YoungstownskeÌ SlovenskeÌ noviny = Youngstown Slovak news. (Youngstown, Ohio) 1910-1940, 1933-09-08
ADDRESS DELIVERED BY JOHN A WIILO
at Youngstown Ohio, on August 23rd, 1888, at the
Session Of the Twelfth Convention Of the Slovak
Catholic Students Fraternity, on
THE sLOvAKs OF YESTERDAY, TODAY AND
TOMORROW.


And today the revival Of the slovas after the many
torpor the Of their independence and
sequent domination and oppression has given birth to liter
ary activity which is yielding rich fruit illustration
have the masterul and classical writings in the periodical
entitled Kutura". Eloquent testimony is also given the
intellectual life the Sovaks by writings Milo
Urban of whose novels Zy Bc has been translated
into practically every modern European language; and
must not forget Hronsky the novelist and Krcery the
historian and poet and Razus the poet and outstanding
patriot of the day.
Incidentally, of the foremost names in Czech liter
aure art and and science those Of writer's artists
composers and scientists who Slovak by birth
example, have Masaryk the first president of
public of Czecho-Sovaia
Possessing all the innate Slavic love Of melody, the
Slovaks naturally have keeny developed musical sense
That accounts for the rich teasurehouse of lyrics
songs which they have in their tongue It is said
that Lszt and Brahm drew their inspirations world
renowned Hungarian Rhapsodies" and the Hungarian
Dances largely from Slovak music.
Coming the Sovak language, it be fairly said
that it is the central is the pures of all av tongues
only had such gift of words would adequately
the Sovak youth of the full worth and
value of learning well it's golden mother tongue
The Slavic languages all closely related that
person really educated fully in of the
carry conversation with peasant professor,
who speaks another The saying "learn well Slavic
language and you learn them a be it Bulgarian Croat
or Czech Polish Serbian, slovak slovene Rus
san Ukrainian
Bear mind that presently Slavic languages the
mouthpiece of than hundred sixty millions
progressive people in the world Aside from the language
America what other language extensively used in the
world of today the Slavic tongues?
And now word or two about the permanent and sub
stanal contributions of the Slovaks the
nent.
During the several decades preceding the World War,
those sterling Sovak immigrants who desired escape the
Magyar yoke migrated by the hundreds of thousands
glorious America, where the political atmosphere pu-
fled by the bree7es of liberty and where there nsu
tons which encouraged every man. who had industry
ability to rise from the humblest to the highest position
Though poor in the goods of this world they rich
in the graces of heaven They struggled hard amid oppos
ton and prejudice to raise high the standard of their holy
faith They willingly made offerings from their meager
earned by the sweat of their brow they
build in the communities where they settled temples worthy
of the true the word of God would preached
in their mother tongue and that they might also build
schools wherein Christian education would be impaired
their youth and also the hghborn Slovak traditions which
they immigrants had borne with them as their most
precious inheritance from their olden homes
Today the whole of agricultural and industrial America
studded with the seepes of hundreds upon hundreds
such monumental Houses of God and with the befys
hundreds of such model schoolhouses thanks Sovak
generosity thanks to Sovak sacrifice thanks Sovak
| tonalism, thanks to Slovak Cathoicity.
And what of the ratena societies founded by those
early sterling Sovak immigrants developed by Sovak
brethren such The First Catholic Slovak Mems Union
The First Catholic Slovak Womens Union and The National
Sovak Society," and the Zvena and the Sokol
others? These societies did yeoan service protecting
and nsung the health and the lives members cheap
y but safely by filling their members with the knowledge
and love Of the traditions of the Sovak people and by
canizng their members and making of them model citizens
| of the beloved land of their adoption
Today, with membership mounting into the hundreds
of thousands with assets mounting into the millions these
societies leaders in point of memberhip stability and