The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1911-09-14
sent to Hungary through hanks


One result Of this influx of money
from America has been that the peas
ant has been able to crafty his pas
| sion to obtain for himself a little Arp
, or land or increase the size Of the
farm he already posses. III fact in
| certain places, mentioned by Miss
Balch in her book Our Slavic Fellow
Citizens, the demand for land has
been so great that it has increased in
: value between five and six hundred
per cent. Charities Publication Com
mittce, 1910.
IN one year, 1903, according to Miss
| Balch. 4317 emigrants from one
, county IL Crctia sent home $500, $50
which is an average of not quite $3.50
! per immigrant. With this money
4,11G homes were bettered, by paving
, debts, buying more land, or making
improvements.
These facts, give, however, but a
small indication of the influence
| which emigration has had, directly
| and Indirectly, upon the conditions of
| life among the masses of the people in
Hungary and other portions of South.
eastern Europe. For one thing, in
arousing the hopes, ambitions and dis
| content Of the so-called "inferior" peo-
pie it has added fuel TO the racial con-
| f1icts Of the kingdom.
| The Slovak Or Cretian who comes
to America does not at once lose his
| interest in the political and vaial
struggles Of his native land. On tlW
contrary, in America, where he has
/ opportunity to read newspapers print
ed in his own language, and to freely
discuss racial politics in the societies
. and clubs which have been formed by
the different natiOnalities in many
parts Of the United States, the average
Slovak or Cretian in America is like
f ly TO take a more intelligent interest
in the struggle for national existence
| Of his own people than he took at
home
In the case Of members of some Of
the minor Mationalities it has hap
pened that, owing to the PERSIST ence
with which the Hungarian govern
ment had discouraged their efforts tG
teach their own language it is MOI
| until they have reached America that
they have had opportunity 10 read
their mother-tongue
| Some indication Of the interest
| which the different cmigrant people
| take in the struggles Of the member
Of their own race, in their native land
is given by the work which several Of
these nationalist societies are doing in
America. The National SIavonic So
ciety organizes political meetings.
raises funds for Slovak political prs
oners in Hungary and scatters SlovaE
literature for the purpose of arousing
sympathy and interest in the SlovaF
cause.
In his book, "Racia Problems in
Flneary", Seten-WatsOn, who has
made a special study Of the condition
Of the Slovaks, says:
THE returned Slovak emigrants,
who have saved money in the United
States, are steadily acquiring a small
holdings in Hungary, and helping to
propagate ideas Of freedom and nation
allty among their neighbOrS. They
speedily learn to profit1by the free in
situations Of their adopted country,
and today 100000 Slovaks Of America
possess a national culture and organ
| hi,h
trast to the cramped development of
their kinSmen in hungary. There are
more Slovak newspapers IN America
than in Hungary; but the Magyars
ing to deliver these American journals
through the Hungarian po3toffice.
Everywhere among the emigrants
leagues, societies and clubs flourish
Hnhisturbcd; these societies do all in
their power to awaken Slovak scnti-
mont, and contribute materially to the
support Of the- Sloyak press in Hun
gary. Quoted from Miss Balch, Our
Slavic Fellow Citizens", y. 116.
! Scton-WatGOn adds that thc indie
I pcndcnCC and confidence Of the return
OF omigrants is in striking contrast.
with the pessimism and pdssivity Of
the elder generation" 1t is for tbs
reason, perhaps that the Magyars.
who represent the "supcror race" in
Hungary say that "Amcrica has spoil
cd the Slovak emigrant."
In travelling across Hungary from
flume to BUDAPEST. and thence TO
CracoW, Poland, | passed succcssivcly
through regions and districts inhabit.
ed by many different racial types. bui
think ! gained more vivid notion