelli- gently he uses them now for the blessing of mankind. The telescope and the microscope, together with the camera, reveal to us the most intimate secrets of nature. We see origin and death, eternal change. Mysteries can be understood, unknown truths discovered; all we see and find is simple, rational continuity. Nowhere is any hidden, de- moniacal enemy to be found, shooting his rascally darts—why then should we be afraid? Fear is disappearing from the world as the mists disappear from before the sun. The light of science has put away fear. Now the poets may sing to their heart's content of the beauties of nature. Nay more—every heart has now become poetic! The fearless heart feels its unity with nature, we are all enthusiastic lovers of nature, our mother! From "Grains of Sand" (A collection of original essays and poems). toplenajn___trompema... .abomeninda, etc. torentegoj: in passages of a dramatic order the suffix -eg is apt to be overdone: notice how judiciously Haenkel uses it. —dronigis: cp. F. K. 97: ventego apenaŭ ne dronigis la lipojn: hence droni=not only "to drown" but to foun- der." —plantaĵojn: lit. any planted things, here seems to refer to both garden and field crops. —protekti: this is an unusual use of the word, as it usually means (not "protect," which is ŝirmi, but) "to stand up for" and the like; cp. e. g. Prov. Esp. 126; Ps. XIX, 15; Rabistoj 16, 105 ; Revizoro; Georgo Dandin 27; Faraono III 42, etc. —fordonis oferaĵojn: the four words doni, oferi, proponi, donaci should be care- fully discriminated; oferi, for instance, is often erroneously used for proponi; oferi is "to offer" only in a sacrificial sense. eksplodos.... forsendos: note the tense, which expresses the thought in the men's minds: "it will burst and send forth"; Eng. idiom demands translation by the less logical subjunctive. —brul- adon: note the effect of -ad-: brulo would be a single fire, brulado a general blaze. —La fajro: fire in general (the article is "generic": cp. first note above. —timemuloj: not "cowards," which would be tim- uloj: cp. Ekz. sek. 37: "timulo timas eĉ sian propran ombron." densajo: hard to render: not "thicket" here, tho it sometimes means that. —kavo is not a "cave" (which is kaverno). —intermont- aĵoj: here for a wonder Haenkel uses a superfluous affix: the usual word is intermonto: this word no more needs the -aĵ- than kavo does. —la nin ĉirkaŭanta mondo: an inversion apt to be overdone by Ger- Digitized by Googk 10 AMERIKA ESPERANTISTO man and Slavic writers, but occasionally musical and effective, as here. (Zamenhof uses this construction masterfully in F. K.) —kreskaĵoj: "plants": cp. plantaĵoj above. —amikino: the -in- shows that night is consciously personified; hence the following ĝi should strictly be Si. —jam al ili la pensado: the particles jam, ja, do, ajn, etc., as used by the masters, give the racy effect of the idioms of our natural tongues: they are some of the innumerable factors which make Esperanto a living language, as distinct from a mere cipher code. —konstelacio: a "neologism": the simpler word would be stelaro; but it is to be re- membered that under Rule 15 of the Plena Gramatiko all international words (those existing in the majority of civilized tongues) are per se part of Esperanto. Ne unu persono: cp. 2nd note above on position of negative. — ekkomencis: a pregnant word, connoting the idea of the "beginning of the beginning"—way back in prehistoric times. —La suno.__"nia patrino," la luno "amiko": note that Haenkel alludes to old Teutonic notions, and not classical, for in the classical languages the sun is masculine and the moon feminine. kaptado: the act, as shown by -ad-, is continuous: the "capturing" is not yet consumated. —ekprenis: note the force of ek-. —ŝanĝadon: a stickler for logic would have stuck in a practically superfluous -ig-. senmirakla: lit. "miracleless." H. M. S. CONDITIONS IN MIDDLE EUROPE There is intense misery in Hungary according to numerous post- cards received from samideanoj there. There is no one organization coping effectively with the famine conditions in this region and proba- bly the lives of many children and old people are being and will be a sacrifice before the harvest comes in. The American Relief Adminis- tration, 115 Broadway, N. York, will forward any amounts sent in to any designated individuals or to general relief in Hungary and sur- rounding lands. We hope that readers of A. E. will make known these facts as widely as possible, since with our slender resources, we can hardly accomplish anything by ourselves. In view of differing politi- cal opinions, it is not wise for A. E. to adjudge the blame for the present situation, but it is, we think, sufficiently evident that these preventable conditions in Hungary and elsewhere are creating an international bitterness likely to fruit in further hatreds and wars. These bitternesses would surely be abated were Esperanto in use, and here is a chance for Esperanto to show its usefulness. The Esper- antists of Italy have already taken many children into their homes, some American Esperantists have sent money, but there remains the real need to awaken all Americans to the facts. This is the least we can do as Esperantists. For more detailed information, address Am. Relief A., or U. E. A. Every article or portion thereof appearing in Amerika Esperan- tisto is free for anyone to reproduce or translate, and is so intended. More extensive material for such use will be furnished free to any editor upon request. Digitized by Googk AMERIKA ESPERANTISTO 11 KLIPLINGS Esperanto Finnlando ha» made a sudden jump from a four page folio to a 16-30 page illustrated all-Esperanto monthly. The February issue had excellent translations from the Kalevala, the Finnish nation- al epic, model for Longfellow's "Hiawatha." The March number is notable for an article on the "Concentration" of effort in the Esperanto movement especially in the matter of magazines, also for a chronicle of Esperanto in Finnland during 1919, from which we cite the follow- ing items:—A project to have Esperanto introduced into the public schools with state aid nearly succeeded, but was blocked finally by the protest of certain Idists. Esperanto has friends in the highest govern- ment circles.—The Finnish embassies at Stockholm, Dresden, and Tokio all use Esperanto. — The Finnland Fair (to be held in Helsing- fors, June 27 to July 6) adopted Esperanto for use there and has sent out printed circulars in that language, in fact, the committee in charge of the fair have themselves learned Esperanto. — A Common Com- mercial Language Committee is now functioning (address A. J. Ahti, Mikonkatu 23-14, Helsingfors) — A Teachers' Esperanto Association was founded and interest awakened among the intellectuals of East Bothnia, and among the labor unions everywhere — The Labor In- stitute of Oulu officially installed the teaching of Esperanto. The following courses took place during the year:—Helsinki: at the Uni- versity : spring, 100 pupils ; fall, 35: Barbers' Trade Courses, x: Techni- cal High School, 15 to 20—Isokyroe, 50—Kemi, 13—Konnitsa, 64— Kymi, a few—Kuusankoski: Trade School: spring, x—Kelva: public school, 20—Laihia,15 and 6—Lappeenranta, a few soldiers—Luopio- inen: public school, 12 and 12—Mikkeli,3—Mosabacka: public school, 50 and 20—Ostola, a few—Oulu,50—Raumu,30—Salo: Soc. Demo- crats, 10—Tampere: four courses at public schools, one at Christian Public High School, total 160—Turku, 30 and 10—Viipuri, 120— Va- hakyro : public school, 120. In all this totals over 900 students for 1919. As a result of a propaganda speech in Voitsberg, Styria, a course of 55 pupils mainly laboring men has begun at the public school The 14th general convention of the Esperanto Society for Styria, Dec. 11, 1919, reported that during the year the membership had quadrupled and eight courses been given —Esp. Mitteilungen. The Cheko-Slovak Minister of Education, S-ro Halbermann, has given the information that Esperanto will be permitted as a voluntary study in all schools where students can be found, and providing they are prepared for such instruction. —Esp. Mitteilungen. On January 19th a course in Esperanto was opened in the Liter- ary University of Barcelona. —Aplec. In response to the petition of 230 alumni, The Commercial School of Portugal, Alvar Coelho, has officialized the instruction in Esper- anto in said school. —Aplec. The superior head of police in Portugal has just authorized the teaching of Esperanto in courses "de referenda." —Aplec. Digitized by Googk 12 AMERIKA ESPERANTISTO The Hungarian commercial weekly Kozep Duna, of Budapest, VII, Damjanich u. 25-a,III, has begun the use of Esperanto text as well as articles about Esperanto. —Hung. Esp. All Socialists and Workers are invited to send interesting news of socialist and labor activities in their vicinity for publication in Nepszava, offical organ of the Hungarian Socialist Party, to Laborista Servo Esperanta Hungarlando, Budapest, IX,Lonyai-utca 34. —H- E. A convention of Esperantist Syndicalists was announced for April 3 at Hamburg. Whether it could actually occur in the present disturbed conditions we are not yet informed. Russia.—The Esperanto movement is being sustained here by the Soviet government and is making excellent progress. The Soviet government has officially adopted Esperanto as an international lan- guage. The official government organ, Izvestiya, is printing regularly articles on Esperanto. The Petrograd Esperanto Society is entitled to issue to its members passes inscribed in Esperanto and Russian, certifying that the possessor of this card cannot be arrested nor searched as he is under the protection of the Tutmonda Esperantistaro. Esperanto as a voluntary subject is authorized in the schools, but the Esperantists are vigorously striving to make it obligatory. More than % of the Tutruslanda Komunista Junulara Unuiĝo already know Esperanto. The Organizing Committee of the all-Russian Esperanto Federation is issuing the Oficiala Bulteno. The Moskow Esperantists have especially reserved to them the mansion of the wealthy S-ro Lopatin, Sivcev Vrajek Street No. 45, as an Esperanto Domo. B. Tenenbaum in Esperanta Laboristo Esperanto Katolika is to reappear printed in Graz —(Ned. Kat.) We are informed that an "Esperanta Eldona Akcia Societo" has been founded in Cracow, Poland, with capital shares at $2.00 (U. S. money). Those wishing more detailed information address Krav Alfus, Pedrichow 22, Krakow, Poland. At the Esperanto Domo in Milan, 140 are studying, and the So- cialists have two other courses of 75 and 40 pupils. —Esp. Itala Rev. In Holesov, Cheko-Slovakia, Esperanto courses have been intro- duced into the primary and secondary public schools. —Esp. It. Rev Esperanto has been introduced as an official and obligatory study in the trade section of the Evangelical High School of Godesberg. The following German and Polish newspapers are following the Esperanto movement with regular Esperanto columns or a train of articles: Westpreussiches Volksblatt (Danzig); Dziennik Gdanski (Danzig) ;Neue Lodzer Zeitung; Volksstimme (Bromberg); Volks- stimme (Thorn); Gazeta Opolska (Oppeln) ;Der Weise Adler (Op- peln). —Germana-Pola Esp S-ro Pankratz has been teaching Esperanto at the Bromberg pro- vincial Blind Asylum. After 15 lessons, his pupils presented "La Glavo de Damokles." They now wish blind correspondents.—G. P. E. The Esperantists of Colombia, S. A., are planning an Esperanto Exposition in connection with the 100th anniversary of the first con- gress of Colombia, May 6, 1921, in "El Rosario," five miles from Cucu- ta; address S-ro Efraim Garcia Lozada, Cucuta, Colombia. Digitized by Googk AMERIKA ESPERANTISTO 13 There has been a reorganization of the Japana Esperantista Aso- cio, largely with the idea of broadening the activities of the member- ship so that the burdens of the society will fall less upon one man The organ of the reorganized society is La Revuo Orienta, (2.20 yen) K. Ossaka, Tokio, Uŝigome, Ŝin-Ogaŭamaĉi 111-14. Dr. Esslemont has started an Esperanto class at Haifa, Palestine, for the Bahai pilgrims and two members of Abdul Baha's household. Nearly 800 persons attended a propaganda concert arranged by the Osaka Esperanto Association. 30 joined the society. LA ENLANDA MOVADO Topeka, Kans.—Skoltestro Fazel propagandadas Esperanton inter la knab-skoltoj kaj esperas grandan klason dum la somera libertempo. Storm Lake, Iowa.—Klason de 14 lernantoj gvidas Prof. Fracker je Buena Vista Kolegio. San Francisco, Cal.—Du klasojn, entute 30 1. instruas A. S. Vinzent. New York, N. Y.—La Esperantista Instituto "Harmonio" jam orga- nizis tri senpagajn Esperantajn klasojn: mardon vespere je la oka ĉe la Bahaia Restoracio, 31 St. Marks Place;—lundon vespere je la oka, ĉe F-ino Delia Lincoln, 974 St. Marks Ave., Brooklyn—dimanĉon matene je la dekunua, ĉe S-ro Amiel, 406 World Bldg. En tiuj klasoj ankaŭ kunvenu ĉiuj Esperantistoj kiuj povas tion fari. Ni rekomen- das al niaj fremdaj samideanoj ke ili ĉeestu ĉe iu ajn el la nomitaj lokoj. Ciujn komunikajojn adresu al S-ro M. Amiel, 406 World Bldg., New York, N. Y. La Esperanta Instituto akceptas fremdajn anojn senpage—estas nur necese skribi la adreson por aliĝi kaj havigi nomojn de usonaj kaj fremdaj korespondantoj. Boston, Mass.—La grupo dormas, krom du-tri entusiasmuloj. La tria eldonajo de Prez. Payson, "La Rozujo ĉiumiljara," estas presita. Nun oni diskutas pri Egipto, Egiptio, Egiptujo. Oni propagandas ĉe la knabin-skoltoj. Habana, Cuba.—La Discusion, unu el la plej gravaj tagjurnaloj de Habana, Kubo, estas aperiganta fakon Esperantan redaktatan de S-ro Hilario Zayas Botell, apartado no. 699, Habana, Cuba. Tio signalas revekiĝon en Kubo de agema Esperanta propagando, kiu plimulte ĉesis kiam la milito malhelpis la "Latinamerika Esperantisto" n. Ni rekomendas ke iu Esperantisto afable sendu novajon en Esperanto al S-ro Botell, por tiamaniere plifaciligi al li la propagandan laboron. Washington, D. C.—klaso el 8 lernantoj de Business High lernejo ĉe F-ino Leavitt. Washington, D. C.—Klaso el 8 lernantoj de Business High lernejo ĉe M. C. A., ankaŭ klason superan. Toronto, Can.—Klaso por komencantoj ĉe Ges. Gundy. Se iafoje la mondo ŝajnas al ni loĝejo de idiotuloj, ni ne malbenu al Dio. Nur la homoj estas kulpaj pri la teraj bestajoj. J. V. Digitized by Google 14 AMERIKA ESPERANTISTO OFFICE OBSERVATIONS The Congress of the E. A. N. A- will be held in New York after the middle of July, tentatively the 22nd to 24th. We still lack almost $200.00 guarantee, without which the work of the Esperanto Office will be jeopardized. Do your bit! Our Help-Sekretariino wishes to remind local secretaries and all other dues-paying members of the E. A. N. A. that there is an import- ant communication for them at the foot of page 9 of the Congress number, July-August, 1919. Yes, she gets peeved sometimes. We have a few propaganda postcards of the Montreal kongresanoj on sale at the Esperanto Office, also a propaganda calendar, just the thing to give an interested friend. Every time he looks for a date he'll think "Esperanto" —on a blotter. Price, 2 for 5 cents.; 100 for $1.00. GAZETARO ESPERANTISTA We have received a leaflet announcing the coming appearance in the near future of Esperanto Triumfonta, a weekly or semi-weekly. Perhaps the Teknika Revuo will be published in conjunction there- with. The price is set as $0.25 per month, 1 res. coupon for a sample, Teo Jung, Horrem bei Koln, Germany. Monata Bulteno de "Aplec" Esp. Grupo—Mendizabal, 3 (Hi ha bus- so), Sabadell, Spain, is an eight page monthly in Catalonian and Esp. Esperanto Mitteilungen—a 6 page monthly, mimeographed, news of the Esperanto movement in Styria, issued monthly by the Esperanto Verein fur Steiermark, Graz VI, Schonaugasse 6, 2. Blanka Kruco—The December number is a 12 page magazine in Ger- man and Esperanto, 2 M. at Graz, Volksheilzentrale, Karmeliterplatz 4, 5, organ for German speaking Catholic Esperantists. Verda Ombro—a 10 page, hektographed monthly, mostly Esperanto, some Japanese, illustrations and poetry, for .60 Sm. per year, from Formosa Esperantista Grupo, Taihoku, Japan. PRESS NOTICES The Workers' Call, a new and lively Socialist weekly of Dallas, Texas, devoted a half page to the Esperanto movement in their open- ing number, April 3, 1920. Nun alproksimiĝis al ni la fama akvofalaro. Ĝi troviĝas prok- simumege. Se la sinjorinoj bonvolu halti dum momento la babiladon, oni povos audi la tondradon de la falanta akvo. el Boston Globe, trad. Prujno. La aŭtomobilisto veturis per sia maŝino al reboniga butiko, kaj demandis la rebonigiston kion oni devas fari al maŝino. La rebonig- isto ĝin ekzamenis, silente, iom da tempo, kaj tiam sonorigis la trum- pon. Li diris,—Vi havas ĉi-tie bonan trumpon; kial ne vi gin levigu, kaj metu novan maŝinon malsupre de ĝi. —Boston Transcript. Digitized by Googk AMERIKA ESPERANTISTO 15 Ŭ.0% ST.3 » 2 S o. IS8