Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1918-10-02
HEADS AMERICAN
CzECHO-SLOvAKS
Attorney Charles Pergler, Of Cresro
American Delegate Czech-Sioyak
Council, Diplomatic Rep
resentative Newest
Budding Nation
HE Is ONLY 80 YEARS
OLD AND BORN in BOHEMIA
he was Admitted to the Bar and
Opened a Law Office m Cresco :
In 1913, and is Now PART
ner of Atty. C. w. Reed

ner of Atty. C. w. Reed
The following article from a Bos-
ton paper will be read with interest
by the friends of Atty. Chas. Perg-
Ter, of Cresco, law partner of ATTY.
Carl w. Reed:
The correspondents down in
Washington, and the newspapers and
magazine men who are not on various
service with the Committee on Pub
lie Information, get excited when
they talk about Charles Pergler.
They try to impress it on you that
this young country lawyer from some
place or other in Iowa, who in less
than two years has made himself
recognized as the storm center and
dynamo OF the Czecho-Slovak actiyf-
ties In the United States-who with
out previous training or experience.
finds himself the diplomatic and
financial representative here of a
budding nation of a dozen millions
lof people--who is working with all
the cool foresight of a statesman
and the shrewd practicality of trust
builder and the ardor of a prophet
to erect in Central Europe non-Teu-
tonic State which shall end forever
the dreams of dominance of Junkers
and Hohenzollerns and Hasburgs-
and all this after finding himself.
only score of years ago, the orphan
ed son Of a poor Bohemian immi-
grant in the stockyards end of Chi
cago-those correspondents, to take
another toe-hold for this sentence,
will tell you that this man is one Of
the Miracle Men Of the War.
Before they are done talking about
him you will get excited yourself.
Charles Pergler. recently appoint
ed delegate for the United States and
Canada of the Czecho-Slovak Nation
al Council-the distinguished body
recognized by the British and French
Governments as the official represen-
tative of the future Bohemian Gov
ernment-is little more. than 36
years old. He was born in Bohemia.
and when he was eight his parents
emigrated to the United States.
The father was working man in
very moderate circumstances, and the
boy got his education in the public.
schools of Chicago.
In them, and at home. There were
Czech books in the house, and while
in school the boy was absorbing the
speech and history and ideals Of his ,
adopted country, at home he learned
the written word and tragic story OF
his homeland and his race.
At 13 he was graduated from the
public schools, and that very year
his father died and his allotment Of
educational opportunities seemed to
have been used up. He had to 60 to
work.
He found employment in drug
store, and worked there two years.
Then the 15ryear-old- head of the
family took his mother and went
back to Bohemia. IA,
"One day when had reached my
early twenties," he says, II took a
step so radical that 1 doubt IL ever
would have courage to take. another
equal to it. was very young then"
Pergler was sitting in the Prague
office of that firm, busy with his pen.
All at once he laid the pen down.
I'm through" he told his neigh
Dor. I've always wanted to go
back to the United. States and study
law. Now. I'm going" "When?" his
conrad asked. Right away" said
Pergler.
AT 20 Charles Pergler found him
self in Chicago once more, law stu
dent and editor of small Czech
weekly. And three years later, In
l9US, came the sufficient reward for
all the work and struggles. He was
admitted to the bar, and opened his
Office in Cresco, Howard County Iowa.
II shall never be sorry" he says,
that l went where did. For one
thing, the life of lawyer in small
Middle-Western town is the best of
diplomatic schools.
BY some quirk of fate, cultivat-
ed two hobbies In my outside read
ing-American history and Consti-
tutional law. My acquaintance in
those fields has been of priceless