Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1928-08-09
Group Was Factor i'm Gaining
Bohemian Independence; 9
Units in County.

What was acclaimed to have been
one of the outstanding gatherings of
the season, was the annual program
and picnic of the SOkol Society, held
last Sunday at the camp on Cross
Lake, near Pine City, where the So
ciety maintains an exceptional place
for recreation for both young and old.
There was large number of per-
sons in attendance, who were as one
in voicing their appreciation of the
fine entertainment program conducted.
This. included dances. drills, music,
talks, and in fact virtually every
thing that goes to make up a real,
midsummer outing.
Some of the features of the pro-
gram included dance by Pine City
women, drills by the children from
Minneapolis, st. Paul, and other
points from over the state who have
been outing at the camp.
Two in County.
There are two chapters of the Sokol
Society in Pine county, one at Pine
City and the other at Denham.
The Sokol. Society was the organi-
cation in Bohemia which had strong
nationalistic spirit and always .aspired
for a free Bohemian nation. Their
program for years, has been to build
a strong body and mind for its men,
bers. thus assuring virile organiza-
ton.
The World war gave these people
their opportunity. They threw their
forces in with the Allies against their
oppressors. the Austria-Hungary En-
pire. and at the peace tables after
the war, were granted their independ
ence as free nation.
Leader Developed.
Out of this, great leader arose; a
man who took an active part at the
peace tables in Paris, and who nearly
always is referred to as ''the George
Washington of the Czecho-Slovakian
nation" G. Masaryk-the 7S-
year-old president of this new repub-
lie.
Some of the achievements of this
great leader, were recOunted in
recent Sunday edition of the St. Paul
Pioneer Press, through an Associated
Press report.
The article said, in part:
From a poor coachman's son to the
presidency of the most virile repub-
lie in Europe, is the record of achieve
ment of Thomas Garrique Masaryk,
called the George Washington of
Czecho-Slovakia.' Author, professor,
philosopher, psychologist, historian,
statesman. he is one of the most re-
markable figures produced by the
World war.
Very Active.
"Although Professor Masaryk has
just celebrated his seventy eighth
birthday and soon will observe his
tenth anniversary of his presidency of
the Czecho-Slovak republic, he is
more active and energetic than man
of 40. Every day for the last 20
years. rain or shine, he has taken
two-hour gallop through the country
side on horseback.
1.-THE American Civil war had not
yet ended when Masaryk, as a boy,
was earning so cents a week as
locksmith's apprentice in Vienna. To-
day he is chief executive of 14,5OO.-
900 people, receives a salary in ex-
cess of that of the President of the
United States, and is known round the
world, but with all his fame and
achievement, he remains the modest
professor of Slavonic studies that he
was in a London university Is years
ago.
Credits His Wife.
Professor Masaryk attributes a
influence of an American woman, his
wife, Charlotte Garrique of Brooklyn,
daughter of the president of the Ger
mania Insurance company, whom he
first met in Leipsic many years ago
while she was studying music in that
city with the great composer List.
For so years their union was of the
happiest kind, terminated only by his
wife's. death in 1923.
CAS- an indication of his devotion
to his wife and his ideas on equality
of the sexes, Professor Masaryk took
his wife's maiden name, Garrique, as
his middle name. Each of his chill
dren also bears that name. One of
the Presidents sons, Jan Masaryk,
now Czecho-Slovak minister to Great
Britain, married Miss Frances Crane,
daughter of Charles r. Crane of Chi