New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-07
BY Robert Neville
r UNCLE SAM really has nephew It Is
that new and model republic Of Czecho-

UNCLE SAM really has nephew it is
that new and model republic Of Czecho-
Slovakia. This is the opinion of his ex-
cellency tbs Hon. DR.. Pergler, Czecho-Slo-
vakian Minister to Japan, who has spent the
greater portion Of his thirty-eght years in the
United States and who last week returned for
visit to the scenes of most of his life associ-
atoms.
Born near Pilsen, Mr.. Pergler came to this
country with his parents at the age Of eight
and attended Chicago pubic schools till he was
sixteen, when he returned to Prague. There
he organized the retail clerks union, and at
the age Of nineteen represented that body in
the labor council An unfortunate encounter
with staggering Austrian army officer left
the young man with his right arm almost sew
cred from his body and with his life in a most
precarious situation so long as he remained in
Austria.
Accordingly, he returned to America
where he took up the study of law at the
University of Wisconsin. When he obtained
his degree he opened an Office in Cresco, Ia,
and for number of years his life ambition
was to become an Iowa judge. That is the
position held by the father of his law part
ner, and the partner himself is now mem
Der of the Iowa Legislature.
.he war, however, robbed Iowa Of her
potential jurist. Mr.. Pergler became associ-
ated with the Czech and Slovak organizations
IN this country, whose financial, physical and
moral aid permitted their fettered country to
break its bonds and come again into its own
When DR.. Masaryk visited America, Mr. Perg-
Ter became his secretary. Then ne became
head of the commission for the National
Council Of the Czechs and Slovaks, and when
the republic came into being he headed it's
commission to this country. His appointment
to the post of Minister to Japan followed
shortly
Mr.. Perglers history is the history of many
other Czechs and Slovaks, he points out. At
least five others who hold prominent positions
In the government of their country have been
identified with America, and there are dozens
of minor officials, but of none the less poten-
tial Importance, who were reared in the
United States.
President Thomas Garrgue Masaryk, who
has incorporated with his own name that of
his wife, the former Miss Charlotte Garrigue,
or Brooklyn, has spent some four or five years
in America, and formerly lectured at the
University of Chicago. President Masaryks
daughter, Alice, is equally we'll known in this
country.
Gregory Zatkovic, governor of the autono-.
nous state of Carpatho-Russia, was formerly
Pittsburgh lawyer. Gustav Haberman, Min
lister of Education, was engaged in journalism
in Chicago for fourteen years Stephen
Osusky, Minister to France, was formerly
Chicago lawyer; and DR.. L. G. Fisher, head
of the Sanitary Division of the Ministry Of
National Defense, is former Chicago resi-
dent.
America was the fifth country to recognize
the de facto government of the Czechs and
Slovaks established in Paris in December, 1917,
but these people feel nevertheless that it was
the recognition of America and Americas
policy of. self-determnation which had much
to do with their eventual independence.
Then the American government loaned the
new nation $75,ooo,ooo, the only loan ex-
tended to them by another government, and
which permitted them to supply the three
armies which they had in the field.
America further helped the new republic in
July, 1919, when American bankers loaned
the government of that country S6,30O.0OO.
This loan, with those made by the bankers Of
other nations, permitted the country to re-