ESPERANTO NOTES

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8367, 1 March 1913, Page 15

ESPERANTO NOTES

A very vigorous propaganda has been ‘carried on during the autumn. and my ter in Germany for the spreading of the Esperanto movement. A great number lof lectures on Esperanto have been given in all parts of the countiy, a notable feature being the successful results which have been obtained in trade Unions, sports clubs, and religions circles. The Esperantist workmen's organisations have also been active, and special courses of instruction in the language for working men are .now being conducted. The Saxon Thuringian Esperanto League organised League Festivals in September of last year in Halle, and in October in Weimar; the Wurtemherg League was founded at a wellattended meeting at Esslingeu on October 6th. In the latter town there is heing founded an Esperanto Institute on the model of tho Saxon Esperanto Institute, which is now in receipt of a regular subsidy from the Saxon Government. At the latter institute a display was given by German, boys and girls from the public elementary school in Dohlen, who have, been learning Esperanto, before members) of tho Saxon Parliament. Tho display roused considerable interest in the’ Lower House, at a meeting of which two, members of Parliament, Messrs Steche) and Reutsch, spoke in favour of the introduction of Esperanto into the Saxon ■elementary schools. A public speech was. made on the same subject, “Esperanto and tho Schools,” by tho Rev. Loschd fWarzen), at a meeting of tho Dresden Esperanto Union. Esperanto is already) being taught at two commercial schools in Bremen, also in three grammar schools in Augsburg; and Esperanto has lately been added to tho curriculum at the “Reform School,” Hemsbach, in Baden. In Saxony tho teachers favourable to EsJ peranto have combined to form an “Bef peranto Association of Saxon Teachers, j which now has members in nearly every part of Saxony, and tho foundation of a similar league for Thuringia is being contemplated. In many largo towns the Esperantist clubs have united in a local league; for instance, in Dresden, whera ■some thirty groups with a membership of over 1000 have combined in a "Ljgo 5 ) for tho organisation of propaganda lectures and festivals. The Universal Esperanto Association is making steady proj grass in Germany. Many now delegates have been appointed, particularly in Saxony, which in point of numbers, both of delegates and members, surpasses any other district in the world. Several important fume have joined the Uni| versal Esperanto Association, and th« steady access of firms of good repute shows that business men aro at last becoming, alive to the great commercial possibilities ■ of Esperanto.

At the weekly meeting of the London Esperanto Club on August 17th were present several Esperantists from abroad, all of them members of the Universal Esperanto Association. Bach gave testimony to the help afforded them during their travels by the U.E-A., and expressed ' their hearty thanks to its delegates for the service rendered. Among them were S-ro Verhand, an old and enthusiastic Esperantist from Belgium; S-ro Beahr, from Germany; S-ro Steininger. from Munich; S-ro Honek, from the Tyrol; S-ro Maksimoo, from the Caucasus; and Professor Woodhouse, or New Zealand. The latter gave an account ot a visit to Berlin, and related how ho had purchased there a piece of special photographic apparatus, to which was .attached a long explanation in very technical German, quite incomprehensible as far as ho was concerned. He took it to the Royal Scientific Society, and after leaving it in the possession of that body for five weeks, went back to get the translation in English, only to be informed that the German in which the instructions were, written was too much for the Royal Society too. He then decided to try tho Universal Esperanto Association Consul, who happened to be an engineer, and within a few days he had before him a clear and practical translation in Esperanto.

The eighth Esperanto Congress, held pin Cracow last August, was a moat successful gathering. Over a thousand members and delegates from twenty-three nations were present, great interest being excited by those from Japan, Mexico and Hindustan. The chief eyents of the week were the breakfast given by the Mayor and Town Councillors, Esperanto services, in the Protestant and Catholic churches and the Jewish Synagogue, the Jubilee Fete, the national costume ball, and the' wonderful representations of “Hazeppa,” a Polish tragedy, by Slowacki. played by Polish actors, who had studied Esperanto for the purpose. During the Congress, besides the ordinary meetings, there took place sectional gatherings of Esperantist doctors, chemists, journalists, lawyers, teachers. Catholics, Theosophists, Freemasons, etc., all conducted entirely in the auxiliary language. The whole town was gaily decorated in. celebration of the event, Esperanto flags flying from most of the hotels, large shops, and official buildings. Esperanto advertisements, by ail sorts of business houses, were to he seen on every hand. Every fair-sized restaurant, hotel, or shop had. its Esperanto-speaking attendants. The railway station had its stafi of Esperanto officials, and a special Esperanto Post Office was arranged by the autfiorities, a convenience highly appreciated by the ‘ samideanojlndeed, the municipality did everything possible to make the visitors welcome, and not only granted a handsome subsidy to help cover the expense of organising tho Congress, but allowed the congrossista free use of the municipal trams throughout the week. Altogether, the festival was a most brilliant manifestation of the vitality of. the movement.

An enthusiastic reader of "The British Esperantist, now serving with tho 2nd invasion of the Home Fleet, informed that journal of the interesting news that twelve out of fourteen warrant officers on board HALS. Orion are diligently learning Esperanto. Their idea was to mvito ‘ sanudeanoj ” aboard and show them the latest super-Dreadnought when they became more proficient, but it appears that with characteristic sailor-boy daring they have already invited—and reoeaved successfully—a visit from Esparantiets at Glasgow, while at anchor off Lamlash.