The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-08-16
LINGUISTS vow
WORLD CONQUEST


industry and commerce; Uruguay, Senior
Munoz Costa Rica. Senior Joaquin Ber-
nardo Calvo. Minister 10 Washington;
Great Britain. Col John Pollen, and
France. Lieut. Robert de L'Isle.
In addition 10 these official delegates.
there were representatives from thirty
i've countries, who, at the afternoon
meeting. brought tidinss from their re-
spective governments.
There was, for instance. the delegate
from India. an Engllshman. who told how
Esperanto was spreading owed Hindustan
although at present there were only four
large groups organized. There was a dele
gate from Russia who described his first
visit TO this country several years ago.
when he could not make himself under
stood In Russian but who now, by the
aid OF Esperanto, could get along all
right. He also had something TO say OF
the amazement he felt az the spirit Of
freedom In America. so different from the
spirit OF his own country. That was the
spirit In which the delegate from Lth-
uania spoke, and later in the afternoon
the same sense was expressed by a Yid-
dish delegate.
One woman delegate. Sonora Essigman,
from Poland. whose immense diamond
earrings dazzled the feminine part OF the
audience. brought greetings from the
Poles.
The Swiss delegate made speech that
called forth lots Of laughter because he
did not know Esperanto very we'll. He
apologized. however, by saying that he
was getting old and that he really knew
the language better when he was younger.
Persian Recalls Prophecy.
nephew OF Bahia Ullah. leader OF the
religious sect known as the Nahai. and he
reminded his hearers that the BAHIA UIlah
had predicted. forty-hve years ago. the
birth and growth Of language that
should enable all nations to communicate
together
Col Pollen. who. though a British dele
gate. is glad that he is Irish, wanted TO
know what America would be without the
Irish, and ne made a capital speech in
which he told Of the enthusiasm over Es-
lperanto in England. NJ Robert de rIsle
spoke for France and told OF the work
there, The German delegate said that
Germany had 230 groups OF Esperantlsts
or at least. It had that many when he
left the fatherland. The enthusiasm was
so great that he thought there might be
several more by this time. He told how
much the German government was inter-
ested IN the subject and declared that
Saxony was about 20 make government
report favoring the teaching Of Esperanto
IN the schools
The Spanish delegate was a tribe nerv-
Gus when he came TO speak. and he
gripped his dress sword In both hands
while he struggled for the right Espe-
ranto words. He brought word that King
Alfonso was much in favor OF Esperanto,
and told his hearers that the Spanish
Red Cross Society had taken UP the
study. He was president Of the congress
last year.
The italian delegate told Of the wide
i spread interest in Esperanto in Florence,
and urged that the next congress might
be held IN Italy.
Message from Worlds Ends.
And so, all the afternoon. word came
from the uttermost parts OF the earth
all the delegates bearing news calculated
10 show that Esperanto has been extend
ing rapidly within the past year. This
was the message brought from both the
east and west coasts Of Australia, from
Japan. from China. from the Philippines.
from all parts Of South American. from
South Africa and Burma, from Brazil
and Canada. II all goes 10 show how
! rapidly this language Is coming into use
At the end OF December. 1907. the total
number OF registered Esperanto groups
and societies throughout the world was
753; In June. 1905. II was 92S; on January
1. 1909. II had reached 1.2iO. and by June.
1909. it had come to 100. an advance Of
close on 500 within less than two years.
Since then the number has enormously
increased. but the exact figures cannot
be known until the end OF the congress.
There was one curious feature-at least
curious TO an outsider who does not IN
derstand Esperanto-and that was the
fact that was impressed by a hearing OF
ali the speeches yesterday afternoon.
Esperanto may be an international Ian
guage, but each country serves it up
with its own particular sauce and ma
tional flavor. You might not have under
stood Esperanto as you listened 10 the
/ speeches, but not at all difficult 10 pick
out the nationality Of the speakers: for
there was no MISLEADING the British &C
cent OF Col Pollen, the Teutonic flavor
Of the Germans Esperanto, the intona-
ton OF the French delegate. or the Latin
foundation OF the Esperanto OF the South
I American and Spanish delegates.
But II one had any lingering doubts
about the utility II Esperanto. there were
ample demonstrations to remove them,
for here Spaniard talked 10 Frenchman
in the new tongue, when neither. perhaps,
could have understood the others native
language Englshman spoke to Chinese;
Filipino spoke to German. and not a word
OF the native languages Of each OF these
was heard. That was practical demon
stration that illustrates, perhaps. why
since Dr. Zamenhofs invention. Esper-
anto has gained such popularity.
Flags Decorate Hall.
II is the interna tionality Of the Ian
guage. not its universally, that appeals;
it is this spirit that embodies it. You note
it in the decorations Of the hall where
the congress meets. The main decoration
is the Esperanto flag, green and white
and bearing a single star But all about
the hall the American flag is draped and
festooned, and there too, in small groups
are the flags Of all nations. bright with
color and significant OF the international
field that is covered by the congress
Following the adjournment Of the con-
gress last night, the delegates were photo
graphed in front Of the Treasury Build
ing Afterward they went down the Po-