The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-01-12
Frederick Haskin's Letter
Universal Language.

eral signposts in one ssnsar-,
point out the same NEARING No..
conversation far less exsetine
Because of the controversial 49,
Esperanto and similar fnys~ts,ss'
they have never achieved "a -
spread use that their afFo--.5-
hoped for. Indications mir, -.
to English as the popular Uas -
of intercourse between os,s91 ,,-'- I.
hcially and in trade as well "
Once, German. French ana T..
iIsh were the three contestants y
international recognition w .9'
German has lost much of lis nv ,oo'
larity with other countries ~
The advance of French bssA
restricted because Frenrb ven
had to share with the Spaniel -a IS
popularity among foreigners ~ M u
students, able to take onfy ona I'- I.
the two languages. have cbo.'gY,
Spanish because of It's nr5S;-,st
Importance. So far as comnfnr,.'
ton in South America is con- ,,---'
ed Spanish is important ~ I'm, u
leans are said to have cause5 :.
sentiment i'll some cases h..
they came to sell goods in So
American countries and eyno,t.l
everyone to talk English with r.
Spanish is not making rand ~
gress, however, as an intprnsts5r.-
language.
The Spread Of English.
English is making Drogres.
There are more than $50 .a09 o6G v.
tive English speaking peonla ~
day. About 12O,000.OOO SNEAK a..
man, and then come Russian anI
French with 90,000,00O and So ma
coo spectively.
Not only is English spokan ros-
larry by more people than any ma
er tongue, but it is also W;ieia
spoken as a secondary Ianrpsp,
The Americans and English are To
specialists in languages. The mai
portion OF English people who mas|
ter any language other than Their.
own is small. The counIars-.
American refuses to spend time n.
languages, figuring that the fo-.
eignerS will learn English.
Because the English-speakir,I
countries are so important We han.
been able generally to get AVA
with it." English has become Al
most a necessity to the foreig1s,
Whether he is interested in foreign
trade. or lives in a little villagI
through which tourists pass. isI
finds a smattering of English neca;.
sary.
AS an internationally used Ian,
guage. English has the advantag.
of being derived from both Teutor.
ic and Romance languages. Thus
it has many words familiar bI
people speaking both types of Ian
guage. and it is more acceptable
to both than a language entireyI
diss:milar to their own would be
Because of the widespread ussI
of English, one of the other use;I
of an artificial international Ian.
guage is disappearing tt has bes-
claimed that an artificial lauguag
made travel easier. The America
finds that almost anyone who you'll
take the trouble to learn Esperanto
enough English to sup-l
ply his wants.
There remains another fell
where Esperanto is advocated This
is for trade and for commune
ton by airplane and radio. Here
if anywhere. a common Language
that can be quickly mastered
would be of service. A better mean
of communication between air
planes crossing Europe is said To-
be especially needed. Perhaps hers
is an opening wedge for Esperanto
or some other international Ian
guagc.
There has been much enthusiast
professed for Esperanto in partic1'
lar. Esperanto societies still funt
ton. Steps have I'm several ID.
stances been taken TO put the lar
guage into practical use on an o..
fetal basis. Peace advocates a.
one international convention Of
fcially adopted Esperanto as on
Of the languages for their meeting
But there. somehow the prolac
sticks. With all the interest arous
ed. neCpIe go on using the old Ian
guages. An experiment with g.
peranto for airElane c0mmunica
ton would be interesting and miga-
prove OF practical value