Evening star., 1926-11-28
HBAN H|NDERS
VILLAGE INDUSTRY
CzechosIovakian People Hit
When Turkey Turns to
New Headgear.

When news reached the world that
Turkey had abolished the fez 1t created
mild interest
That is, the interest was mild in
nearly all the world except in a little
Czechosloyakian village in the BONNER
Wald where It stirred up amazement
instead. Now the people of StrakonitZ
have protested against Turkeys aban-
donnent of its traditional headgear
because it cripples their industry Of
supplying feZZes to Turkey.
THE predicament of StrakonitZ Cthe
Czechs spell it Strakonice) affords q
telling cross-section Of Czechoslovakian
industry" says a bulletin from the
Natinal Geographical Society.
Long before Czechoslovakia became
an independent state 1t had the habit
of making things for other nations.
When the buying power OF Europe
shrank after the war, Czechoslovak-
ians were forced afar for markets as
they never were before. The Yankees
of Europe as they have been called,
have been doing business with the
Yankees Of America. What woman
is not familiar with Czechoslovakian
glass beads from GablonZ, with Czech
embroidery and bohemian glassware?
Name Aids GeOrgraphy.
"StrakonitZ, GablonZ, kladno, Prf-
bram, Brunn and other manufacture
ing towns are iE the western end of
the country. CZeChoSlovak1a, at first,
seemed an aWkwarGly long name but
it helps one remember the geography
of the nation. Czech is a short, COM
pact name and likewise the western,
or Czech, or Bohemian section, is as
compact as a box. Slovakia stretches
out on the tongue and geographically
tapers out along the Carpathian ridge
like a scarf trailing behind the Bo
hemian box.
THE edges Of the box are mountain
ranges and Strakonitz lies near the
south wall. Another way of giving it's
position is to say that Strakonitz lies
halfway between Ceske BudejoVice
and Plzen. A still better way is to say
that it lies halfway between Budweis
and PilSen, for the German spellingS
of those towns are far more familiar
to an American than the Czech spell.
ings.
The sorrow caused Strakonitz by
the Turkish edict against the feZ Is a
drop in the bucket beside the grief
PilSen faced because Of the United
States declaration Of prohibition.
Pilsen's municipal brewery is the larg
est in Czechoslovakia and one of the
largest in the world. Its product goes
to nearly every land. This brewery
is community project operated by a
few hundred house owners of the
town.
Industries Extensive.
while the textile industries. in.
GLIDING the hat making of the Strako-
ntZ district are extensive, even a
slight inquiry into CZechoslovakian
trade reveals that Bohemia is especial
ly dedicated to beverages. First there
Is Hama tProssnitZ) in Moravia be-
tween Bohemia and Slovakia, famous
for it's barley malt which is shipped
all over the world. Then there is
SaaZ Zatec) in the far west of Bo-
hemia famous for It's hops which are
shipped to Pilsen and to Germany
There also are the numerous brew
cries. And finally there is the ex.
tensive glass industry centered In
Gablonz ia blOnec) for fancy ware and
Tepitz (Teplice), Prague Praha), etc,
for palmer ware.
'Pilsen, StrakonitZ and Budweis are
also within the chief health springs
district of Southern Bohemia, one of
the most famous of Europe. In past
ages the country was literally sprin-
killed. with small volcanic peaks. Vol
canic activity has survived only In the
warm health springs, such as Karlovy
Vary, better known as Karlsbad, and
Mar Lame, better known as Marien-
bad" =