The Washington herald., 1908-02-23
TO ESPERANTO NEXT
Presidents Attention Will
Be Called to Language.
YOUNG SWISS IS MISSIONARY
NJ. Privat TO Call at White Hoase
soOn-Win Instruct President I'm
the Use of the international
Tonsue-Esperanfisf Hope to
Make Him Champion OF Cause.

President Roosevelt IS 10 be asked to
voice his approval OF the proposed world
language Esperanto-to stimulate the
study OF il by formal Endorsement. such
as he gave TO the "simplifled spelling"
movement
Because the Chief Executive has signi-
fed his willingness TO become acquainted
with the principles OF the international
tongue high hopes are held by the Es-
perantists that he will be brought to see
its utility and the power TO bind the
world In brotherhood which they feel
It possesses. says the Philadelphia Record.
one week from to-morrow--on March
1.-THE President will meet one OF the
leaders OF the Esperanto army. VINO viii
attempt to famHiarize him with the rules
Tor is employment-and its initiatory
lesson. it is believed. will decide whether
or not Mr.. Roosevelt will come forth in
the role OF an Esperantist
The task OF proselytizing the President
has fallen 70 the lot Of a youthful native
Of Switzerland, Edmond Privat. Al
though he Is only eighteen years OF age,
he Is rated as the foremost among teach
ers OF Esperanto-hIs mastery. OF the
language making him the idol OF al who
speak OF write H.
PriVat Is Ambassador.
Mr. Privat, who is now In Phladelphia-
was sent to this country by the Euro
pean advocates OF the Zamenhof tongue,
as II Is called sometimes in honor OF its
creator It was decided to send an am
oassador" TO the United States TO spread
the propaganda. and as Mr. Privat was
the president Of the committee for teach
ing Esperanto 70 young people he was Sc
lected
About month and half ago he ar
rived IN America, and Two weeks ago.
after lecturing and organizing clubs IN
New York and New England. he came
10 Philadelphia Here he win make his
headquarters untl the time comes for
him TO go TO Washington and unfold the
plan for achieving the federation Of the
world through the medium Of Espe-
raGto.
While he is very youthful in appear
anee, Il Is doubtful whether the Esperan-
lists could have chosen a person better
fitted to introduce their language TO the
President His capacity as a lnguist Is
such that he makes a deep Impression
Capacity as LinRuiEt.
What he has done in learning the Eng
lish language can be taken as an Illus
tration OF his ability 20 master tongues.
Last August. when he left his home In
Geneva, Switzerland. and started for
Cambridge. England. 10 attend gather
ing OF Espersndsts from all parts OF the
globe. he knew not a word OF the tongue
OF the Anglo-Saxons. But since then he
has made such progress In its study that
one might believe readily that he had
lived for many years either IN England
or America. While he has a pronounced
Continental accent. he speaks with won
derfuI fiuency.
Conauering Esperanto was for him
equally easy. IN 1903. when he was A
schoolboy OF thirteen. he accidentally
came across a grammar OF the Zamenhof
language. In one evening he had master
ed the grammar and IN three weeks he
could speak and write il so proficient'y
that he started an Esperanto club and
magazine having the spread Of the new
language as its object
Roy Voted Leader.
And in 1850. when he went TO Boulogne
TO attend the first universal congress OF
the Esperantists. his delivery Of an ad-
dress in the Zamenhof tongue enthused
the thousand delegates so much that he
boy OF thirteen-was voted the FIRST
among the Esperantist scholars
Since then his fame has almost eclipsed
that Of the founder Of the language and
il was chiefly because of this fact that
he was sent TO this country 70 arouse
interest IN the movement.
America can make Esperanto what II
is sure 10 become eventually, the Ian
guage OF all mankind" said Mr. Privat,
in discussing his work here the other
day. and nope after 1 have seen Pres
ident Roosevelt that its work in that
direction VIII be soon started on a large
scale.
In round numbers. the people through |
out the world who speak Esperanto are
know 70 number at least half million |
These are the figures. so FAR as they are
recorded. and Il Is quite possible that
the true total is nearer the million mark !
But once the United States comes TO |
see what Esperanto really means mill !
lions Of new Esperantists viii be added !
year by year. and Il will not be long
as these things go-before the whole |
world will unite IN giving Esperanto its |
rightful place.
May he Accomplished.
"Of course, 1 feel that this will come |
whether or not there Is a |
wave Of Esperantist sentiment in this |
But If this energetic people |
were TO put the stamp of approval upon !
Il now * would be accomplished with |
great deal more rapidity.
President Roosevelt has shown him |
self in sympathy with such world helping |
as this. and therefore We look |
10 him for word that viii start the pub |
lie schools and the colleges teaching our |
language. At the present time there are 1
about 10000 persons who speak Esperanto /
IN America and forty-fve societies which /
were organized for the purpose OF spread |
ing 1t. I think both the number OF So
cieties and the total number of Esper-
artists would take big jump were the /
President TO show that he recognizes the 1
language as Of value.
That II is Of tremendous value 10 the /
world has already been demonstrated. /
Does it not mean something when the
OF thirty nations can be
assembled together and enabled to under
stand each other by the use Of Esperan-
-o1 Without this Zamenhof language
hey would be utterly unable to speak TO
Zach other.
All Can BE Understood.
Esperanto congresses, are the only
bodies drawn from all parts OF the world
where the addresses delivered are intel
igible TO everybody. Take the Peace
Congress at The Hague Its members
lave shown that they believe their dellb-