Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-07-14
Geographic News
Bulletins by the
National Geographic Society
THE SOKOL

than a carnival or a convention,
says a bulletin from the Washing
ton, d. c., headquarters of the Ma
tional Society
The Sokol is the gesture of Czech
nationality and now has become a
symbol of freedom. The historic i'm =
port of the Sokol. and a vivid de-
scription of this event in Prague. is
contained in the following bulletin:
, 1.-TWO generations ago, national
spirit in Bohemia was almost dead.
although in America the emancipa-
ton of the slaves was a burning is
sue and in Russia the Serf was being
freed from age-old bonds. Then
the subject nationalities in Austria
reused themselves once more against
| oppression they had almost come to
love.
Forged Forces of Freedom
THE occasion produced the men.
| Tyrs and Fugner 500 found them
selves at the head of a large and
growing organization which through
| fostering the physical and spiritual
| forces that make for manliness, sim
u~ltaneously forged the national
forces that make for freedom. Dis
cipline was established without de-
stroying individual courage or init
iative.
Two years before the war, at the
| sixth congress-, many a spectator
saw the makings of a mighty army
that would one day rise in wrath
against the Hapsburg power. Sens
ing their danger in the hiss of drill
| ing feet, the Austrians tried to limit
the growth of this well-knit group
of manly men and spirited women.
But all their efforts were in vain.
The inspiration that was to bring
forth from the malarial regions of
Turkestan and from the prison
camps Of Russia volunteer legions
bearing the banner of Bohemia and
start them on their matchless trek
from war to war around the world,
was already planted in a hundred
thousand hearts. All this was sug-
gested in the wonderful pageant
which was the most moving spec
| tacle of the Seventh Sokol Slet.
A Panorama in Prague
"All the afternoon. heavy show
ers have fallen, without dampening
| the ardour of the close packed
crowd surrounding a stadium in
| which an army corps might drill.
To our right, President Masaryk and
| his friends occupy the place of hon
or. Beyond, with the sharp spires
of st. Vitus piercing heavy clouds
through which the setting sun occa-
sionally shows it's face, is the long
line of the Hradcany, in which this
modest professor occupies rooms
| where monarchs lived before and al
| ter the fall Of Bohemia.
Across from us, in the middle of
the other long side of the %rectangu-
lar Sletiste, is the band shell. Flank
| ing this, long grand stands massed
,y;+b naonlo h,,t CO distant that their
| individual forms cannot be seen.
| Distance has likewise softened the
brilliant colors of the gaily dressed
| throng so hat all the scarlet of the
| Garibaldi shirts is necessary to make
the massed slope of humanity re-
semble a hillside blazing with the
glow Of close-massed peoples.
SLOWLY and majestically. a single
figure in flowing white enters the
arena and the music, which has
hitherto been softly played, o
rises with a slightly more insisten'
note. This queenly form is Patria
the spirit of nationalism.
Mighty Men Are They
"She is soon joined by a group O.
maidens also clad in white who be
seech her to kindle into life the EN-
beers of patriotism which have al
most ceased to glow. She consents
and from the entrance at the lei
there enter the builders of the state
sturdy men, stripped to the walsl
and bearing with them the broae
foundations from which the freedom
of a nation is to rise.
"As they work at their task, theil
movements. seen from a distance
seem Iazy and slow. But closer III
spection reveals the logged forc'
with which they toll and one real
ICES that laying the foundations O
statehood is not a holiday adventure
lightly to be done. The musica
background is one of the measured
slowness, almost a dead march. But
gradually the foundations assume
shape and from the side entrance q
group of gaily dressed people comes
in bearing a banner on which a lou
ble-tailed lion Is seen. These arr
the peasants of Bohemia, ready tt
keep alive the half-forgotten IAN
guage of their race.
Then follow Silesia and Moravia
with their respective banners, anc
tumultuous applause sweeps the sta
dunn at Slovakia, freed from Mag
var domination, joins her sister
groups.
Group of Airy Dancers
"Then there enters a group OF airy
dancers, led by a young woman Whe
is the embodiment of life and grace
Bare of leg and dressed n bright
red skirts and snow white waists
these charming spirits of a promised
statehood weave in and out among
the different groups, dancing lightly
to strains of music in which are al
ready family suggested the melo'
-. latham, of tho gallant CZpchS
and the warlike hymn of the peace
loving Slovaks.
.'Tr,, form of Liberty Is slowly
taking shape and as a note of great
or Joy sounds in the music, the oil
ferent national groups start to dane
ing. ,,d
and colorful a scene. The dark tones
of Bohemia, lightened by scarie'
hose, the bright rich reds or MO-
ravia, the gold-trimmed blues or 81
iesia and the yellow of Slovakia are
only prevailing hues of masses In
which every tint of the rainbow and
some too bright for any heavenly
scene are combined in gladstone
groups that radiate good will and
jollity. $500
But this gay spirit, light as an
A~nitra's mood lis 500 cut short by
marital strains as the Sokols, packed
in solid ranks. enter the arena. The
dancing spirites, at rest, have
woven their white and scarlet line
back and forth among the several
groups without uniting them pu'
with the coming of the SoKols
there is evidence that the national
groups will blend into n imposing
whole.
"Once more the whitehead forms