Evening star., 1923-06-03
Dr.. and Nine. Kuraz
Enjoy Long Tenure
In Diplomatic Post
Czechoslovak Attache Has
Been Three Years Here on
Special Mission - Both
Have NJ any Va lu e d
Friends.

The republic of eastern Europe
known as Czechoslovakia opened dip
lomatic relations with the United
States in December, 1919. by sending
Mr.. Jan Masaryk, son of the patriot
president, who still guides the ship
of state. Mr.. Masaryk was soon
Joined by a special mission dispatched
to study commercial. industrial and
agricultural conditions and among
these attaches was DR.. Rudolph
kuraz, accompanied by his wife. They
were with the first envoy and they
remain to welcome the third, DR..
Frantisek Chavalkovsky. DIR. and
Nine Kuraz count three full years
of residence in Washington and this
is an extended tenure as diplomatic
assignments now run.
Both are natives of their beautiful
capital city of Prague, which crowns
the noble hills above the Viva Va
and both are proud of its wonderful
history through 1900 years. and OF
its claim now to be one of the most
modern and progressive of urban
centers. we'll as one of the most
artistic Dr. Kuraz takes vast pride
in the fact that Bohemia is always
counted as one of the most flourish
ing agricultural countries of Europe.
When independence came with the
treaty of Versailles, it had but few
innovations to adopt from other ma
tionS, its government being free to
shape it's own course. The agricui
tural attache attended the venerable
old University of Prague. which pos
sessed the four faculties and sent
its students throughout the known
world a century and a half before
Columbus made his momentous dis
covery.
But in the opening years of the
present century Bohemia, thoroughly
alive to changing standards in the
business and educational world,
founded a university of agriculture
in the suburb of Prague known as
Breno. and the most improved and
practical of methods have been taught
10 those who. having taken regular
college course, desire to specialize in
scientific agriculture. DR.. Kuraz was
among the earliest students, and SO
favorably did he impress his teachers
that on taking his degree he was
transferred at once to the agricul-
tural department of the dual empire
located in Vienna.
Previous to this transfer the young
student had married Miss Paula
Scheiner. and after a brief honeymoon
he took his bride to Vienna. where
they remained until after the stirring
events of 1916 which saw the dawn
of Czechoslovakian independence. The
two little girls. Eva and Dagmar. who
are seven and eight. respectively.
were born in the Austrian capital, and,
despite the years of grievance which
Bohemia and her sister states hold
against the dual empire, DR.. and Nine.
kuraz cherish many happy memories
of their life there. But with the other
patriots who gathered from the four
quarters of the globe Dr. Kuraz left
the Austrian service and threw him
self into the struggle for complete
isolation from either Austria or Hun
gary. and he was among those who
aided in the organization of a de-
partment of agriculture when the old
Bohemian flag, reinforced by the
standards Of the Slovaks and the
Moravtans, waved from the heights
of the Hradischin, the stronghold Of
the olden kings and one of the grand
est buildings in the world. From
Prague, in May, 1920, DR.. Kuraz and
his family came to Washington, and
they have settled cozily into their
own niche here and have many valued
friends.
Nine. Kuraz was also a student of
the old University of Prague. but she
married young. She seems almost a
girl yet and wears her splendid dark
brown hair in braids clasped around
her head in a most becoming way and
not often seen in this country, and
she loves a frolic as much as her
small daughters. DIR. Kuraz has es-
tablished home right on the edge of
Rock Creek Park and every fine holi-
day Is passde in picnicking, and Sun
day tea in the woods is a regular
routine when the chill passes off the
air.
AS among the seniors in point of
service at the Czechoslovakian lega-
tion, DR.. kuraz and his wife will be
associated with the present charge
d'affaires, DR.. Alois StangIer, in well
coming the new minister, who came
TO Washington only few days ago.
DR.. Chavalkovsky has been minister
in Japan for nearly three years. He is
married. but his wife did not accom-
gether probable she will join him
here. But the legation was rented by
Mr.. Masaryk for only three years. and
the term ts about to expire.
The purchase of a permanent lega-
tion will be discussed before any
steps are taken to release the present
building or to select another So there
are many points to decide before
Nine. Chavalkovsky will close her
own home in Prague. The new minis
ter is a lawyer by profession, Is
Czech and was q patriot of the war
The republic is training it's own diplo-
mats in the foreign office and In a
special school. But meantime only
native-born patriotic Bohemians, Slo-
vaks or Moravians of accepted ability
and experience in different lines are
permitted to enter the service. In
former days no Bohemian or native
of her sister states was ever allowed
by the Austrian government to be
diplomats. This was privilege re-
served exclusively for Austrians and
Hungarians. Now, by the same rule,
those GsSnans and Maygars who still
reside on Czechoslovakian soil are
barred out,
CAI