Evening star., 1943-04-04
DR.. Hurban Feted
On His Birthday
Anniversary
Surprise Party
Given Last Night
For Diplomat
Continued From Page D-1.)
Continued From Page D-1.)

group.
Because Of his newspaper writ
ings and his translation of the
works Of the Norwegian Bjorn-
son the Hungarian police began
their persecution Of him through
arrests and prison sentences. And
on account Of this and his in
ability to speak his mind he went
TO Russia, where he entered the
service Of the Russian general
sta6. Here he conducted special
courses for officers in preparation
for the war with Austro- Hungary
and the eventual deliverance of his
people from Austro- o-Hungarian rule.
When the war began he volunteered
IA the Russian Army and when
O1echosaovak units In the Russian
Army were organized under the
leadership Of Thomas Garrigue
Masaryk, DR.. Huban was elected a
member of the Czechoslovak Ma
honal Council, which later served as
the provisional government.
After the heroic march Of the
C7echoslovak legions through ST.
IBERIA, which Is one of the outstand-
ing events OF the Great War, DR..
Hurban, then colonel, came to this
country as military aide to Presi-
dent Masaryk and after recognition
Of the new republic by this Govern
ment, Col. Hurban became Military
Attache Of the Legation. It was at
this time that President Masaryk's
son, Mr.. Jan Masaryk, was his gov
ernments first diplomatic represent
ative at Washington. Mr.. Jan
Masaryk now is Foreign Minister of
the Czechoslovak government in
London.
During this. his first visit to this
country, DR.. Hurban met Miss Olga
Boor, daughter of the late Rev. DR..
Peter Boor, minister of the
Lutheran Church in Pennsylvania,
and later they were married. Nine.
Hurban's mother Mrs. Bozene Boor,
now lives in New York but is fire.
quent visitor in Washington.
The Minister entered his countrys
foreign service in 1923 when his first
post was in Cairo, Egypt, as Charge
d'Affaires. In 1890 he was appointed
Minister to Sweden and from that
post he was sent to Washington. In
refusing to surrender the Legation
to the Germans DR.. Hurban felt he
could maintain his diplomatic mis-
sion here and In that way inspire
and keep alive the Czechoslovak in
dependence movement Following
his refusal to leave the Legation this
independence movement gained i'm
petus and Immediately and spon-
taneously sprang up in various parts
Of the world
DR.. Hurban also realized that DR..
Eduard Benes, then residing in this
country. was the only Czechoslovak
statesman who could take the helm
Of the Czechoslovak ship Of inde-
pendence and after standing his
ground and keeping the Legation in
his own hands he visited DR.. Benes
m Chicago. They, with leading rep
resentatives OF the Czechoslovak Ma
donal Council Of America, a fed
Grated body uniting various organ
tzations Of Americans Of Czecho-
slovak descent. and other leaders of
that republic made plans for strug-
gle against Nazi Germany. The
Minister has signed for his govern
ment the declaration of the United
Nations, January /, 1912. and the
lease-lend agreement between his
government and that of the United
States on July II, 1912.
The Minister and Nine. Hurban
are among the most popular and
admired Of the diplomats at this
post, those they have come in con-
tact with having a deep affection
for them and their sincerity and
charm. Rumor has it that DR..
Hurban shortly will join the group
of Ambassadors at this Capital,
well earned promotion and one
which will be very welcome in WASH
ngton.
President Benes is expected to
come to this country about the mid
die OF next month for brief visit,
the day not yet set, and before he
leaves he probably will make DR..
Hurban his personal representative
here, elevating the Legation to an
Embassy.