The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1917-07-05
AIDED BY CONFLICT
WAR HAS CAUSED THE SPREAD
OF ESPERANTO.
Instead Of InJurinu II, New Interest
Has Been Aroused In the Language
Spreading Rapidly in the
Far East

Al the outbreak OF the European
war Esperantists everywhere feared
that the struggle would have an ex-
tremely unfavorable effect upon the
progress Of the international language
Great was our establishment therefore
when 1t gradually became apparent
that just the opposite was true. re-
marks the writer of letter TO the
editor Of the New York Sun. The FIRST
important event that took place was
the ofnciaI recognition that Esperanto.
received from the government Of Ger
many, which published an Esperanto
translation Of the original documents
relating to the war and caused 1t to
be widely distributed among Esperan-
lists In the neutral countries. This
WAS followed by a series Of publica-
lions In Esperanto that history will
show formed an important part Of Ger
many's campaign Of publicity Ia neu-
trial lands. A few months later the Es-
perantists In France organized a so
ciety devoted to spreading an exact
knowledge of the French "side" of the
world war.
In all Of the warning nations and in
the few countries still at peace there
has awakened a new interest in Es-
peranto. and 1t Is now being studied
by many who were not even aware Of
Its existence a few years ago. This
Is particularly true Of the soldiers OF
all the countries at war, prisoners OF
war and those interned In neutral
Harderwyk, Holland. for instance,
where there are several thousand Bel
CLANS and French soldiers, hundreds
have already begun to learn Esperanto,
and this Is also true of another impor-
tant camp at Zeist. where Esperanto
Is said to be spreading like wildfire."
But the most interesting reports Of
our progress come from the far East.
There is now a large and fourishing
society in China that has made thou
sands of converts" to Esperanto; and
Japan is much better represented than
in former years. This is remarkable
in view of the dissimilarity between
Esperanto and the language of the
Orient. | translate a paragraph from I
a letter 1 received some time ago from I
a friend in that quarter Of the globe, /
Mai. r. L. Bush. who is stationed at 4
Manila. Major Bush writes: Last /
May and June l travelled through (
Japan and saw many beautiful places 1
and beheld many wonderful scenes; il /
is a beautiful and interesting country.
In Tokyo l met many fellow Esperan-
fists, who were very hOspitable and
who did everything they could TO make
my visit happy one. They guided
me and treated me as a guest and l
made some very good friends" Major
Bush now goes on to say that the jap
anese Esperantists honored him high
II as an American soldier, and that in
of this at a meeting Of the
Japanese Esperanto association he
vas presented with an ancient Japan
,se sword. He continues: Esperanto
vas a great help to me in Tokyo; II
gained me friends, through whose
zindness | was enabled to see much
more than could possibly have seen
" myself. I have always believed in
he practical utility OF the language.
md I am now certain of It."
A language whose advocates are as
as the Esperantists must .
Iecessariiy possess great commercial I
advantages Business men in Ger
many, France Russia and England Z.
re now making active use Of 1t. and
I'LL increasingly continue TO do so.
significant indication of the tendency
( the times is afforded by the recent
ecision of the common council. Guild ]
all, London. that whereas, England
nd her allies are preparing to act in
oncert In relation TO future CONNER
IaI affairs, 1t Is highly desirable that e
ne language be accepted as CONNER
al language. to be taught in all c
.hools." And the resolution, which /
have freely translated from an Esper-
nto version, goes on to recommend S
" consideration the languages of the |,
lies, English. French and Russian
nd Esperanto.