The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-07-05
ESPERANTISTST To
HOLD CONVENTION
rs Years Since Or. zamGnhOf
Gave New Language to World.
PLANS FOR CONVENTIONS.
American and European Associations
Are to Fraternize-What the People
Are Doing With It-Translations Of
the Standard Works.

Are Doing With It-Translations Of
the Standard Works.
1t is twenty-five years since DR.. Ia
menhof gave Esperanto to the world.
Esperantists are going to celebrate the
anniversary by special conventions.
They are also looking around to see
what progress the language has made.
In January, 1908, there were 1853 Es-
peranto societies throughout the world;
in May, 1910, more than LOO. The
number is understood TO have increas-
ed since then. More than 100 maga-
zines are printed in Esperanto. A
book department in Amerika Esperan-
tisto, the organ of the Esperanto AS
sociation of North America, lists elev-
en- textbooks, six dictionaries and un-
der General Literature" 10S titles.
The book titles generally look familiar,
as, for instance, "Alicio en- Mrlando"
(CarrolD; "Dr. Jekyll kaj Sro. Hyde"
(Stevenson) and "Hamlcto, Regido de
Danujos (Shakespeare). Books in Es-
peranto are found in leading libraries.
This will be summer of Esperanto
conventions. The American associa-
tion has accepted an invitation of the
New England Esperanto association
and the Boston Esperanto society to
hold it's convention in Boston in July.
Those in attendance at the meeting
who are able to do so will sail from
Charlestown on July 13, bound for the
eighth international Esperanto con-
gress at Cracow, Poland. The timer
ary of this personally conducted party,
called the Nordamerlka Karavano, will
include the Azores and the Mediter-
ranean ports and thence extend across
Austria. 1t will have experienced con-
ductors. "who, being Esperantists,
will be able to arrange with local
'samideanoj' to show the members Of
the party more intimately interesting
things and far more expeditiously than
is possible for the ordinary tourist con-
ductor."
Its Profitable Uses.
Just what are people doing with this
language? This question Is answered
dent Of the Boston society has col
lected through reply postcards. Prof
table uses of Esperanto in various
parts of Europe" are asserted. A Rot
terdam correspondent, for example,
writes:
1--WE have found Esperanto really
profitable. Many Esperantists come
20 o,,I Il nd
work by means Of the international
language. When need addresses in a
foreign land for a commercial article
I'm able to write for them in Esperan-
to and get the information"
Again from Dresden, under date of
Dec. %, 1911. firm notes that through
Esperanto 1t has secured representa-
tives IN several foreign countries and
that through an Esperanto prospectus
which was sent to all parts Of the civ
ilized world orders are beginning to
come in.
Another Dresden house in replying
incloses an Esperanto circular covering
the subject Of carbonic acid baths.
These circulars, it Is stated, have fire.
quently been called for by foreigners.
A Viennese concern asserts that it
has found Esperanto valuable in its
international commercial relations
Through 1t agents have been discov-
cred in Silesia, Bulgaria and other
countries with whose people it had
been previously difficult to correspond.
"The profit we have made is yet small,
but worth WHILE" says the firm.
OF International Value.
At St Hilaire, France, is a CORE
spondent who writes: "Our Esperanto
circular has enabled US to acquire rep
resentatyes In Il foreign country and
because of this we have made several
sales, though not important ones. We
are convinced, nevertheless, that Es-
peranto can do a great service to busi-
ness If it should he more generally
used"
An enthusiast at Letchworth, Eng
land, says that according TO his exIeri.
ence Esperanto Is profitable for mer-
chants. particularly for those engaged
in the manufacture Of articles that Es-
perantists use. In response 10 a cir
cular he received orders from Japan
and South America.
Some European cities issue guide
leaflets in Esperanto, giving informa-
tion about hotels, carriage prices, the
names and addresses of societies, clubs
and Libraries, Of public stenographers
and manicures and matters of value
to the visitor A London tourist agen-
cy sends out Esperanto circulars.
At Seville, Spain, Esperanto is taught
in four schools. At Charleroix, Bel
GUM, new course last winter had
an enrolment of more than $50 stu
dents. Several firms are protecting
members" in the Esperanto society
which is behind the instruction. Ant
werp records upward of $50 students
enrolled in several classes, and the
archbishop of Mechlin has blessed the
educational work undertaken by the
International Catholic Esperantist un-