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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/16432-8.txt b/16432-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4b4624a --- /dev/null +++ b/16432-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1655 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Esperanto: Hearings before the Committee on +Education, by Richard Bartholdt and A. Christen + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Esperanto: Hearings before the Committee on Education + +Author: Richard Bartholdt and A. Christen + +Release Date: August 4, 2005 [EBook #16432] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ESPERANTO: HEARINGS BEFORE *** + + + + +Produced by David Starner, William Patterson and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + +======================================================================== + +TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE: + +The Esperanto alphabet contains 28 characters. These are the +characters of English, but with "q", "w", "x", and "y" removed, and +six diacritical letters added. The diacritical letters are "c", +"g", "h", "j" and "s" with circumflexes (or "hats", as Esperantists +fondly call them), and "u" with a breve. Zamenhof himself suggested +that where the diacritical letters caused difficulty, one could +instead use "ch", "gh", "hh", "jh", "sh" and "u". A plain ASCII +file is one such place; there are no ASCII codes for Esperanto's +special letters. + +However, there are two problems with Zamenhof's "h-method". There is +no difference between "u" and "u" with a breve, and there is no way +to determine (without prior knowledge of the word(s) involved, and +sometimes a bit of context) whether an "h" following one of those other +five letters is really the second half of a diacritical pair, or just +an "h" that happened to find itself next to one of them. Consequently +other, unambiguous, methods have been used over the years. One is the +"x-method", which uses the digraphs "cx", "gx", "hx", "jx", "sx" and +"ux" to represent the special letters. There is no ambiguity because +the letter "x" is not an Esperanto letter, and each diacritical letter +has a unique transliteration. This is the method used in the ASCII +versions of this Project Gutenberg e-text. + +However, in the discussion of the name "Washington", "W" and "sh" were +indeed used in the original document. "Esparanto" and "flexbility" were +also found in the original document and retained, along with a "than" +where a "then" was probably intended. + +In addition, the 7-bit ASCII version of this book uses the German +"-e" convention to represent characters with umlauts. The 8-bit ASCII +version uses the ISO-8859-1 character set to represent these German and +Volapük characters. The HTML version uses Unicode and therefore displays +properly all the characters for the languages... including Esperanto! + +======================================================================== + + + + ESPERANTO + ========= + + + HEARINGS + BEFORE THE + COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION + + + HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES + SIXTY-THIRD CONGRESS + SECOND SESSION + + + ON + + + H. RES. 415 + A RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR THE STUDY OF ESPERANTO + AS AN AUXILIARY LANGUAGE + + + ======== + + + STATEMENTS OF + + HON. RICHARD BARTHOLDT + A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE STATE OF MISSOURI + + AND + + PROF. A. CHRISTEN + + + ------------ + MARCH 17, 1914 + ------------ + + + WASHINGTON + GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE + 1914 + + + + + COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION. + + + HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SIXTY-THIRD CONGRESS. + + + DUDLEY M. HUGHES, Georgia, Chairman. + +WILLIAM W. RUCKER, Missouri. JAMES F. BURKE, Pennsylvania. +ROBERT L. DOUGHTON, North Carolina. CALEB POWERS, Kentucky. +JOHN W. ABERCROMBIE, Alabama. HORACE M. TOWNER, Iowa. +J. THOMPSON BAKER, New Jersey. EDMUND PLATT, New York. +JOHN R. CLANCY, New York. ALLEN T. TREADWAY, Massachusetts. +THOMAS C. THACHER, Massachusetts. SIMEON D. FESS, Ohio. +STEPHEN A. HOXWORTH, Illinois. ARTHUR R. RUPLEY, Pennsylvania. + + James L. Fort, Clerk. + + + + ESPERANTO. + + + --------- + + + HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, + COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, + Tuesday, March 17, 1914 + +The committee this day met, Hon. Dudley M. Hughes (chairman) presiding. + + STATEMENT OF HON. RICHARD BARTHOLDT, + A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF MISSOURI. + +Mr. BARTHOLDT. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I do not wish to occupy your +time, for the reason that I can be here almost any time, while Prof. +Christen has made a special trip from New York for this purpose, and I +should like to give him all the time you can afford to devote to this +bill. + +I merely wish to say, in explanation, that I have not, as you will +notice, introduced this bill by request; I have assumed responsibility +for it personally because I thoroughly believe in it. I first introduced +the bill in the shape of a request to the Committee on Education +to investigate the subject; that is, as to the practicability and +advisability of introducing Esperanto as an auxiliary language in the +public schools. That resolution was referred to the Committee on Rules +and, of course, I could not get any action in that committee, and for +that reason I introduced the bill in its present form, which merely +provides that Esperanto be taught as a part of the course of study in +the schools of Washington, this being the only jurisdiction we have in +the matter of education. + +We Americans are known the world over as being deficient in the +knowledge of languages. I think we might as well admit that. While +every other nation is teaching two or three languages in its schools we +have failed to do so, and yet the requirements of international trade +and commerce make it absolutely essential that our young men should be +taught at least one language or two languages besides their own. Now, +this being the case and Esperanto now being taken up by nearly all the +civilized countries as an auxiliary language, how easy it would be for +us, instead of compelling our children in the schools to learn Spanish, +French, and German, to simply take one lesson a week in Esperanto and +thereby enable this nation to correspond and communicate in a common +language with all the other nations of the world. + +The CHAIRMAN. Your idea would be that the various nations would +understand Esperanto, and that whenever they would use that language all +would understand and comprehend it? Is that your idea? + +Mr. BARTHOLDT. Yes. I want to say that there is a movement on foot in +nearly every civilized country to make Esperanto a part of the course of +study in the schools. If that were carried out, each country would learn +its own language and Esperanto, in England English and Esperanto, and +so on, so that the international language would really be Esperanto. As +one who has studied languages to some extent I can feel the shortcomings +and handicaps of a man who, for instance, having studied French for some +time, comes to Paris. The very moment you open your mouth the people +will notice that you are "a foreigner," no matter how well you speak +French, so that the other man, the native, has a certain advantage over +you. But if that Frenchman were obliged to speak Esperanto with you then +you would be on a common level and neither would have an advantage over +the other. I have read in several of the Esperanto newspapers that, for +instance, in England the great manufacturing establishments are now +printing their catalogues and price lists in Esperanto, and that other +publications are sent all over the world printed in that language, in +matters of trade and commerce. So you can see it is coming. And since +we have not overcrowded the minds of our children with languages as +yet, I think it would be advisable and profitable for us to start with +Esperanto. + +I want to add that it is a very easy language. I have learned it in four +lessons. Of course I have not had the time to keep it up, and you must +keep in practice. + +The CHAIRMAN. Does Esperanto partake more of the Spanish language? + +Mr. BARTHOLDT. No. For an English speaking person it is very easy to +learn, because it is composed of words taken from the English language, +some from the German language, and some from the Latin. But the whole +construction of the language is so remarkably simple, that you will +wonder why it is that a universal language of that kind has not been +introduced before for the use of civilized men. + +That is all I wish to say, gentlemen, and I take pleasure in introducing +Prof. Christen, of New York, to you, whom I regard as one of the +greatest living experts in that language and a missionary for Esperanto. + + STATEMENT OF PROF. A. CHRISTEN, + 46 MANHATTAN AVENUE, NEW YORK CITY. + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, this is quite a novel +experience to me. I do not even know how these hearings are carried on, +but I am entirely at your disposal and shall be very glad to answer +questions. If I had my own way I would like to speak for at least an +hour and a half or two hours, but I understand that you can not give +me so much time. Therefore, it will be rather difficult to put in +all the information I would like to lay before you. I should like to +tell you something about the absurd and ridiculous linguistic chaos +to which the world has been brought through those great agencies of +progress which have now practically abolished distance and brought +the ends of the earth nearer to each other than were the opposite +frontiers of the smallest kingdom 400 years ago; (1)[1] then about the +advisability, nay, the absolute necessity of an international language; +how various attempts have been made to meet this growing demand for a +special international language, not for home consumption but only for +intercourse with all other nations, and why this one is, in my opinion +and in that of many wiser men, bound to succeed, and that is because it +absolutely fills the bill and is fool-proof; as a scientific and at the +same time practical scheme, it can not be improved upon. Next, I should +like to speak about the reason why neither English, nor any other living +language, can ever become international. No living language can become +international because they are all too difficult, too complicated, and +not neutral; (2) and then, perhaps, I ought to give you a few outlines +of the construction of Esperanto to show you why it is so easy, how +it meets all the requirements of the case, and is going to succeed. +However, I do not suppose I shall be able to do all of this, and, +therefore, will merely take a few points. + + [1]See additions to verbatim report of hearing. + +Dr. Bartholdt has mentioned to you the movement that is already in +existence for Esperanto. Here is the official yearbook of the Universala +Esperanto-Asocio (3), the best-organized international society that +the movement has yet produced. This society is called the Universal +Esperanto Association. It is not a propaganda society, but purely a +commercial league for the coordained use of the language, not merely +for the spread of it, but for its practical use among those who have +already learned it. This association has 698 branches throughout the +world, and is in its sixth year. Here is a map showing the places in +which the society is represented, and to-day, if I want any information +on any industrial, commercial, educational, scientific, or any other +matter--say, in Portugal, Russia, Japan, Spain, Belgium, Holland, or +China, etc.--I look up the place nearest to the district from which +I want that information and find the address of the Esperanto center +there. Then I write to the delegate and ask for the information in +Esperanto, and no matter what language he speaks at home I will get a +reply in Esperanto, and he will take any amount of trouble to satisfy +my demands. This society has done a remarkable amount of excellent work +in the last five years, and Esperanto is more and more used for all +practical international purposes. + +Now, Dr. Bartholdt told you about many commercial houses in different +countries already using Esperanto practically, that is to say, actually +using it for their business purposes internationally, printing their +circulars, price lists, catalogues, and so on, in Esperanto, and using +it for correspondence. + +I am reminded that seven years ago, in the north of Scotland, I saw +a communication to a Scotch railroad company from a French railroad +company written in English, but across the communication there were +stamped the words, "We correspond in Esperanto." And that was six or +seven years ago, and since that time Esperanto has made very great +strides. + +I have here a number of trade catalogues in Esperanto, and you will +see from the nature of them that they are really very elaborate things +and on which these firms have spent a great deal of money, which they +would not do if they did not think the thing was actually paying. I have +only about 40 such samples here because I can not carry them all about +with me. For instance, here is a very elaborate, costly, and handsome +catalogue from the biggest firm of photographic instrument makers in +Germany, and, I believe, in the world. + +Here is a pamphlet issued by the Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles, +a very attractive pamphlet. That was published in order to attract +European immigration to that portion of California, and that same +chamber of commerce has made large use of Esperanto for that purpose. +Two years ago they sent a man to lecture all over Europe and in some +parts of Asia on the attractions of California. That lecturer visited 27 +different countries; he lectured in 120 different towns during 18 months +and every one of his lectures was given in Esperanto, and in several +places he was obliged to give his lecture two or three times, because +the crowds that came were so large that it was impossible for everybody +who desired to hear the lecture to get in at the same time. There were +large numbers of people in every place who actually understood him; +all did not understand him, but a large number did in every town. For +instance, in Paris and Barcelona there are many thousands who understand +Esperanto. Here is another German firm in Berlin. Here is a bookseller +in Paris issuing a catalogue entirely in Esperanto. Here is a leaflet +about the Panama Exposition published in Esperanto. Here is the town of +Baden, a watering place near Vienna. They publish a guide of their town +in Esperanto. Here is a catalogue issued by the Oliver Typewriter Co. +printed in Esperanto. Cook's famous touring agency has used Esperanto +for the last seven years. Here is a Scotch tea firm publishing a +circular in Esperanto. Here is a bicycle-saddle maker in Germany using +Esperanto for publicity. Here is a Berlin taximeter catalogue in +Esperanto. Two years ago there was held in Leipsic the greatest hygienic +exposition ever held anywhere. It was the most successful of its kind up +to date, and hundreds of thousands of people attended from all over the +world. In that exposition Esperanto was used to a great extent and the +exhibition authorities published a guide to the exposition in Esperanto. +Here is a railroad company that uses Esperanto. A great many railroad +companies in Europe already use it. They issue regional guides to the +most attractive parts of their districts in Esperanto. Here is a Paris +automobile company with a circular in Esperanto. Here is the biggest +iron works in England, the Consett Iron Co., of Durham, a firm that +employs 30,000 hands, and that firm publishes its catalogues and price +lists in Esperanto. This is only one of their Esperanto publications. + +Here is a circular issued by a Paris department store. All the big +department stores of Paris not only use Esperanto in their publications, +but actually have interpreters for Esperanto in their stores. The +biggest ink firm in the world--the Stephens Blue Ink Co., in London--use +this language for their correspondence. About six years ago they began +to use Esperanto and published their advertisements and their circulars +for foreign trade entirely in Esperanto. The town of Antwerp publishes +an illustrated guide of the town in Esperanto. Here is a very big +Anglo-American firm of medical supplies, Burroughs, Wellcome & Co., +and they use Esperanto in many of their circulars. The Government +of Brazil three years ago sent a man to lecture in Europe as to the +attractions of Brazil. That man lectured in Paris to an audience of +3,000 people entirely in Esperanto, and the Government published his +lecture in that language. Here is a curious document. This was issued by +the anti-alcohol congress in Italy last year, and you will notice that +Esperanto is used, and that it is recommended as the only remedy against +the language trouble which entirely hampered the deliberations of this +congress, as it does all international conventions of every kind. I will +hand this to Mrs. Crafts, because she will be able to tell you more +about it, since she was there. + +That is the commercial side of it, and these are only a very few +samples of the actual and practical use being made of Esperanto in +this one alone. I could produce, no doubt, a great many more such +examples, but I can not carry them all about with me. Here are some 60 +to 70 guide leaflets published by so many different towns in France, +in Italy, in Austria, in Germany, in England, and in several other +countries--leaflets printed in Esperanto for the use of foreigners and +tourists. They give them information in Esperanto about the various +things they might first need to know on arriving at those cities. For +instance, here is Milan, Italy, and Poitiers, France, and Insbruck. +Austria, and Tavia, Italy, and Davos, Switzerland, and so on. In the +same line here are 20 more elaborate guidebooks to various towns in +Europe, published entirely in Esperanto by the local authorities. Of +course, you will not have the time to look at all these things just now, +but I will leave them with you. Then, again, I think I can safely say +that there are over 100 periodicals published in Esperanto in different +countries. + +Esperanto is making very rapid progress in Japan and China; for +instance, I have here an excellent Esperanto paper published by a native +society in Japan. + +The CHAIRMAN. In what nation is it progressing most rapidly? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. That is difficult to say, but seven years ago France was +at the head, and Germany did not take it up for a long time. Then about +five or six years ago England shot ahead of France, and then suddenly +Germany took it up, and now I think Germany is ahead of all the other +countries in the practical use of Esperanto. But it is making good +progress everywhere--in France, in England, in Denmark, in Bulgaria, in +Spain, in South America, in Germany, in India, in China, and in Japan. +In Germany the authorities and scientific people have very strongly +espoused Esperanto. For instance, the Government of Saxony sustains +financially an Esperanto institute in Dresden, and that does a great +deal of good work. The Government of Saxony is also a large contributor +to an Esperanto library, which is the biggest in the world, as yet. +And in many towns in Spain, in Germany, and in France, especially in +France, whenever an Esperanto lecturer goes into a town he gets a +stipend from the town; the town pays out of the city funds the expenses +of his propaganda, or partly pays them; they contribute 50 or 100 +francs, and frequently more, according to the size of the place. That +is the practice in many places in other countries besides France, but +especially in France. Even the Russian Government gives financial aid to +Esperanto propaganda. + +The CHAIRMAN. As I understand it, this is not supposed to be a universal +language? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. No; an international language. + +The CHAIRMAN. But at the same time it is a language in which all the +universe can meet upon a common plane and converse? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. That is the intention, to give the whole of the +civilized world one and the same secondary language. + +The CHAIRMAN. In which they can all meet on a common plane? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Yes; no matter where you may go, if you know Esperanto, +you shall not be a foreigner anywhere. The intention is to do away with +this terrible handicap of being unable to converse with your fellow men +of the various countries you may visit unless you learn all or most of +those languages, a thing which, as you know, is in most cases quite +impossible. It is the intention to have all the nations understand +Esperanto, and by that means make it possible for all the peoples of +the world to commune directly with each other. The time has come in the +world's history when a common vehicle of human expression is absolutely +necessary, and the barrier of Babel must fall, as mostly all other +obstacles to free intercourse have already fallen, before the triumphant +advance of modern science and technology. It is positively fatuous and +futile to ask the modern man, be he in commerce or science or what not, +to become an expert in his particular line of endeavor and a polyglot +besides. It can not be done. Languages are too many and each one too +complicated for our crowded curricula. The obligatory study of foreign +languages belongs to a remote past when there existed no sciences and +no industrial arts, when life was less crowded and when there were +fewer world languages. Even less than a hundred years ago a man was an +accomplished cosmopolitan if he knew French and his own mother tongue. +To-day he wants and ought to be conversant with French, German, and +Spanish, at the very least, besides English, and before long he will +have to tackle Russian and Japanese. As a matter of fact in some of the +European countries and in South America the school children actually +spend from 35 to 60 per cent of the school time in acquiring that sort +of an education, which is really not education at all but only a means +to an end. + +The CHAIRMAN. What progress has Esperanto made in the United States? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. In this matter the United States is behind all other +progressive countries. There have been many sporadic efforts made and +there are Esperanto groups in different places from New York and Boston +to Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Tacoma, etc., but as +a national movement it is not what it should be, and the difficulty +is, to far as I can make it out, the enormous size of the country. It +is difficult for a society, without very large funds, to carry on an +effective propaganda all over the country. + +Then another difficulty is that Americans are not generally very much +given to what I should call ethical ideas of this kind, that offer no +immediate and sudden cash returns, until they really become a craze or +until a certain class, perhaps, takes them up. (4) Let us not forget +also that the American people are not so much in touch with the language +difficulty as are other countries, and they do not yet appreciate the +enormous use that Esperanto will be to them, for, in my opinion, no +white people will benefit more from Esperanto than will the American +people, chiefly because like all English-speaking nations they are very +poor linguists. Then it is becoming more and more acknowledged among +educational people that the English language is the only language that +can not be taught. It is well known that if you put educated people from +different countries together the Anglo-Saxon will invariably be the one +who understands his own language least. That is due to the peculiar +construction of the English language. + +However, Esperanto would not be difficult for the American people +because it is so scientific, so logical, and entirely free of all +irregularities. Prof. Mayer, of the University of Oxford, learned +Esperanto in his seventy-ninth year. I heard him make a speech in +the language about six or seven days after he took it up, and he +declared that Esperanto ought to be introduced into the educational +system of the country. He was professor of the Latin language at +the Oxford University. He declared Esperanto ought to be introduced +into the schools, into the kindergartens, where children of 5 years +of age should begin with Esperanto, and I hold with him, because +if children were to learn Esperanto it would be of help to them in +their English. It is extremely easy to learn and can be learned in +a very pleasant fashion, because it is so scientific and so simple. (5) + +If children understood Esperanto, they would understand English better, +and much of the time we waste in trying to teach them English would be +profitably spent, for they would have something to go upon, something to +compare English with, and that something so scientific and so logical as +Esperanto. Take, for instance, analysis. I will not say it is difficult +but I will say it is impossible to analyze an English word, because +every word can be so many things. It can generally be an adjective, +a noun, a verb, a preposition, a conjunction, and an interjection, +that is, the same word, without any structural change, so that it is +difficult for a child to discriminate and label the word. Take the word +"benefited." That might be used in the past tense (I benefited), or as +a past participle: (We may have benefited), and it is impossible for +a child to sense the difference, and such confusion occurs to a great +extent with most words in the English language. + +I am a teacher of languages and have done nothing all my life but study +and impart languages. If I had to teach you gentlemen, say, French +upon the theory that you were going on an important mission this day +12 months, and that it was absolutely necessary that you should speak +French (or any other language that I could impart you) by that time, I +would say it was impossible for a number of busy men to acquire a new +language inside one year; that I could not guarantee useful results, +but that if you would take two months to start with for the learning of +Esperanto, then I might be able to teach you the other language in the +rest of the time, because Esperanto is the best foundation for learning +any language. And, as I say, an English-speaking student, be he young or +old, knowing Esperanto would more easily distinguish the parts of speech +in English and possess a real and valuable "linguistic feeling" (which +he now entirely lacks) because of his Esperanto. + +The CHAIRMAN. Is Esperanto made up of the derivatives of the various +languages? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. I will explain that, if you like, in a very few words. +Esperanto is the work of a Polish scholar, Dr. Ludovico L. Zamenhof, +who started with an inspired mind. I should say he was a great genius. +He had studied a large number of languages, for, as a boy, nay, as a +child in the cradle, he spoke four languages, because so many different +languages were actually spoken in his home town. Then at school he +learned several more and it is due to this polyglotic experience and the +evils caused daily by Babel in his own circle that as a child, almost, +he conceived the idea of constructing a language that should at once and +for all time put an end to a foolish and intolerable situation. He must +have been inspired in what he did, because he at once hit upon the only +possible solution of the thing, and he hit upon it without knowing that +scores of others, older and more learned, had tried the same thing and +failed. His first stroke of genius was in the composing of his entire +vocabulary by borrowing all his words from well-known sources. With the +true insight of the genius he decided that the words of an artificial +international language must be taken from international sources, and so +he first of all hit upon the good idea to use first of all those words +which are already common to most languages, and there are a great many +more such words than we have dreamed of. He decided that that should be +the starting point of his world tongue, because everybody would know +those words to start with. Take the names of animals and produce that +come from certain parts of the world and carry their names with them, +such as elephant, tiger, lion, camel, and a great many more. Take the +rose: the rose is a rose in every language; so an orange, a lemon, a +nut, and tea, coffee, and tobacco, etc., are the same in most languages. +They may not be spelled the same or pronounced the same, but they are +international, and therefore they are Esperanto. That was the foundation +of the vocabulary in Zamenhof's new language--take words that everybody +would know and use them in Esperanto (6). + +Mr. TOWNER. How do you determine those common names? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Well, he formed his vocabulary; he selected these words +because they were international--to the exclusion of anything else. + +Mr. TOWNER. Well, that was not definite; it might be enlarged? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Oh, yes. + +Mr. TOWNER. What was the vocabulary that he first issued? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Offhand, I think, about 963 words. + +Mr. TOWNER. What is the vocabulary now? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Probably about 3,000 words. Now, I have dealt with the +so-called international words; but the bulk of every language consists +of what I would call home words, which every country has for its own; +and the only way to bring equivalents for such words into the language +was to select them from all the principal languages under consideration, +which means, of course, the European languages and to select these words +on the principle of greatest internationality--that is to say, such +verbs as to come, to do, to write, etc., or the nouns, hand, knife, +water, table, etc., or adjectives, like good, bad, healthy, etc. Before +he put these words into his vocabulary, Zamenhof had their equivalents +in all the European languages before him, and then he took from the +whole list the root which was the most prominent, the root that occurred +oftenest, and this became Esperanto, the idea being that the words +selected should be common to at least four or five different languages. + +Mr. TOWNER. You do not mean that, do you? You do not mean that the only +words you would put into the Esperanto vocabulary would be those that +might be common to at least four or five of the principal languages? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Yes; whenever it is possible to find such words, and the +words do not conflict with the general harmony of the language. + +Mr. TOWNER. That is what I thought you meant. + +Prof. CHRISTEN. The consequence is that a language formed on these lines +must be a Latin or Romance language because Latin gave birth to at least +six languages: French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Roumanian, and +English, and besides, Latin and French have influenced and enriched the +literature and languages of every other modern nation. The dictionary +of Latin words contained, for instance, in Russian or German would be +a very large volume indeed. It is a fact that all modern attempts at +making an artificial language, and their name is legion, especially +since the acknowledged success of Esperanto, are based on Latin. +Consequently also, the international language must be largely English, +because mostly those Latin words will be chosen that are common at +least to French and English. I have lectured to hundreds of English +audiences, and I have given them numerous examples of Esperanto words +in my lectures that could be easily understood by everybody. Take the +words "skribi," to write; "lerni," to learn; "mangxi," to eat; "trinki," +to drink; "tablo," a table; "glaso," a glass; "nazo," the nose, and +"busxo," the mouth; "mano," the hand; take the adjectives, bona, bela, +granda, kapabla, etc. Few, indeed, are the Esperanto words that do not +connect at all with the English; in most cases, in at least 87 cases +out of 100, you will find those words connect with one or many English +words. + +Mr. TOWNER. You mean that 87 per cent of the words now in the Esperanto +vocabulary are formative words? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Yes: they are connected with the English language, and +from each Esperanto word you can form mechanically absolutely every +word that sense and logic can possibly connect with the one and only +meaning of the original Esperanto word. I am accustomed to lecturing +before audiences and making this statement, which I make without fear +of contradiction, that "if all of you were to take up Esperanto now and +carry it on until you were as expert in it as I am, you would not in the +whole of your studies come across more than 60 words, probably not more +than 50 words, which are entirely new to you." + +Mr. TOWNER. Of course, a vocabulary of 3,000 words is a very limited +vocabulary; it is a primitive vocabulary? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Yes? + +Mr. TOWNER. How are you going to increase it? For instance, how are you +going to make it a literary language? How are you going to write poems? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Personally I should not want an international language +for poetry, although Esperanto does in fact lend itself excellently +to the purposes of the muses. But to answer your question: First of +all, the Esperanto language does not contain any words at all; I think +there are only 138 full-fledged words, prepositions, adverbs, and +conjunctions, but the rest of the vocabulary is formed of roots only. +Let us take the words "to sew," "to stitch." The root is "kudr." It is +only a root, and that alone stands in the vocabulary. Now, if you want +to make this root into a noun "o" is added to it, "kudro": if you want +to make it an adjective, you add "a" to it, "kudra"; if you want to +make it an adverb you add "e," kudre, which would mean by or through +sewing, "sewingly," if it could be so expressed in English; and if you +want to make it a verb it would be "kudri," because every infinitive +ends in "i." You see, with that root to begin with you can form four +words, and you can express a great deal more in Esperanto than anybody +can possibly imagine; in fact Esperanto is, on account of its perfect +and absolutely complete flexibility, more precise and more comprehensive +than any language under the sun. As I said before, you can form four +words from every root at the start if sense allows it, and sense allows +you a great deal more leeway in Esperanto than anybody can possibly know +about, because in no language are you allowed to proceed by sense. The +English language does not allow it, nor does any other, not oven German +or Greek, but it is allowed in this most logical of all languages, +Esperanto. (7) + +Mr. TOWNER. Take the illustration you have just used. We say "The sewing +is beautiful." and "We find her sewing assiduously." Now, we use the +same word, but the formation of the sentence determines whether or not +it is a noun or a verb. + +Prof. CHRISTEN. You mean the distinction between the participle and the +noun? + +Mr. TOWNER. Yes. + +Prof. CHRISTEN. With your permission I will not answer that +particularly, but will deal with the whole subject. I want to say that +from every root you form four words, the four principal parts of speech. +And the first thing to remember is this positive stroke of genius--that +every noun ends with "o," every adjective with "a," every derived adverb +with "e," and every infinitive with "i." + +Mr. TOWNER. How would you carry that to proper names? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. London would be Londono; Robert is Roberto, but proper +names you are at liberty to do with as you please; give them the +Esperanto ending or leave them in the original form. + +Mr. TOWNER. What about Washington? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Washingtono. + +Mr. TOWNER. I mean, you would really change it? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Yes; if you prefer it; that is, if it sounds better. + +Mr. TOWNER. In the language? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Yes. + +Mr. TOWNER. For instance, if you were speaking about the city of +Washington, you would not say Washington, but Washingtono? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. You will find it frequently printed as Washingtono. + +Mr. TOWNER. Why do you do that, because Washingtono is not the name of +the city? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Let me say that you say London in English, but that is +not French. + +Mr. TOWNER. But we always spell Paris the French way, although we do not +pronounce it the same way; that is, "Paree." + +Prof. CHRISTEN. But London is not London in French; it is "Londres" in +French. + +Mr. TOWNER. Do you mean to say that if a letter were addressed to London +from Paris the Frenchman would not pronounce and write it London but +Londres? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Yes. + +Mr. TOWNER. He does not say London? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. No, he says Londres. And the same is true with Dover; +Dover is not French; The French would be Douvres. However, I want to say +this, that after the first three or four years after I took up Esperanto +geographical or proper names were left optional and they were not given +any particular spelling in the Esperanto language and are not now. Many +Esperantists now would say Washington and London. But you can make the +change if you want to. + +Mr. TOWNER. Internationally, has not that come to be the custom, to +pronounce the geographical names and proper names in the way they are +pronounced in the country in which they originate? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. I think so. As I said, there is no arbitrary rule about +personal names or geographical names. Now, let me proceed with this +marvelous scheme and repeat that every part of speech is distinctive +in itself; that is the reason a child, when it follows Esperanto, will +not find English so hard and will understand English better than in any +other way. Such a child will understand English far better than if it +did not understand Esperanto, and that is a statement I often make in my +lectures. + +Mr. RIPLEY. We had a man here the other day who has a language which he +claims is an improvement on Esperanto. + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Yes? + +Mr. RIPLEY. He is from Ohio, I believe. + +Prof. CHRISTEN. I know. Since Esparanto began to move forward there have +been at least 30 to 40 different schemes elaborated, and that is easily +done. You can do it overnight. But there is no scheme that has ever +touched and no scheme that can ever touch Esperanto, because it has hit +the mark from the first. (8) + +Mr. TOWNER. What do you do with adverbs? Do they have a definite form? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Every derived adverb ends in "e." + +Mr. TOWNER. So you could not distinguish from the form between a verb +and an adverb, could you? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Perfectly. The adverb ends in "e" and the infinitive +ends in "i." + +Mr. RIPLEY. It is your contention that children will do better in +English if they acquire a knowledge of Esperanto? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Undoubtedly; this is a statement I make in my lectures: +If you gentlemen will give me a number of children aged 4 or 5 years +I will give them a quarter of an hour's pleasant explanation about +grammar, that is Esperanto grammar, and they will understand it after a +quarter of an hour's explanation; then I will jumble together a number +of blocks, with various words on these blocks, and I will say to these +children "pick out every noun," and they will be able to do it--that is, +pick the nouns from the adjectives--and so with every part of speech. + +The CHAIRMAN. Because they will know to a certainty? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Yes; every word tells its own tale on account of its +distinctive ending. Now, that is a thing you can not do in English; that +nobody can do in English, because we can not tell the parts of speech +simply by the appearance of the words; we can only know from the context +and that is not always easy! + +The CHAIRMAN. How does that apply to other languages? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. The same thing applies more or less to all, because they +are all irregular; they were not formed; they have "growd" like Topsy. + +Mr. TOWNER. The Latin language is more regular? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Yes: but it does not begin to compare with Esperanto. +Now, we have had these four words, and I want to proceed a little +further, and I will take up something that will help me to answer your +questions. If I had to teach you gentlemen French I would have to make +you commit to memory 2,667 endings and contractions for the verb alone; +it would take you months and months to learn that alone. The same +absurdities and even worse occur in Italian, in Spanish, in German, in +English, and in all so-called natural languages. + +Mr. TOWNER. And we never could learn these irregularities and +exceptions. + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Well, if you did learn them you would never remember +them at the right time because the whole scheme is so complicated. +This is only one of the many reasons which make us so shy at speaking +foreign languages. Now, the same thing is true of German, and of all +other languages, but it is not true of Esperanto. I will teach you the +whole Esperanto conjugation in five minutes and you will never forget +it, because there is nothing to remember. You already know that a noun +ends in "o" and that the infinitive ends in "i," and so on: there is +absolutely no difficulty whatever. (9) Now, I am sorry I have to speak +so rapidly, because I would like to give you more information. + +The CHAIRMAN. We would be glad to have you add to your remarks. + +Mr. TOWNER. You can extend your remarks. + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Since my time is up and, indeed, far exceeded, I will +be very glad to do so. But before I leave you, let me read one or two +items, which will only take two minutes more. Here is a quotation +from the British Esperantist, of November, 1913, showing the progress +Esperanto is making: + + The central Esperanto bureau, of Paris, gives the following + statistics: In 1889, there had been published 29 books in + Esperanto; in 1899, 128; in 1910, 1,554; in 1912 (to August + 30), 1,837. Enough already to keep most readers going for + full five years of Sundays, and the output, both of bookshop + and of press, is increasing daily. + +Mr. TOWNER. In a general way, what is the character of this literature? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Up to now chiefly textbooks for learning Esperanto, +such as this little book [indicating], which can be purchased for 10 +cents. You can learn the whole mechanism of the language from one of +these little books. Then there are a great many other publications, +translations, scientific articles, etc., and we have already several +novels originally written in the new language. + +Mrs. CRAFTS. May I say a word right here? I hold in my hand the New +Testament, published by the British and Foreign Bible Society together +with the Scotch Bible Society. It is a translation from Nestle's Greek +Testament, and the Old Testament is now being translated by one of the +most eminent Hebrew scholars in the world. + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Here is the next item, which I would like to read to +you: + + Evening classes for the study of Esperanto under the auspices of + the L.C.C. (London county council) are being held at the Halstow + Road Nonvocational Institute, Greenwich, S.E., on Thursday, + 7.30-9.30 p.m., and at Bloomfield Road Commercial Institute, + Plumstead, S.E., on Fridays, 7.20-10.50 p. m. Instructor Mr. + William H. Dennis, B.D.E.A., 108, Eglinton Road, Plumstead, + S.E., from whom any information may be obtained. These classes + are designed especially to meet the requirements of the serious + student, beginner or advanced. (10) + +That is from London. Then I have another quotation which I want to read +from Edinburgh: + + The chief constable of Edinburgh has interested himself in Esperanto, + especially in view of the 1915 congress. The chief constable has + ordered a copy of "Esperanto For All," to be sent to the 650 members + of the Edinburgh police force, with a recommendation that the police + learn the language. A class for policemen is being arranged, for + which 14 names have been received. + +Esperanto classes for policemen have been conducted for several years +in several towns in Germany, in France, in Spain, etc., and even during +their hours of duty classes are going on in Esperanto so that policemen +may learn Esperanto without the loss of their own personal time. I thank +you, gentlemen, for bearing with me so long. + +Mr. BARTHOLDT. I should like to have an opportunity, if possible, at +some future time to have you give us about 10 or 15 minutes to hear Mrs. +Crafts. + +The CHAIRMAN. We shall be very glad indeed to give you that time. + + +(The additional matter submitted by Prof. Christen follows:) + + +(1) We are apt to lose sight of the fact that the whole world's +business is daily becoming more and more internationalized and that +what in former centuries was done parochially is now more and more +done internationally. + +The first public international convention ever held took place +less than 75 years ago; it is a significant fact that this was a +peace convention. To-day there are over 300 societies: Commercial, +scientific, religious, sociological, industrial, sporting, etc., +organized internationally. During those seventy-odd years over +2,000 international congresses of one kind or another have actually +taken place, and now a days not one year passes without several +scores being added to the total. An incomplete list for 1914 gives +49 such prospective international gatherings and over one score of +exhibitions, fairs, and festivals of an international character. + +What lamentable and foolish and provoking situation at such gatherings +is due to the multitude of tongues only those know who have wasted +time and money in attending them. Usually three or more languages are +officially accepted and most of the time is irretrievably lost in +misunderstandings and more or less inadequate translations. + +Compare with this the nine yearly international Esperanto congresses +held at Boulogne, Geneva, Cambridge, Dresden, Barcelona, Washington, +Cracow, Antwerp, and Berne, at which from 800 to 1,500 delegates from +20 to 30 different countries spent a week in complete communion through +this wonderful language. Orations, discussions, sermons, concerts, +theatrical performances, and general fellowship among the members being +freely enjoyed by all, and often by individuals who had only had a few +weeks of acquaintance with the language. + +An international language of some sort has become an absolute necessity +of our new era of universal solidarity. + +A hopeful sign of progress is that many international organizations have +already declared in favor of Esperanto for their future meetings. + +(2) The impossibility of ever making any national language international +will at once become clear if we imagine the whole youth of the United +States condemned to become proficient in French or Spanish or German. +Say we take the easiest of them, Spanish: does anyone dream the thing +possible? Only an infinitesimal fraction of our young people could +attain even a smattering, and that at the cost of from two to three +years' study; and even then it is quite unlikely that other nations +would adopt the same language. But if they all did this impossible +thing the Spanish speaking peoples would still have the pull on them +all because they grow up with the language and have not to acquire it +artificially. + +What holds good for Spanish holds good for even other so called natural +language, including English, and more with English than any other on +account of its barbarous spelling and pronunciation. + +None of these objections, neither structural nor national, apply to +Esperanto, which is entirely neutral and ideally simple. + +(3) The U.E.A. (Universala Esperanto Asocio) has its central office +at 10 Rue de la Bourse, Geneva, Switzerland. Yearly dues 50 cents for +private members, $2.50 for business firms. These contributions entitle +the members to use the machinery of the association for the acquisition +of information--free of cost, except postage--on any subject whatever +(except confidential matters), the only condition being that the request +be written in Esperanto. A sufficient amount of Esperanto for this +purpose can be acquired by anyone in a few days, or even in a few +hours. It is not even necessary to have a teacher, the textbooks being +very easy to master. In America, if local booksellers do not yet stock +Esperanto literature, the would-be student may apply to Peter Reilly, +Esperanto bookseller, 133 North Thirteenth Street, Philadelphia, Pa. + +A growing number of Esperantists all over the world are using the +services of the U.E.A., not only in correspondence, but actually +traveling through many countries for pleasure or profit by means of +Esperanto alone, and finding everywhere helpful hints and congenial +surroundings in the local Esperanto groups. + +In addition to the U.E.A. there is an international Esperanto society +for the propaganda of the language; this has its world center at 51 Rue +de Clichy, Paris, France, and powerful national societies in France (240 +branches), in England (118 branches), in Germany (over 250 branches), +etc. + +(4) I should, however, add, in justice to the American people, +that wherever Esperanto has been brought to their notice by press +or platform it has been well received. I have myself lectured to +large and sympathetic audiences in Chautauqua, Buffalo, New York, +Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Washington. Public schools, high schools, +and universities have frequently opened their doors to Esperanto, and +in my own case the University of Pennsylvania and the University of +Columbia have shown their open-mindedness to the extent of engaging a +paid lecturer for a prolonged course. + +So has the Department of Education of the city of New York. + +In the Bureau of Standards, Washington, D.C., a considerable number of +scientists have declared in favor of Esperanto, and are adepts of the +language. + +My experience is that in this country the informed public warmly +approves of Esperanto and the ideals it stands for, but expects +the spread of the language to come through the schools. There is +consequently in this country a special inertia in this matter, in spite +of approval; this makes organised propaganda extremely difficult in such +a vast territory. + +Accordingly the national organization, the E.A.N.A. (Esperanto +Association of North America), central offices, Newton Center, Mass., +has so far had but a checkered and precarious existence. + +A rival society, the U.S.E.A. (United States Esperanto Association) has +its headquarters at Shaller, Iowa. + +(5) If I were asked how Esperanto could best be introduced into the +schools, I should suggest that a limited course of lecture lessons, +say, from 6 to 12, to the teachers would suffice to give them all that +is necessary to enable them to practice the language until complete +proficiency is attained. In many places there is even now a supply of +local Esperantists ready to cooperate with the schools. + +After a month's study any teacher should be able to teach others and +perfect himself in the process. At that I would teach the language only +to the pupils in their last year of school; many of them could make +immediate use of Esperanto on entering business; most of them would +probably get enough of the language during the last session at school +to engage them to keep up the practice afterwards according to local +opportunities. + +Please do not judge of this probability by your experience with other +languages, which most students drop as soon as possible. Their endless +complications make the study and practice irksome and futile, while +Esperanto is positively fascinating. + +In my opinion two lessons of 45 minutes a week would amply suffice to +secure practical results never dreamed of in the French, German, or +Spanish classes. After a very short course of study, the boys and girls +would get an opportunity to correspond with scholars of their own age +and station in many lands. There are even now hundreds of school boys +and girls in France, Germany, Austria, Spain, and even in China and +Japan eager for such interchange of thoughts by means of Esperanto. + +The hour or hour and a half spent weekly on this subject would be amply +repaid by the increased intelligence and linguistic feeling of the +pupils, and ultimately the subject could be taught with great benefit to +the whole school, doing away with the necessity of ineffectual attempts +at teaching foreign languages to all and sundry, regardless of taste and +capacity. + +(6) Perhaps a few remarks may be in place here to substantiate still +more clearly the postulate that Esperanto fulfills absolutely the ideal +requirement of a language that means to be introduced throughout the +world as a secondary or auxiliary language: Facility of acquirement to +all nations. + +(a) There is not one difficult sound, such as our th, our obscure +vowels, the French nasals, the German ä, ö, ü, etc. The vowels are a, +e, i, o, and u. Each has but one sound value, and that long and full, +approximately as in the phrase: "Pa may we go, too?" + +(b) The tonic accent, an insuperable difficulty in English, on account +of its irregularity and elusiveness, is in Esperanto invariably on the +last vowel but one. + +(c) The grammar is reduced to a minimum, the whole mechanism of +Esperanto being compassed within 16 rules which any one can grasp and +assimilate inside one hour. + +(d) The vocabulary is extremely small, less than 1,000 roots, mostly +common to every Aryan tongue, being sufficient for all ordinary purposes +of language. + +This is due to the marvelously ingenious system of word building, which +enables anyone to derive from a dozen to one hundred and more words from +every root, there being to this derivation no limit but that of common +sense. + +Of course, the vocabulary for science and technology is considerably +larger, but equally flexible. + +(e) There are no troublesome genders; sex is expressed by the insertion +of "in" before the "o" ending of nouns, and of course only in the case +of animate creation. For instance, "viro" is man, "virino" woman, +"frato" brother, "fratino" sister, "kuzo" male cousin, "kuzino" female +cousin, etc. And here Esperanto has over all other languages not only +the signal advantage that there are no irregularities, but the far +more important advantage that the scheme is applicable to all cases. +For instance, although we have in English from 30 to 40 different +ways of forming the feminine such as father, mother; brother, sister; +uncle, aunt; bull, cow; stallion, mare; fox, vixen; etc., yet in most +cases we possess no decent or sensible way to indicate the sex of the +individuals; as, for instance, in the cases of teacher, doctor, friend, +cousin, neighbor, witness, elephant, camel, goat, typist, stenographer, +companion, president, chairman, etc. + +Last, but not least, every word parses itself by its distinctive ending. + +(7) The stupendous flexibility of Esperanto will be still better +understood if I state here that it possesses some 30 particles (prefixes +and suffixes), each with a definite meaning and each available whenever +you want to attach that particular meaning to any word. + +We have already seen that the suffix "in" expresses the female sex +whenever it may be desirable to give it expression. So "id" denotes +the offspring, "il" the tool or instrument, "isto" the profession, +"ul" the person or individual, "ec" the quality (abstract), "ajx" +the concrete thing, product, or result, "eg" means large, and "et" +small, etc. Now, let us see how this works out in practice. Bovo is +bull; bovino, cow; bovido, calf; bovajxo, beef; bovidino, female +calf. And you may say bovego, boveto, bovinego, bovineto, bovidego, +bovideto, bovidinego, and bovidineto if you wish to add the idea of size +or smallness to the original or to the derived word. + +Again: "Lern" is the root for learning. We first get lerni, to learn; +lerna, learned; lerne, learnedly; learno, learning. Next, using a few of +the particles we can make: lernebla, capable of being learned; lernema, +inclined to learn (studious); lerninda, worth learning; lernilo, a +text book (a tool); lernisto (a professional learner), a student; +lernulo, a learned person, a scholar; lerneco, learning in the abstract; +lernajxo, the matter to be learned (concrete), etc. And once more +note that what you can do with one root you can do with every root +in the vocabulary. So that the originally available number of words +is multiplied ten and hundred fold. Which simply means a tremendous +saving of labor in learning words and forms and yet secures a range of +expression and a degree of precision undreamed of in any other language. + +(8) On the possible rivals, past, present, or future, to Esperanto see +closing remarks. + +(9) To complete what I said on the verb during the hearing I give here +the entire paradigm of the verb in Esperanto. + +Paroli, to speak; parolanta, speaking; parolata, spoken. + +Present, I speak, etc.: Mi parolas, vi parolas, li parolas, sxi parolas, +ni parolas, vi parolas, ili parolas, oni (one) parolas, gxi (it) +parolas. + +There a thus only one ending "as" for the present of every verb and the +same for every person. + +In the past the ending is "is": mi parolis, I spoke, etc. + +In the future "os" mi parolos, I shall speak, etc. In the conditional +"us": mi parolus, I should speak, etc. In the subjunctive "u": ke +mi parolu, that I may or might speak, the tense being sufficiently +indicated by the antecedent verb. + +For the imperative we use the subjunctive without conjunction and +generally without subject. + +The participle has a most ingenious flexbility, it having three forms, +anta, inta, onta for the active, and ata, ita, ota for the passive; +parolanta, speaking now; parolinta, having spoken; parolonta, about to +be speaking; parolata, being spoken now; parolita, spoken formerly; +parolota, to be spoken later. + +Only practice can reveal the wonderful usefulness of this scheme, again, +of course, applicable to all verbs. + +One interesting sequel is, that as every word can be turned into a +noun--if sense demands it--by simply changing the ending into o, we +therefore get: parolanto, the present speaker; parolinto, the past +speaker; parolonto, the future speaker. + +Let no one say that such richness and possibility of precision is of +no importance; many a life's jeopardy has turned on less. Nor can it +be said that this unlimited capacity of expression makes the mechanism +of the language cumbersome, for the whole scheme of Esperanto can be +thoroughly mastered in a few hours. + +(10) In England Esperanto has been on the school rates for several +years; any technical or continuation school can apply to the board of +education for permission to put Esperanto on its program. In 1909 it was +already thus taught in 33 centers. + +The London Chamber of Commerce holds examinations in Esperanto every +year, and has done so since 1907. The United Kingdom Association of +Teachers prepares for the certificate of proficiency in Esperanto. + +In the town of Lille, France, Esperanto has been taught in the high +schools for at least nine years; about 1,500 pupils benefiting yearly +from this. The same is true of Rio de Janeiro, in Brasil. + +In conclusion, I wish to register my opinion as an unbiased student of +the whole movement for the adoption of an international language that +Esperanto has nothing to fear from any rival scheme--present, past, or +future. + +Of upward of 150 different projects that have seen the light since the +seventeenth century, not one was born with a life worth saving but +Esperanto; not one has ever attained one-hundredth part the power and +vogue and vitality that Esperanto has achieved. + +One only of all these schemes has ever come prominently before the +public before Esperanto came into the field, Volapük, and this failed of +its own defects. + +One only among some 20 or 30 imitations of Esperanto, namely, Ido, +succeeded for a time in creating a diversion in the Esperanto camp. +If Volapük died of its defects, it is permissible to say that Ido +never lived on account of its numerous authors' everlasting chase +after theoretical perfection, each one having a different opinion--and +changing the same with every wind--as to what constitutes perfection +in every one of a thousand features of a human language. Accordingly, +the Idoists have altered their mock Esperanto a hundred times in six +years, so that no one has been able to keep track of the changes, and +the adherents of the secession themselves have never been able to learn, +speak, and use the language. + +During these six years Esperanto has succeeded in establishing itself +and getting a firm hold in every civilized country from China to Peru +and from Greenland to Zanzibar, because it is a live and growing +language, perfect in so far that it is endowed from the start with all +the power of evolution without the need of any internal changes in its +wonderfully simple structure. + +Here are a few quotations from great thinkers as to the need for an +auxiliary language: + + The diversity of languages is fatal for genius and progress. If + there were a universal language, we should save a third of life. + (Leibnitz.) + + The interrelationships of the peoples are so great that they most + certainly need a universal language. (Montesquieu.) + + One of the greatest torments of life is the diversity of language. + (Voltaire.) + + What an immeasurable profit it would be for the human race if we were + able to intercommunicate by means of one language. (Volney.) + + It seems to me quite possible--probable even--than an artificial + language to be universally used will be greed upon. (Herbert + Spencer.) + + The learning of many languages fills the memory with words instead of + facts and thoughts, and this is a vessel which, with every person, + can only contain certain limited amount of records. Therefore the + learning of many languages is injudicious, inasmuch as it arouses + the belief in the possession of dexterity, and, as a matter of + fact, it lends a kind of delusive importance to social intercourse. + It is also injurious in that it opposes the acquirement of solid + knowledge and the intention to win the respect of men in an honest + way. Finally, it is the ax which is laid at the root of a delicate + sense of language in our mother tongue, which thereby is incurably + injured and destroyed. The two nations which have produced the + greatest stylists, the Greeks and the French, learned no foreign + languages; but as human intercourse grows more cosmopolitan, and + as, for instance, a good merchant in London must now be able to + read and write eight languages, the learning of many tongues has + certainly become a necessary evil; but which, when finally carried + to an extreme, will compel mankind to find a remedy, and in some far + off future there will be a new language used at first as a language + of commerce, then as a language of intellectual intercourse, then + for all, as surely as some time or other there will be aviation. Why + else should philology have studied the laws of language for a whole + century and have estimated the necessary, the valuable, and the + successful portion of each separate language? (Nietsche.) + +In this connection it may be well to repeat once more that Esperanto is +only an "auxiliary" language. Nobody dreams of it being a "universal +language." + + EXAMPLES OF ESPERANTO. + +Simpla, fleksebla, belsona, vere internacia en siaj elementoj[1], +la lingvo Esperanto prezentas al la mondo civilizita la sole veran +solvon[2] de lingvo internacia: cxar[3], tre facila por homoj nemulte +instruitaj, Esperanto estas komprenata sen peno de la personoj bone +edukitaj. Mil faktoj atestas la meriton praktikan de la nomita lingvo. + + [1] "j" has the sound of English "y", as in boy, and is the sign for + the plural of nouns and adjectives. + + [2] "n" is the mark of the accusative or object of the verb. + + [3] The diacritic sign ^ occurs on c, g, h, j, s and has the force + of an h after the first and the last--ch, sh. gx is pronounced + like English g in George, which g without sign has the value of g in + good. jx is pronounced like s in pleasure, while j simple has the + sound of y in yes, esp. jes. hx occurs rarely and is doomed to + disappear in favor of k. + +Kaj se vi pregxas, vi ne devas esti kiel la hipokrituloj, kiuj volonte +staras kaj pregxas en la lernejoj, kaj apud la anguloj de la stratetoj; +por ke ili estu vidataj de la homoj. Vere, mi diras al vi: Ili ricevis +sian pagon. Sed se vi pregxas, iru en la cxambreton kaj fermu la pordon, +kaj pregxu al via patro en la kasxito, kaj via patro, kiu vidas en la +kasxiton, rekompencos gxin al vi publike. Kaj se vi pregxas, vi ne +devas multe babili, kiel la idolistoj, cxar ili opinias ke gxi estos +akceptata, se ili faras multe da paroloj. Tial vi ne devas simili al +ili. Via patro scias, kion vi bezonas, antaux ol vi petas lin. Tial +vi devas pregxi tiamaniere. Patro nia en la cxielo. Via nomo estu +sanktigata. Via regno venu. Via volo farigxu sur la tero, kiel en la +cxielo. Nian panon cxiutagan donu al ni hodiaux. Kaj pardonu al ni +niajn kulpojn, kiel ni pardonas niajn kulpulojn. Kaj ne konduku nin en +tenton, sed savu nin de la malbono. Cxar via estas la regno, kaj la +forto, kaj la gloro en eterneco. Amen. Cxar se vi pardonos al la homoj +iliajn kulpojn, tiam via cxiela patro pardonos ankaux al vi. Sed se vi +ne pardonos al la homoj iliajn kulpojn, tiam via cxiela patro ankaux ne +pardonos al vi viajn kulpojn. (La Evangelio Sankta Mateo VI, 5-16.) + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Esperanto: Hearings before the +Committee on Education, by Richard Bartholdt and A. 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Christen + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Esperanto: Hearings before the Committee on Education + +Author: Richard Bartholdt and A. Christen + +Release Date: August 4, 2005 [EBook #16432] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ESPERANTO: HEARINGS BEFORE *** + + + + +Produced by David Starner, William Patterson and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<!-- File: 001.png --> + +<center> + <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" summary=""> + <tr> + <td class="plejgrande" style="font-weight: bold"> + ESPERANTO + <!-- + Inconsistent behavior here between Opera and Internet Explorer. + Opera handles these margins nicely, however specified. IE tends + to spread them out vertically more than desired, no matter what. + I'm gonna use 4px as a happy medium. Hmm... On second thought, + the double line still ends up spread out too much in IE. So I'll + make it a single instead. + --> + <!-- + <hr style="margin-top: 4px; margin-bottom: 4px"> + <hr style="margin-top: 4px"> + --> + <hr style="margin-top: 4px"> + </td> + </tr> + </table> +</center> + +<center style="margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em"> + <p class="plejgrande">HEARINGS</p> + <p class="malpligrande">BEFORE THE</p> + <p class="plejgrande">COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION</p> +</center> + +<p align="center"> + <span class="pligrande">HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES</span> + <br> + <span class="mezgrande">SIXTY-THIRD CONGRESS</span> + <br> + <span class="malpligrande majusklete">Second Session</span> +</p> + +<p align="center" class="malpligrande"> + ON +</p> + +<p align="center"> + <span class="plejgrande">H. RES. 415</span> + <br> + <span class="mezgrande">A RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR THE STUDY OF ESPERANTO</span> + <br> + <span class="mezgrande">AS AN AUXILIARY LANGUAGE</span> +</p> + +<hr align="center" width="8%"> + +<p align="center"> + <span class="malpligrande">STATEMENTS OF</span> + <br> + <span class="pligrande">HON. RICHARD BARTHOLDT</span> + <br> + <span class="malpligrande majusklete">A Representative from the State of Missouri</span> + <br> + <span class="malpligrande">AND</span> + <br> + <span class="pligrande">PROF. A. CHRISTEN</span> +</p> + +<center> + <hr align="center" width="8%" style="margin-bottom: 4px"> + <span class="mezgrande">MARCH 17, 1914</span> + <hr align="center" width="8%" style="margin-top: 4px"> +</center> + +<p align="center" class="malpligrande"> + WASHINGTON + <br> + GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE + <br> + 1914 +</p> + +<!-- File: 002.png --> + +<center style="margin-top: 4em; margin-bottom: 4em"> + + <p align="center"> + COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION. + </p> + + <p align="center" class="majusklete"> + House of Representatives, Sixty-third Congress. + </p> + + <table border="0" cellspacing="8" cellpadding="0" summary=""> + <tr> + <td nowrap align="center" valign="middle" colspan="2"> + DUDLEY M. HUGHES, Georgia, <i>Chairman</i>. + </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td nowrap align="left" valign="middle" width="50%"> + WILLIAM W. RUCKER, Missouri. + <br> + ROBERT L. DOUGHTON, North Carolina. + <br> + JOHN W. ABERCROMBIE, Alabama. + <br> + J. THOMPSON BAKER, New Jersey. + <br> + JOHN R. CLANCY, New York. + <br> + THOMAS C. THACHER, Massachusetts. + <br> + STEPHEN A. HOXWORTH, Illinois. + </td> + <td nowrap align="left" valign="middle" width="50%"> + JAMES F. BURKE, Pennsylvania. + <br> + CALEB POWERS, Kentucky. + <br> + HORACE M. TOWNER, Iowa. + <br> + EDMUND PLATT, New York. + <br> + ALLEN T. TREADWAY, Massachusetts. + <br> + SIMEON D. FESS, Ohio. + <br> + ARTHUR R. RUPLEY, Pennsylvania. + </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td nowrap align="center" valign="middle" colspan="2"> + <span class="majusklete">James L. Fort</span>, <i>Clerk</i>. + </td> + </tr> + </table> + +</center> + +<!-- File: 003.png --> + +<p align="center" class="pligrande"> + ESPERANTO. +</p> + +<hr align="center" width="8%"> + +<table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" summary=""> + <tr> + <td width="45%"> + + </td> + <td> + <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" summary=""> + <tr> + <td class="majusklete" nowrap align="left" valign="middle" colspan="3"> + House of Representatives, + </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td> + + </td> + <td class="majusklete" nowrap align="left" valign="middle" colspan="2"> + Committee on Education, + </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td width="20%"> + + </td> + <td width="20%"> + + </td> + <td nowrap align="left" valign="middle"> + <i>Tuesday, March 17, 1914</i> + </td> + </tr> + </table> + </td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p> + The committee this day met, Hon. Dudley M. Hughes (chairman) + presiding. +</p> + +<p class="partotitolo"> + STATEMENT OF HON. RICHARD BARTHOLDT, + <br> + A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF MISSOURI. +</p> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Bartholdt.</span> Mr. Chairman and + gentlemen, I do not wish to occupy your time, for the reason that I + can be here almost any time, while Prof. Christen has made a special + trip from New York for this purpose, and I should like to give him + all the time you can afford to devote to this bill. +</p> + +<p> + I merely wish to say, in explanation, that I have not, as you + will notice, introduced this bill by request; I have assumed + responsibility for it personally because I thoroughly believe in + it. I first introduced the bill in the shape of a request to the + Committee on Education to investigate the subject; that is, as to + the practicability and advisability of introducing Esperanto as + an auxiliary language in the public schools. That resolution was + referred to the Committee on Rules and, of course, I could not get + any action in that committee, and for that reason I introduced the + bill in its present form, which merely provides that Esperanto be + taught as a part of the course of study in the schools of Washington, + this being the only jurisdiction we have in the matter of education. +</p> + +<p> + We Americans are known the world over as being deficient in the + knowledge of languages. I think we might as well admit that. While + every other nation is teaching two or three languages in its schools + we have failed to do so, and yet the requirements of international + trade and commerce make it absolutely essential that our young men + should be taught at least one language or two languages besides their + own. Now, this being the case and Esperanto now being taken up by + nearly all the civilized countries as an auxiliary language, how easy + it would be for us, instead of compelling our children in the schools + to learn Spanish, French, and German, to simply take one lesson a + week in Esperanto and thereby enable this nation to correspond and + communicate in a common language with all the other nations of the + world. +</p> + +<p> + The <span class="majusklete">Chairman.</span> Your idea would be that + the various nations would understand Esperanto, and that whenever + they would use that language all would understand and comprehend it? + Is that your idea? +</p> + +<!-- File: 004.png --> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Bartholdt.</span> Yes. I want to say + that there is a movement on foot in nearly every civilized country + to make Esperanto a part of the course of study in the schools. If + that were carried out, each country would learn its own language and + Esperanto, in England English and Esperanto, and so on, so that the + international language would really be Esperanto. As one who has + studied languages to some extent I can feel the shortcomings and + handicaps of a man who, for instance, having studied French for some + time, comes to Paris. The very moment you open your mouth the people + will notice that you are "a foreigner," no matter how well you speak + French, so that the other man, the native, has a certain advantage + over you. But if that Frenchman were obliged to speak Esperanto with + you then you would be on a common level and neither would have an + advantage over the other. I have read in several of the Esperanto + newspapers that, for instance, in England the great manufacturing + establishments are now printing their catalogues and price lists in + Esperanto, and that other publications are sent all over the world + printed in that language, in matters of trade and commerce. So you + can see it is coming. And since we have not overcrowded the minds of + our children with languages as yet, I think it would be advisable and + profitable for us to start with Esperanto. +</p> + +<p> + I want to add that it is a very easy language. I have learned it in + four lessons. Of course I have not had the time to keep it up, and + you must keep in practice. +</p> + +<p> + The <span class="majusklete">Chairman.</span> Does Esperanto partake + more of the Spanish language? +</p> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Bartholdt.</span> No. For an English + speaking person it is very easy to learn, because it is composed of + words taken from the English language, some from the German language, + and some from the Latin. But the whole construction of the language + is so remarkably simple, that you will wonder why it is that a + universal language of that kind has not been introduced before for + the use of civilized men. +</p> + +<p> + That is all I wish to say, gentlemen, and I take pleasure in + introducing Prof. Christen, of New York, to you, whom I regard as one + of the greatest living experts in that language and a missionary for + Esperanto. +</p> + +<p class="partotitolo"> + STATEMENT OF PROF. A. CHRISTEN, + <br> + 46 MANHATTAN AVENUE, NEW YORK CITY. +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> Mr. Chairman and + gentlemen, this is quite a novel experience to me. I do not even + know how these hearings are carried on, but I am entirely at your + disposal and shall be very glad to answer questions. If I had my + own way I would like to speak for at least an hour and a half + or two hours, but I understand that you can not give me so much + time. Therefore, it will be rather difficult to put in all the + information I would like to lay before you. I should like to tell + you something about the absurd and ridiculous linguistic chaos to + which the world has been brought through those great agencies of + progress which have now practically abolished distance and brought + the ends of the earth nearer to each other than were the opposite + frontiers of the smallest kingdom 400 years + ago; (<a id="xxx1" href="#yyy1">1</a>)<sup>1</sup> then about + the advisability, nay, the absolute necessity of an international + +<!-- File: 005.png --> + + language; how various attempts have been made to meet this growing + demand for a special international language, not for home consumption + but only for intercourse with all other nations, and why this one + is, in my opinion and in that of many wiser men, bound to succeed, + and that is because it absolutely fills the bill and is fool-proof; + as a scientific and at the same time practical scheme, it can not + be improved upon. Next, I should like to speak about the reason + why neither English, nor any other living language, can ever + become international. No living language can become international + because they are all too difficult, too complicated, and not + neutral; (<a id="xxx2" href="#yyy2">2</a>) and then, perhaps, + I ought to give you a few outlines of the construction of Esperanto + to show you why it is so easy, how it meets all the requirements of + the case, and is going to succeed. However, I do not suppose I shall + be able to do all of this, and, therefore, will merely take a few + points. +</p> + +<p class="piednoto"> + <sup>1</sup>See <a href="#additionalmatter">additions</a> to verbatim + report of hearing. +</p> + +<p> + Dr. Bartholdt has mentioned to you the movement that is already + in existence for Esperanto. Here is the official yearbook of the + Universala Esperanto-Asocio (<a id="xxx3" href="#yyy3">3</a>), + the best-organized international society that the movement has yet + produced. This society is called the Universal Esperanto Association. + It is not a propaganda society, but purely a commercial league for + the coordained use of the language, not merely for the spread of it, + but for its practical use among those who have already learned it. + This association has 698 branches throughout the world, and is in its + sixth year. Here is a map showing the places in which the society is + represented, and to-day, if I want any information on any industrial, + commercial, educational, scientific, or any other matter—say, + in Portugal, Russia, Japan, Spain, Belgium, Holland, or China, + etc.—I look up the place nearest to the district from which I + want that information and find the address of the Esperanto center + there. Then I write to the delegate and ask for the information in + Esperanto, and no matter what language he speaks at home I will get a + reply in Esperanto, and he will take any amount of trouble to satisfy + my demands. This society has done a remarkable amount of excellent + work in the last five years, and Esperanto is more and more used for + all practical international purposes. +</p> + +<p> + Now, Dr. Bartholdt told you about many commercial houses in different + countries already using Esperanto practically, that is to say, + actually using it for their business purposes internationally, + printing their circulars, price lists, catalogues, and so on, in + Esperanto, and using it for correspondence. +</p> + +<p> + I am reminded that seven years ago, in the north of Scotland, I saw + a communication to a Scotch railroad company from a French railroad + company written in English, but across the communication there were + stamped the words, "We correspond in Esperanto." And that was six or + seven years ago, and since that time Esperanto has made very great + strides. +</p> + +<p> + I have here a number of trade catalogues in Esperanto, and you will + see from the nature of them that they are really very elaborate + things and on which these firms have spent a great deal of money, + which they would not do if they did not think the thing was actually + paying. I have only about 40 such samples here because I can not + carry them all about with me. For instance, here is a very elaborate, + costly, and handsome catalogue from the biggest firm of photographic + instrument makers in Germany, and, I believe, in the world. +</p> + +<!-- File: 006.png --> + +<p> + Here is a pamphlet issued by the Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles, + a very attractive pamphlet. That was published in order to attract + European immigration to that portion of California, and that same + chamber of commerce has made large use of Esperanto for that purpose. + Two years ago they sent a man to lecture all over Europe and in some + parts of Asia on the attractions of California. That lecturer visited + 27 different countries; he lectured in 120 different towns during 18 + months and every one of his lectures was given in Esperanto, and in + several places he was obliged to give his lecture two or three times, + because the crowds that came were so large that it was impossible + for everybody who desired to hear the lecture to get in at the same + time. There were large numbers of people in every place who actually + understood him; all did not understand him, but a large number did + in every town. For instance, in Paris and Barcelona there are many + thousands who understand Esperanto. Here is another German firm in + Berlin. Here is a bookseller in Paris issuing a catalogue entirely in + Esperanto. Here is a leaflet about the Panama Exposition published in + Esperanto. Here is the town of Baden, a watering place near Vienna. + They publish a guide of their town in Esperanto. Here is a catalogue + issued by the Oliver Typewriter Co. printed in Esperanto. Cook's + famous touring agency has used Esperanto for the last seven years. + Here is a Scotch tea firm publishing a circular in Esperanto. Here + is a bicycle-saddle maker in Germany using Esperanto for publicity. + Here is a Berlin taximeter catalogue in Esperanto. Two years ago + there was held in Leipsic the greatest hygienic exposition ever + held anywhere. It was the most successful of its kind up to date, + and hundreds of thousands of people attended from all over the + world. In that exposition Esperanto was used to a great extent and + the exhibition authorities published a guide to the exposition in + Esperanto. Here is a railroad company that uses Esperanto. A great + many railroad companies in Europe already use it. They issue regional + guides to the most attractive parts of their districts in Esperanto. + Here is a Paris automobile company with a circular in Esperanto. + Here is the biggest iron works in England, the Consett Iron Co., of + Durham, a firm that employs 30,000 hands, and that firm publishes its + catalogues and price lists in Esperanto. This is only one of their + Esperanto publications. +</p> + +<p> + Here is a circular issued by a Paris department store. All the + big department stores of Paris not only use Esperanto in their + publications, but actually have interpreters for Esperanto in their + stores. The biggest ink firm in the world—the Stephens Blue + Ink Co., in London—use this language for their correspondence. + About six years ago they began to use Esperanto and published their + advertisements and their circulars for foreign trade entirely in + Esperanto. The town of Antwerp publishes an illustrated guide of the + town in Esperanto. Here is a very big Anglo-American firm of medical + supplies, Burroughs, Wellcome & Co., and they use Esperanto in + many of their circulars. The Government of Brazil three years ago + sent a man to lecture in Europe as to the attractions of Brazil. That + man lectured in Paris to an audience of 3,000 people entirely in + Esperanto, and the Government published his lecture in that language. + Here is a curious document. This was issued by the anti-alcohol + congress in Italy last year, and you will notice that Esperanto + +<!-- File: 007.png --> + + is used, and that it is recommended as the only remedy against the + language trouble which entirely hampered the deliberations of this + congress, as it does all international conventions of every kind. I + will hand this to Mrs. Crafts, because she will be able to tell you + more about it, since she was there. +</p> + +<p> + That is the commercial side of it, and these are only a very few + samples of the actual and practical use being made of Esperanto + in this one alone. I could produce, no doubt, a great many more + such examples, but I can not carry them all about with me. Here + are some 60 to 70 guide leaflets published by so many different + towns in France, in Italy, in Austria, in Germany, in England, and + in several other countries—leaflets printed in Esperanto for + the use of foreigners and tourists. They give them information in + Esperanto about the various things they might first need to know + on arriving at those cities. For instance, here is Milan, Italy, + and Poitiers, France, and Insbruck. Austria, and Tavia, Italy, and + Davos, Switzerland, and so on. In the same line here are 20 more + elaborate guidebooks to various towns in Europe, published entirely + in Esperanto by the local authorities. Of course, you will not have + the time to look at all these things just now, but I will leave them + with you. Then, again, I think I can safely say that there are over + 100 periodicals published in Esperanto in different countries. +</p> + +<p> + Esperanto is making very rapid progress in Japan and China; for + instance, I have here an excellent Esperanto paper published by a + native society in Japan. +</p> + +<p> + The <span class="majusklete">Chairman.</span> In what nation is it + progressing most rapidly? +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> That is difficult + to say, but seven years ago France was at the head, and Germany + did not take it up for a long time. Then about five or six years + ago England shot ahead of France, and then suddenly Germany took + it up, and now I think Germany is ahead of all the other countries + in the practical use of Esperanto. But it is making good progress + everywhere—in France, in England, in Denmark, in Bulgaria, + in Spain, in South America, in Germany, in India, in China, and in + Japan. In Germany the authorities and scientific people have very + strongly espoused Esperanto. For instance, the Government of Saxony + sustains financially an Esperanto institute in Dresden, and that does + a great deal of good work. The Government of Saxony is also a large + contributor to an Esperanto library, which is the biggest in the + world, as yet. And in many towns in Spain, in Germany, and in France, + especially in France, whenever an Esperanto lecturer goes into a town + he gets a stipend from the town; the town pays out of the city funds + the expenses of his propaganda, or partly pays them; they contribute + 50 or 100 francs, and frequently more, according to the size of the + place. That is the practice in many places in other countries besides + France, but especially in France. Even the Russian Government gives + financial aid to Esperanto propaganda. +</p> + +<p> + The <span class="majusklete">Chairman.</span> As I understand it, + this is not supposed to be a universal language? +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> No; an international + language. +</p> + +<p> + The <span class="majusklete">Chairman.</span> But at the same time it + is a language in which all the universe can meet upon a common plane + and converse? +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> That is the + intention, to give the whole of the civilized world one and the same + secondary language. +</p> + +<!-- File: 008.png --> + +<p> + The <span class="majusklete">Chairman.</span> In which they can all + meet on a common plane? +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> Yes; no matter where + you may go, if you know Esperanto, you shall not be a foreigner + anywhere. The intention is to do away with this terrible handicap + of being unable to converse with your fellow men of the various + countries you may visit unless you learn all or most of those + languages, a thing which, as you know, is in most cases quite + impossible. It is the intention to have all the nations understand + Esperanto, and by that means make it possible for all the peoples + of the world to commune directly with each other. The time has come + in the world's history when a common vehicle of human expression + is absolutely necessary, and the barrier of Babel must fall, as + mostly all other obstacles to free intercourse have already fallen, + before the triumphant advance of modern science and technology. + It is positively fatuous and futile to ask the modern man, be he + in commerce or science or what not, to become an expert in his + particular line of endeavor and a polyglot besides. It can not + be done. Languages are too many and each one too complicated for + our crowded curricula. The obligatory study of foreign languages + belongs to a remote past when there existed no sciences and no + industrial arts, when life was less crowded and when there were + fewer world languages. Even less than a hundred years ago a man was + an accomplished cosmopolitan if he knew French and his own mother + tongue. To-day he wants and ought to be conversant with French, + German, and Spanish, at the very least, besides English, and before + long he will have to tackle Russian and Japanese. As a matter of fact + in some of the European countries and in South America the school + children actually spend from 35 to 60 per cent of the school time in + acquiring that sort of an education, which is really not education at + all but only a means to an end. +</p> + +<p> + The <span class="majusklete">Chairman.</span> What progress has + Esperanto made in the United States? +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> In this matter the + United States is behind all other progressive countries. There have + been many sporadic efforts made and there are Esperanto groups in + different places from New York and Boston to Chicago, San Francisco, + Seattle, Portland, Tacoma, etc., but as a national movement it is not + what it should be, and the difficulty is, to far as I can make it + out, the enormous size of the country. It is difficult for a society, + without very large funds, to carry on an effective propaganda all + over the country. +</p> + +<p> + Then another difficulty is that Americans are not generally very much + given to what I should call ethical ideas of this kind, that offer no + immediate and sudden cash returns, until they really become a craze + or until a certain class, perhaps, takes them + up. (<a id="xxx4" href="#yyy4">4</a>) Let us not forget also + that the American people are not so much in touch with the language + difficulty as are other countries, and they do not yet appreciate the + enormous use that Esperanto will be to them, for, in my opinion, no + white people will benefit more from Esperanto than will the American + people, chiefly because like all English-speaking nations they are + very poor linguists. Then it is becoming more and more acknowledged + among educational people that the English language is the only + language that can not be taught. It is well known that if you put + educated people from different countries together the Anglo-Saxon + will invariably be the one who understands his own language least. + That is due to the peculiar construction of the English language. +</p> + +<!-- File: 009.png --> + +<p> + However, Esperanto would not be difficult for the American people + because it is so scientific, so logical, and entirely free of all + irregularities. Prof. Mayer, of the University of Oxford, learned + Esperanto in his seventy-ninth year. I heard him make a speech in the + language about six or seven days after he took it up, and he declared + that Esperanto ought to be introduced into the educational system of + the country. He was professor of the Latin language at the Oxford + University. He declared Esperanto ought to be introduced into the + schools, into the kindergartens, where children of 5 years of age + should begin with Esperanto, and I hold with him, because if children + were to learn Esperanto it would be of help to them in their English. + It is extremely easy to learn and can be learned in a very pleasant + fashion, because it is so scientific and so + simple. (<a id="xxx5" href="#yyy5">5</a>) +</p> + +<p> + If children understood Esperanto, they would understand English + better, and much of the time we waste in trying to teach them + English would be profitably spent, for they would have something + to go upon, something to compare English with, and that something + so scientific and so logical as Esperanto. Take, for instance, + analysis. I will not say it is difficult but I will say it is + impossible to analyze an English word, because every word can be so + many things. It can generally be an adjective, a noun, a verb, a + preposition, a conjunction, and an interjection, that is, the same + word, without any structural change, so that it is difficult for a + child to discriminate and label the word. Take the word "benefited." + That might be used in the past tense (I benefited), or as a past + participle: (We may have benefited), and it is impossible for a child + to sense the difference, and such confusion occurs to a great extent + with most words in the English language. +</p> + +<p> + I am a teacher of languages and have done nothing all my life but + study and impart languages. If I had to teach you gentlemen, say, + French upon the theory that you were going on an important mission + this day 12 months, and that it was absolutely necessary that you + should speak French (or any other language that I could impart you) + by that time, I would say it was impossible for a number of busy men + to acquire a new language inside one year; that I could not guarantee + useful results, but that if you would take two months to start with + for the learning of Esperanto, then I might be able to teach you + the other language in the rest of the time, because Esperanto is + the best foundation for learning any language. And, as I say, an + English-speaking student, be he young or old, knowing Esperanto would + more easily distinguish the parts of speech in English and possess a + real and valuable "linguistic feeling" (which he now entirely lacks) + because of his Esperanto. +</p> + +<p> + The <span class="majusklete">Chairman.</span> Is Esperanto made up of + the derivatives of the various languages? +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> I will explain that, + if you like, in a very few words. Esperanto is the work of a Polish + scholar, Dr. Ludovico L. Zamenhof, who started with an inspired mind. + I should say he was a great genius. He had studied a large number of + languages, for, as a boy, nay, as a child in the cradle, he spoke + four languages, because so many different languages were actually + spoken in his home town. Then at school he learned several more and + it is due to this polyglotic experience and the evils caused daily + by Babel in his own circle that as a child, almost, he conceived the + idea of constructing a language + +<!-- File: 010.png --> + + that should at once and for all time put an end to a foolish and + intolerable situation. He must have been inspired in what he did, + because he at once hit upon the only possible solution of the thing, + and he hit upon it without knowing that scores of others, older and + more learned, had tried the same thing and failed. His first stroke + of genius was in the composing of his entire vocabulary by borrowing + all his words from well-known sources. With the true insight of the + genius he decided that the words of an artificial international + language must be taken from international sources, and so he first + of all hit upon the good idea to use first of all those words which + are already common to most languages, and there are a great many more + such words than we have dreamed of. He decided that that should be + the starting point of his world tongue, because everybody would know + those words to start with. Take the names of animals and produce + that come from certain parts of the world and carry their names + with them, such as elephant, tiger, lion, camel, and a great many + more. Take the rose: the rose is a rose in every language; so an + orange, a lemon, a nut, and tea, coffee, and tobacco, etc., are + the same in most languages. They may not be spelled the same or + pronounced the same, but they are international, and therefore + they are Esperanto. That was the foundation of the vocabulary in + Zamenhof's new language—take words that everybody would know + and use them in Esperanto (<a id="xxx6" href="#yyy6">6</a>). +</p> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Towner.</span> How do you determine + those common names? +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> Well, he formed + his vocabulary; he selected these words because they were + international—to the exclusion of anything else. +</p> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Towner.</span> Well, that was not + definite; it might be enlarged? +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> Oh, yes. +</p> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Towner.</span> What was the vocabulary + that he first issued? +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> Offhand, I think, + about 963 words. +</p> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Towner.</span> What is the vocabulary now? +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> Probably about 3,000 + words. Now, I have dealt with the so-called international words; + but the bulk of every language consists of what I would call home + words, which every country has for its own; and the only way to bring + equivalents for such words into the language was to select them + from all the principal languages under consideration, which means, + of course, the European languages and to select these words on the + principle of greatest internationality—that is to say, such + verbs as to come, to do, to write, etc., or the nouns, hand, knife, + water, table, etc., or adjectives, like good, bad, healthy, etc. + Before he put these words into his vocabulary, Zamenhof had their + equivalents in all the European languages before him, and then he + took from the whole list the root which was the most prominent, the + root that occurred oftenest, and this became Esperanto, the idea + being that the words selected should be common to at least four or + five different languages. +</p> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Towner.</span> You do not mean that, + do you? You do not mean that the only words you would put into the + Esperanto vocabulary would be those that might be common to at least + four or five of the principal languages? +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> Yes; whenever it is + possible to find such words, and the words do not conflict with the + general harmony of the language. +</p> + +<!-- File: 011.png --> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Towner.</span> That is what I thought you meant. +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> The consequence is + that a language formed on these lines must be a Latin or Romance + language because Latin gave birth to at least six languages: French, + Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Roumanian, and English, and besides, + Latin and French have influenced and enriched the literature and + languages of every other modern nation. The dictionary of Latin words + contained, for instance, in Russian or German would be a very large + volume indeed. It is a fact that all modern attempts at making an + artificial language, and their name is legion, especially since the + acknowledged success of Esperanto, are based on Latin. Consequently + also, the international language must be largely English, because + mostly those Latin words will be chosen that are common at least to + French and English. I have lectured to hundreds of English audiences, + and I have given them numerous examples of Esperanto words in my + lectures that could be easily understood by everybody. Take the + words "skribi," to write; "lerni," to learn; "manĝi," to eat; + "trinki," to drink; "tablo," a table; "glaso," a glass; "nazo," + the nose, and "buŝo," the mouth; "mano," the hand; take the + adjectives, bona, bela, granda, kapabla, etc. Few, indeed, are the + Esperanto words that do not connect at all with the English; in most + cases, in at least 87 cases out of 100, you will find those words + connect with one or many English words. +</p> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Towner.</span> You mean that 87 per cent + of the words now in the Esperanto vocabulary are formative words? +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> Yes: they are + connected with the English language, and from each Esperanto word + you can form mechanically absolutely every word that sense and logic + can possibly connect with the one and only meaning of the original + Esperanto word. I am accustomed to lecturing before audiences and + making this statement, which I make without fear of contradiction, + that "if all of you were to take up Esperanto now and carry it on + until you were as expert in it as I am, you would not in the whole of + your studies come across more than 60 words, probably not more than + 50 words, which are entirely new to you." +</p> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Towner.</span> Of course, a vocabulary + of 3,000 words is a very limited vocabulary; it is a primitive + vocabulary? +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> Yes? +</p> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Towner.</span> How are you going to + increase it? For instance, how are you going to make it a literary + language? How are you going to write poems? +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> Personally I should + not want an international language for poetry, although Esperanto + does in fact lend itself excellently to the purposes of the muses. + But to answer your question: First of all, the Esperanto language + does not contain any words at all; I think there are only 138 + full-fledged words, prepositions, adverbs, and conjunctions, but the + rest of the vocabulary is formed of roots only. Let us take the words + "to sew," "to stitch." The root is "kudr." It is only a root, and + that alone stands in the vocabulary. Now, if you want to make this + root into a noun "o" is added to it, "kudro": if you want to make it + an adjective, you add "a" to it, "kudra"; if you want to make it an + adverb you add "e," kudre, which would mean by or through sewing, + "sewingly," if it could be so expressed in English; and if you want + to make it a verb it would + +<!-- File: 012.png --> + + be "kudri," because every infinitive ends in "i." You see, with that + root to begin with you can form four words, and you can express a + great deal more in Esperanto than anybody can possibly imagine; in + fact Esperanto is, on account of its perfect and absolutely complete + flexibility, more precise and more comprehensive than any language + under the sun. As I said before, you can form four words from every + root at the start if sense allows it, and sense allows you a great + deal more leeway in Esperanto than anybody can possibly know about, + because in no language are you allowed to proceed by sense. The + English language does not allow it, nor does any other, not oven + German or Greek, but it is allowed in this most logical of all + languages, Esperanto. (<a id="xxx7" href="#yyy7">7</a>) +</p> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Towner.</span> Take the illustration you + have just used. We say "The sewing is beautiful." and "We find her + sewing assiduously." Now, we use the same word, but the formation of + the sentence determines whether or not it is a noun or a verb. +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> You mean the + distinction between the participle and the noun? +</p> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Towner.</span> Yes. +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> With your permission + I will not answer that particularly, but will deal with the whole + subject. I want to say that from every root you form four words, the + four principal parts of speech. And the first thing to remember is + this positive stroke of genius—that every noun ends with "o," + every adjective with "a," every derived adverb with "e," and every + infinitive with "i." +</p> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Towner.</span> How would you carry that + to proper names? +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> London would be + Londono; Robert is Roberto, but proper names you are at liberty to do + with as you please; give them the Esperanto ending or leave them in + the original form. +</p> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Towner.</span> What about Washington? +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> Washingtono. <!-- [sic] --> +</p> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Towner.</span> I mean, you would really + change it? +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> Yes; if you prefer + it; that is, if it sounds better. +</p> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Towner.</span> In the language? +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> Yes. +</p> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Towner.</span> For instance, if you were + speaking about the city of Washington, you would not say Washington, + but Washingtono? <!-- [sic] --> +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> You will find it + frequently printed as Washingtono. <!-- [sic] --> +</p> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Towner.</span> Why do you do that, + because Washingtono <!-- [sic] --> is not the name of the city? +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> Let me say that you + say London in English, but that is not French. +</p> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Towner.</span> But we always spell Paris + the French way, although we do not pronounce it the same way; that + is, "Paree." +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> But London is not + London in French; it is "Londres" in French. +</p> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Towner.</span> Do you mean to say that + if a letter were addressed to London from Paris the Frenchman would + not pronounce and write it London but Londres? +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> Yes. +</p> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Towner.</span> He does not say London? +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> No, he says Londres. + And the same is true with Dover; Dover is not French; The French + would be Douvres. However, + +<!-- File: 013.png --> + + I want to say this, that after the first three or four years after + I took up Esperanto geographical or proper names were left optional + and they were not given any particular spelling in the Esperanto + language and are not now. Many Esperantists now would say Washington + and London. But you can make the change if you want to. +</p> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Towner.</span> Internationally, has not + that come to be the custom, to pronounce the geographical names and + proper names in the way they are pronounced in the country in which + they originate? +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> I think so. As I + said, there is no arbitrary rule about personal names or geographical + names. Now, let me proceed with this marvelous scheme and repeat that + every part of speech is distinctive in itself; that is the reason a + child, when it follows Esperanto, will not find English so hard and + will understand English better than in any other way. Such a child + will understand English far better than if it did not understand + Esperanto, and that is a statement I often make in my lectures. +</p> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Ripley</span>. We had a man here the + other day who has a language which he claims is an improvement on + Esperanto. +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> Yes? +</p> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Ripley</span>. He is from Ohio, I believe. +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> I know. Since + Esparanto <!-- [sic] --> began to move forward there have been at + least 30 to 40 different schemes elaborated, and that is easily done. + You can do it overnight. But there is no scheme that has ever touched + and no scheme that can ever touch Esperanto, because it has hit the + mark from the first. (<a id="xxx8" href="#yyy8">8</a>) +</p> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Towner.</span> What do you do with + adverbs? Do they have a definite form? +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> Every derived adverb + ends in "e." +</p> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Towner.</span> So you could not + distinguish from the form between a verb and an adverb, could you? +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> Perfectly. The adverb + ends in "e" and the infinitive ends in "i." +</p> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Ripley</span>. It is your contention + that children will do better in English if they acquire a knowledge + of Esperanto? +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> Undoubtedly; this is + a statement I make in my lectures: If you gentlemen will give me a + number of children aged 4 or 5 years I will give them a quarter of an + hour's pleasant explanation about grammar, that is Esperanto grammar, + and they will understand it after a quarter of an hour's explanation; + then I will jumble together a number of blocks, with various words on + these blocks, and I will say to these children "pick out every noun," + and they will be able to do it—that is, pick the nouns from the + adjectives—and so with every part of speech. +</p> + +<p> + The <span class="majusklete">Chairman.</span> Because they will know + to a certainty? +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> Yes; every word + tells its own tale on account of its distinctive ending. Now, that + is a thing you can not do in English; that nobody can do in English, + because we can not tell the parts of speech simply by the appearance + of the words; we can only know from the context and that is not + always easy! +</p> + +<p> + The <span class="majusklete">Chairman.</span> How does that apply to + other languages? +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> The same thing + applies more or less to all, because they are all irregular; they + were not formed; they have "growd" like Topsy. +</p> + +<!-- File: 014.png --> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Towner.</span> The Latin language is more regular? +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> Yes: but it does + not begin to compare with Esperanto. Now, we have had these four + words, and I want to proceed a little further, and I will take up + something that will help me to answer your questions. If I had to + teach you gentlemen French I would have to make you commit to memory + 2,667 endings and contractions for the verb alone; it would take you + months and months to learn that alone. The same absurdities and even + worse occur in Italian, in Spanish, in German, in English, and in all + so-called natural languages. +</p> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Towner.</span> And we never could learn + these irregularities and exceptions. +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> Well, if you + did learn them you would never remember them at the right time + because the whole scheme is so complicated. This is only one + of the many reasons which make us so shy at speaking foreign + languages. Now, the same thing is true of German, and of all other + languages, but it is not true of Esperanto. I will teach you the + whole Esperanto conjugation in five minutes and you will never + forget it, because there is nothing to remember. You already know + that a noun ends in "o" and that the infinitive ends in "i," and so + on: there is absolutely no difficulty + whatever. (<a id="xxx9" href="#yyy9">9</a>) Now, I am sorry + I have to speak so rapidly, because I would like to give you more + information. +</p> + +<p> + The <span class="majusklete">Chairman.</span> We would be glad to + have you add to your remarks. +</p> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Towner.</span> You can extend your remarks. +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> Since my time is up + and, indeed, far exceeded, I will be very glad to do so. But before + I leave you, let me read one or two items, which will only take two + minutes more. Here is a quotation from the British Esperantist, of + November, 1913, showing the progress Esperanto is making: +</p> + +<blockquote> + The central Esperanto bureau, of Paris, gives the following + statistics: In 1889, there had been published 29 books in Esperanto; + in 1899, 128; in 1910, 1,554; in 1912 (to August 30), 1,837. Enough + already to keep most readers going for full five years of Sundays, + and the output, both of bookshop and of press, is increasing daily. +</blockquote> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Towner.</span> In a general way, what is + the character of this literature? +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> Up to now chiefly + textbooks for learning Esperanto, such as this little book + [indicating], which can be purchased for 10 cents. You can learn the + whole mechanism of the language from one of these little books. Then + there are a great many other publications, translations, scientific + articles, etc., and we have already several novels originally written + in the new language. +</p> + +<p> + Mrs. <span class="majusklete">Crafts.</span> May I say a word right + here? I hold in my hand the New Testament, published by the British + and Foreign Bible Society together with the Scotch Bible Society. It + is a translation from Nestle's Greek Testament, and the Old Testament + is now being translated by one of the most eminent Hebrew scholars in + the world. +</p> + +<p> + Prof. <span class="majusklete">Christen.</span> Here is the next + item, which I would like to read to you: +</p> + +<blockquote> + Evening classes for the study of Esperanto under the auspices of + the L. C. C. (London county council) are being held at + the Halstow Road Nonvocational Institute, Greenwich, S. E., on + Thursday, 7.30-9.30 p. m., and at Bloomfield Road Commercial + Institute, Plumstead, S. E., on Fridays, 7.20-10.50 p. m. + Instructor Mr. William H. Dennis, B. D. E. A., 108, + Eglinton Road, Plumstead, S. E., from whom any information + +<!-- File: 015.png --> + + may be obtained. These classes are designed especially to meet the + requirements of the serious student, beginner or + advanced. (<a id="xxx10" href="#yyy10">10</a>) +</blockquote> + +<p> + That is from London. Then I have another quotation which I want to + read from Edinburgh: +</p> + +<blockquote> + The chief constable of Edinburgh has interested himself in Esperanto, + especially in view of the 1915 congress. The chief constable has + ordered a copy of "Esperanto For All," to be sent to the 650 members + of the Edinburgh police force, with a recommendation that the police + learn the language. A class for policemen is being arranged, for + which 14 names have been received. +</blockquote> + +<p> + Esperanto classes for policemen have been conducted for several years + in several towns in Germany, in France, in Spain, etc., and even + during their hours of duty classes are going on in Esperanto so that + policemen may learn Esperanto without the loss of their own personal + time. I thank you, gentlemen, for bearing with me so long. +</p> + +<p> + Mr. <span class="majusklete">Bartholdt.</span> I should like to have + an opportunity, if possible, at some future time to have you give us + about 10 or 15 minutes to hear Mrs. Crafts. +</p> + +<p> + The <span class="majusklete">Chairman.</span> We shall be very glad + indeed to give you that time. +</p> + +<p id="additionalmatter" style="margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em"> + (The additional matter submitted by Prof. Christen follows:) +</p> + +<p> + (<a id="yyy1" href="#xxx1">1</a>) We are apt to lose sight of the + fact that the whole world's business is daily becoming more and + more internationalized and that what in former centuries was done + parochially is now more and more done internationally. +</p> + +<p> + The first public international convention ever held took place + less than 75 years ago; it is a significant fact that this was a + peace convention. To-day there are over 300 societies: Commercial, + scientific, religious, sociological, industrial, sporting, etc., + organized internationally. During those seventy-odd years over + 2,000 international congresses of one kind or another have actually + taken place, and now a days not one year passes without several + scores being added to the total. An incomplete list for 1914 gives + 49 such prospective international gatherings and over one score of + exhibitions, fairs, and festivals of an international character. +</p> + +<p> + What lamentable and foolish and provoking situation at such + gatherings is due to the multitude of tongues only those know who + have wasted time and money in attending them. Usually three or + more languages are officially accepted and most of the time is + irretrievably lost in misunderstandings and more or less inadequate + translations. +</p> + +<p> + Compare with this the nine yearly international Esperanto congresses + held at Boulogne, Geneva, Cambridge, Dresden, Barcelona, Washington, + Cracow, Antwerp, and Berne, at which from 800 to 1,500 delegates + from 20 to 30 different countries spent a week in complete communion + through this wonderful language. Orations, discussions, sermons, + concerts, theatrical performances, and general fellowship among the + members being freely enjoyed by all, and often by individuals who had + only had a few weeks of acquaintance with the language. +</p> + +<p> + An international language of some sort has become an absolute + necessity of our new era of universal solidarity. +</p> + +<p> + A hopeful sign of progress is that many international organizations + have already declared in favor of Esperanto for their future + meetings. +</p> + +<p> + (<a id="yyy2" href="#xxx2">2</a>) The impossibility of ever making + any national language international will at once become clear if we + imagine the whole youth of + +<!-- File: 016.png --> + + the United States condemned to become proficient in French or Spanish + or German. Say we take the easiest of them, Spanish: does anyone + dream the thing possible? Only an infinitesimal fraction of our young + people could attain even a smattering, and that at the cost of from + two to three years' study; and even then it is quite unlikely that + other nations would adopt the same language. But if they all did this + impossible thing the Spanish speaking peoples would still have the + pull on them all because they grow up with the language and have not + to acquire it artificially. +</p> + +<p> + What holds good for Spanish holds good for even other so called + natural language, including English, and more with English than any + other on account of its barbarous spelling and pronunciation. +</p> + +<p> + None of these objections, neither structural nor national, apply to + Esperanto, which is entirely neutral and ideally simple. +</p> + +<p> + (<a id="yyy3" href="#xxx3">3</a>) The U. E. A. (Universala + Esperanto Asocio) has its central office at 10 Rue de la Bourse, + Geneva, Switzerland. Yearly dues 50 cents for private members, + $2.50 for business firms. These contributions entitle the members + to use the machinery of the association for the acquisition of + information—free of cost, except postage—on any subject + whatever (except confidential matters), the only condition being that + the request be written in Esperanto. A sufficient amount of Esperanto + for this purpose can be acquired by anyone in a few days, or even + in a few hours. It is not even necessary to have a teacher, the + textbooks being very easy to master. In America, if local booksellers + do not yet stock Esperanto literature, the would-be student may apply + to Peter Reilly, Esperanto bookseller, 133 North Thirteenth Street, + Philadelphia, Pa. +</p> + +<p> + A growing number of Esperantists all over the world are using the + services of the U. E. A., not only in correspondence, but + actually traveling through many countries for pleasure or profit by + means of Esperanto alone, and finding everywhere helpful hints and + congenial surroundings in the local Esperanto groups. +</p> + +<p> + In addition to the U. E. A. there is an international + Esperanto society for the propaganda of the language; this has + its world center at 51 Rue de Clichy, Paris, France, and powerful + national societies in France (240 branches), in England (118 + branches), in Germany (over 250 branches), etc. +</p> + +<p> + (<a id="yyy4" href="#xxx4">4</a>) I should, however, add, in justice + to the American people, that wherever Esperanto has been brought to + their notice by press or platform it has been well received. I have + myself lectured to large and sympathetic audiences in Chautauqua, + Buffalo, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Washington. Public + schools, high schools, and universities have frequently opened their + doors to Esperanto, and in my own case the University of Pennsylvania + and the University of Columbia have shown their open-mindedness to + the extent of engaging a paid lecturer for a prolonged course. +</p> + +<p> + So has the Department of Education of the city of New York. +</p> + +<p> + In the Bureau of Standards, Washington, D. C., a considerable + number of scientists have declared in favor of Esperanto, and are + adepts of the language. +</p> + +<p> + My experience is that in this country the informed public warmly + approves of Esperanto and the ideals it stands for, but expects + the spread of the language to come through the schools. There is + consequently in this country a special inertia in this matter, in + spite of + +<!-- File: 017.png --> + + approval; this makes organised propaganda extremely difficult in such + a vast territory. +</p> + +<p> + Accordingly the national organization, the E. A. N. A. + (Esperanto Association of North America), central offices, Newton + Center, Mass., has so far had but a checkered and precarious + existence. +</p> + +<p> + A rival society, the U. S. E. A. (United States + Esperanto Association) has its headquarters at Shaller, Iowa. +</p> + +<p> + (<a id="yyy5" href="#xxx5">5</a>) If I were asked how Esperanto could + best be introduced into the schools, I should suggest that a limited + course of lecture lessons, say, from 6 to 12, to the teachers would + suffice to give them all that is necessary to enable them to practice + the language until complete proficiency is attained. In many places + there is even now a supply of local Esperantists ready to cooperate + with the schools. +</p> + +<p> + After a month's study any teacher should be able to teach others and + perfect himself in the process. At that I would teach the language + only to the pupils in their last year of school; many of them could + make immediate use of Esperanto on entering business; most of them + would probably get enough of the language during the last session at + school to engage them to keep up the practice afterwards according to + local opportunities. +</p> + +<p> + Please do not judge of this probability by your experience with + other languages, which most students drop as soon as possible. Their + endless complications make the study and practice irksome and futile, + while Esperanto is positively fascinating. +</p> + +<p> + In my opinion two lessons of 45 minutes a week would amply suffice + to secure practical results never dreamed of in the French, German, + or Spanish classes. After a very short course of study, the boys and + girls would get an opportunity to correspond with scholars of their + own age and station in many lands. There are even now hundreds of + school boys and girls in France, Germany, Austria, Spain, and even in + China and Japan eager for such interchange of thoughts by means of + Esperanto. +</p> + +<p> + The hour or hour and a half spent weekly on this subject would be + amply repaid by the increased intelligence and linguistic feeling + of the pupils, and ultimately the subject could be taught with + great benefit to the whole school, doing away with the necessity of + ineffectual attempts at teaching foreign languages to all and sundry, + regardless of taste and capacity. +</p> + +<p> + (<a id="yyy6" href="#xxx6">6</a>) Perhaps a few remarks may be in + place here to substantiate still more clearly the postulate that + Esperanto fulfills absolutely the ideal requirement of a language + that means to be introduced throughout the world as a secondary or + auxiliary language: Facility of acquirement to all nations. +</p> + +<p> + (a) There is not one difficult sound, such as our th, our obscure + vowels, the French nasals, the German ä, ö, ü, etc. + The vowels are a, e, i, o, and u. Each has but one sound value, and + that long and full, approximately as in the phrase: "Pa may we go, + too?" +</p> + +<p> + (b) The tonic accent, an insuperable difficulty in English, on + account of its irregularity and elusiveness, is in Esperanto + invariably on the last vowel but one. +</p> + +<p> + (c) The grammar is reduced to a minimum, the whole mechanism of + Esperanto being compassed within 16 rules which any one can grasp and + assimilate inside one hour. +</p> + +<!-- File: 018.png --> + +<p> + (d) The vocabulary is extremely small, less than 1,000 roots, mostly + common to every Aryan tongue, being sufficient for all ordinary + purposes of language. +</p> + +<p> + This is due to the marvelously ingenious system of word building, + which enables anyone to derive from a dozen to one hundred and more + words from every root, there being to this derivation no limit but + that of common sense. +</p> + +<p> + Of course, the vocabulary for science and technology is considerably + larger, but equally flexible. +</p> + +<p> + (e) There are no troublesome genders; sex is expressed by the + insertion of "in" before the "o" ending of nouns, and of course + only in the case of animate creation. For instance, "viro" is man, + "virino" woman, "frato" brother, "fratino" sister, "kuzo" male + cousin, "kuzino" female cousin, etc. And here Esperanto has over + all other languages not only the signal advantage that there are no + irregularities, but the far more important advantage that the scheme + is applicable to all cases. For instance, although we have in English + from 30 to 40 different ways of forming the feminine such as father, + mother; brother, sister; uncle, aunt; bull, cow; stallion, mare; + fox, vixen; etc., yet in most cases we possess no decent or sensible + way to indicate the sex of the individuals; as, for instance, in + the cases of teacher, doctor, friend, cousin, neighbor, witness, + elephant, camel, goat, typist, stenographer, companion, president, + chairman, etc. +</p> + +<p> + Last, but not least, every word parses itself by its distinctive + ending. +</p> + +<p> + (<a id="yyy7" href="#xxx7">7</a>) The stupendous flexibility of + Esperanto will be still better understood if I state here that it + possesses some 30 particles (prefixes and suffixes), each with a + definite meaning and each available whenever you want to attach that + particular meaning to any word. +</p> + +<p> + We have already seen that the suffix "in" expresses the female sex + whenever it may be desirable to give it expression. So "id" denotes + the offspring, "il" the tool or instrument, "isto" the profession, + "ul" the person or individual, "ec" the quality (abstract), "aĵ" + the concrete thing, product, or result, "eg" means large, and "et" + small, etc. Now, let us see how this works out in practice. Bovo is + bull; bovino, cow; bovido, calf; bovaĵo, beef; bovidino, female + calf. And you may say bovego, boveto, bovinego, bovineto, bovidego, + bovideto, bovidinego, and bovidineto if you wish to add the idea of + size or smallness to the original or to the derived word. +</p> + +<p> + Again: "Lern" is the root for learning. We first get lerni, to learn; + lerna, learned; lerne, learnedly; learno, learning. Next, using a few + of the particles we can make: lernebla, capable of being learned; + lernema, inclined to learn (studious); lerninda, worth learning; + lernilo, a text book (a tool); lernisto (a professional learner), a + student; lernulo, a learned person, a scholar; lerneco, learning in + the abstract; lernaĵo, the matter to be learned (concrete), etc. + And once more note that what you can do with one root you can do + with every root in the vocabulary. So that the originally available + number of words is multiplied ten and hundred fold. Which simply + means a tremendous saving of labor in learning words and forms and + yet secures a range of expression and a degree of precision undreamed + of in any other language. +</p> + +<p> + (<a id="yyy8" href="#xxx8">8</a>) On the possible rivals, past, + present, or future, to Esperanto see closing remarks. +</p> + +<!-- File: 019.png --> + +<p> + (<a id="yyy9" href="#xxx9">9</a>) To complete what I said on the verb + during the hearing I give here the entire paradigm of the verb in + Esperanto. +</p> + +<p> + Paroli, to speak; parolanta, speaking; parolata, spoken. +</p> + +<p> + Present, I speak, etc.: Mi parolas, vi parolas, li parolas, ŝi + parolas, ni parolas, vi parolas, ili parolas, oni (one) parolas, + ĝi (it) parolas. +</p> + +<p> + There a thus only one ending "as" for the present of every verb and + the same for every person. +</p> + +<p> + In the past the ending is "is": mi parolis, I spoke, etc. +</p> + +<p> + In the future "os" mi parolos, I shall speak, etc. In the conditional + "us": mi parolus, I should speak, etc. In the subjunctive "u": ke + mi parolu, that I may or might speak, the tense being sufficiently + indicated by the antecedent verb. +</p> + +<p> + For the imperative we use the subjunctive without conjunction and + generally without subject. +</p> + +<p> + The participle has a most ingenious flexbility, <!-- [sic] --> + it having three forms, anta, inta, onta for the active, and ata, + ita, ota for the passive; parolanta, speaking now; parolinta, having + spoken; parolonta, about to be speaking; parolata, being spoken now; + parolita, spoken formerly; parolota, to be spoken later. +</p> + +<p> + Only practice can reveal the wonderful usefulness of this scheme, + again, of course, applicable to all verbs. +</p> + +<p> + One interesting sequel is, that as every word can be turned into a + noun—if sense demands it—by simply changing the ending + into o, we therefore get: parolanto, the present speaker; parolinto, + the past speaker; parolonto, the future speaker. +</p> + +<p> + Let no one say that such richness and possibility of precision is + of no importance; many a life's jeopardy has turned on less. Nor + can it be said that this unlimited capacity of expression makes + the mechanism of the language cumbersome, for the whole scheme of + Esperanto can be thoroughly mastered in a few hours. +</p> + +<p> + (<a id="yyy10" href="#xxx10">10</a>) In England Esperanto has been + on the school rates for several years; any technical or continuation + school can apply to the board of education for permission to put + Esperanto on its program. In 1909 it was already thus taught in 33 + centers. +</p> + +<p> + The London Chamber of Commerce holds examinations in Esperanto every + year, and has done so since 1907. The United Kingdom Association of + Teachers prepares for the certificate of proficiency in Esperanto. +</p> + +<p> + In the town of Lille, France, Esperanto has been taught in the high + schools for at least nine years; about 1,500 pupils benefiting yearly + from this. The same is true of Rio de Janeiro, in Brasil. +</p> + +<p> + In conclusion, I wish to register my opinion as an unbiased + student of the whole movement for the adoption of an international + language that Esperanto has nothing to fear from any rival + scheme—present, past, or future. +</p> + +<p> + Of upward of 150 different projects that have seen the light since + the seventeenth century, not one was born with a life worth saving + but Esperanto; not one has ever attained one-hundredth part the power + and vogue and vitality that Esperanto has achieved. +</p> + +<p> + One only of all these schemes has ever come prominently before the + public before Esperanto came into the field, Volapük, and this + failed of its own defects. +</p> + +<!-- File: 020.png --> + +<p> + One only among some 20 or 30 imitations of Esperanto, namely, Ido, + succeeded for a time in creating a diversion in the Esperanto camp. + If Volapük died of its defects, it is permissible to say that + Ido never lived on account of its numerous authors' everlasting + chase after theoretical perfection, each one having a different + opinion—and changing the same with every wind—as to what + constitutes perfection in every one of a thousand features of a human + language. Accordingly, the Idoists have altered their mock Esperanto + a hundred times in six years, so that no one has been able to keep + track of the changes, and the adherents of the secession themselves + have never been able to learn, speak, and use the language. +</p> + +<p> + During these six years Esperanto has succeeded in establishing itself + and getting a firm hold in every civilized country from China to Peru + and from Greenland to Zanzibar, because it is a live and growing + language, perfect in so far that it is endowed from the start with + all the power of evolution without the need of any internal changes + in its wonderfully simple structure. +</p> + +<p> + Here are a few quotations from great thinkers as to the need for an + auxiliary language: +</p> + +<blockquote> + The diversity of languages is fatal for genius and progress. If + there were a universal language, we should save a third of life. + (Leibnitz.) +</blockquote> + +<blockquote> + The interrelationships of the peoples are so great that they most + certainly need a universal language. (Montesquieu.) +</blockquote> + +<blockquote> + One of the greatest torments of life is the diversity of language. + (Voltaire.) +</blockquote> + +<blockquote> + What an immeasurable profit it would be for the human race if we were + able to intercommunicate by means of one language. (Volney.) +</blockquote> + +<blockquote> + It seems to me quite possible—probable + even—than <!-- [sic] --> + an artificial language to be universally used will be greed upon. + (Herbert Spencer.) +</blockquote> + +<blockquote> + The learning of many languages fills the memory with words instead of + facts and thoughts, and this is a vessel which, with every person, + can only contain certain limited amount of records. Therefore the + learning of many languages is injudicious, inasmuch as it arouses + the belief in the possession of dexterity, and, as a matter of + fact, it lends a kind of delusive importance to social intercourse. + It is also injurious in that it opposes the acquirement of solid + knowledge and the intention to win the respect of men in an honest + way. Finally, it is the ax which is laid at the root of a delicate + sense of language in our mother tongue, which thereby is incurably + injured and destroyed. The two nations which have produced the + greatest stylists, the Greeks and the French, learned no foreign + languages; but as human intercourse grows more cosmopolitan, and + as, for instance, a good merchant in London must now be able to + read and write eight languages, the learning of many tongues has + certainly become a necessary evil; but which, when finally carried + to an extreme, will compel mankind to find a remedy, and in some far + off future there will be a new language used at first as a language + of commerce, then as a language of intellectual intercourse, then + for all, as surely as some time or other there will be aviation. Why + else should philology have studied the laws of language for a whole + century and have estimated the necessary, the valuable, and the + successful portion of each separate language? (Nietsche.) +</blockquote> + +<p> + In this connection it may be well to repeat once more that Esperanto + is only an "auxiliary" language. Nobody dreams of it being a + "universal language." +</p> + +<p class="partotitolo"> + EXAMPLES OF ESPERANTO. +</p> + +<p> + Simpla, fleksebla, belsona, vere internacia en siaj + elementoj<sup>1</sup>, la lingvo Esperanto prezentas al la mondo + civilizita la sole veran solvon<sup>2</sup> de lingvo internacia: + ĉar<sup>3</sup>, tre facila por homoj nemulte instruitaj, + Esperanto estas komprenata sen peno de la personoj bone edukitaj. Mil + faktoj atestas la meriton praktikan de la nomita lingvo. +</p> + +<p class="piednoto"> + <sup>1</sup>"j" has the sound of English "y", as in boy, and is the + sign for the plural of nouns and adjectives. +</p> + +<p class="piednoto"> + <sup>2</sup>"n" is the mark of the accusative or object of the verb. +</p> + +<p class="piednoto"> + <sup>3</sup>The diacritic sign ^ occurs on c, g, h, j, s and has the + force of an h after the first and the last—ch, sh. ĝ is + pronounced like English g in George, which g without sign has the + value of g in good. ĵ is pronounced like s in pleasure, while j + simple has the sound of y in yes, esp. jes. ĥ occurs rarely and + is doomed to disappear in favor of k. +</p> + +<!-- File: 021.png --> + +<p> + Kaj se vi preĝas, vi ne devas esti kiel la hipokrituloj, kiuj + volonte staras kaj preĝas en la lernejoj, kaj apud la anguloj + de la stratetoj; por ke ili estu vidataj de la homoj. Vere, mi diras + al vi: Ili ricevis sian pagon. Sed se vi preĝas, iru en la + ĉambreton kaj fermu la pordon, kaj preĝu al via patro en la + kaŝito, kaj via patro, kiu vidas en la kaŝiton, rekompencos + ĝin al vi publike. Kaj se vi preĝas, vi ne devas multe + babili, kiel la idolistoj, ĉar ili opinias ke ĝi estos + akceptata, se ili faras multe da paroloj. Tial vi ne devas simili al + ili. Via patro scias, kion vi bezonas, antaŭ ol vi petas lin. + Tial vi devas preĝi tiamaniere. Patro nia en la ĉielo. + Via nomo estu sanktigata. Via regno venu. Via volo fariĝu sur + la tero, kiel en la ĉielo. Nian panon ĉiutagan donu al ni + hodiaŭ. Kaj pardonu al ni niajn kulpojn, kiel ni pardonas niajn + kulpulojn. Kaj ne konduku nin en tenton, sed savu nin de la malbono. + Ĉar via estas la regno, kaj la forto, kaj la gloro en eterneco. + Amen. Ĉar se vi pardonos al la homoj iliajn kulpojn, tiam via + ĉiela patro pardonos ankaŭ al vi. Sed se vi ne pardonos + al la homoj iliajn kulpojn, tiam via ĉiela patro ankaŭ ne + pardonos al vi viajn kulpojn. (La Evangelio Sankta Mateo VI, 5-16.) +</p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Esperanto: Hearings before the +Committee on Education, by Richard Bartholdt and A. Christen + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ESPERANTO: HEARINGS BEFORE *** + +***** This file should be named 16432-h.htm or 16432-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/4/3/16432/ + +Produced by David Starner, William Patterson and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Esperanto: Hearings before the Committee on Education + +Author: Richard Bartholdt and A. Christen + +Release Date: August 4, 2005 [EBook #16432] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ESPERANTO: HEARINGS BEFORE *** + + + + +Produced by David Starner, William Patterson and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + +======================================================================== + +TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE: + +The Esperanto alphabet contains 28 characters. These are the +characters of English, but with "q", "w", "x", and "y" removed, and +six diacritical letters added. The diacritical letters are "c", +"g", "h", "j" and "s" with circumflexes (or "hats", as Esperantists +fondly call them), and "u" with a breve. Zamenhof himself suggested +that where the diacritical letters caused difficulty, one could +instead use "ch", "gh", "hh", "jh", "sh" and "u". A plain ASCII +file is one such place; there are no ASCII codes for Esperanto's +special letters. + +However, there are two problems with Zamenhof's "h-method". There is +no difference between "u" and "u" with a breve, and there is no way +to determine (without prior knowledge of the word(s) involved, and +sometimes a bit of context) whether an "h" following one of those other +five letters is really the second half of a diacritical pair, or just +an "h" that happened to find itself next to one of them. Consequently +other, unambiguous, methods have been used over the years. One is the +"x-method", which uses the digraphs "cx", "gx", "hx", "jx", "sx" and +"ux" to represent the special letters. There is no ambiguity because +the letter "x" is not an Esperanto letter, and each diacritical letter +has a unique transliteration. This is the method used in the ASCII +versions of this Project Gutenberg e-text. + +However, in the discussion of the name "Washington", "W" and "sh" were +indeed used in the original document. "Esparanto" and "flexbility" were +also found in the original document and retained, along with a "than" +where a "then" was probably intended. + +In addition, the 7-bit ASCII version of this book uses the German +"-e" convention to represent characters with umlauts. The 8-bit ASCII +version uses the ISO-8859-1 character set to represent these German +and Volapuek characters. The HTML version uses Unicode and therefore +displays properly all the characters for the languages... including +Esperanto! + +======================================================================== + + + + ESPERANTO + ========= + + + HEARINGS + BEFORE THE + COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION + + + HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES + SIXTY-THIRD CONGRESS + SECOND SESSION + + + ON + + + H. RES. 415 + A RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR THE STUDY OF ESPERANTO + AS AN AUXILIARY LANGUAGE + + + ======== + + + STATEMENTS OF + + HON. RICHARD BARTHOLDT + A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE STATE OF MISSOURI + + AND + + PROF. A. CHRISTEN + + + ------------ + MARCH 17, 1914 + ------------ + + + WASHINGTON + GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE + 1914 + + + + + COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION. + + + HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SIXTY-THIRD CONGRESS. + + + DUDLEY M. HUGHES, Georgia, Chairman. + +WILLIAM W. RUCKER, Missouri. JAMES F. BURKE, Pennsylvania. +ROBERT L. DOUGHTON, North Carolina. CALEB POWERS, Kentucky. +JOHN W. ABERCROMBIE, Alabama. HORACE M. TOWNER, Iowa. +J. THOMPSON BAKER, New Jersey. EDMUND PLATT, New York. +JOHN R. CLANCY, New York. ALLEN T. TREADWAY, Massachusetts. +THOMAS C. THACHER, Massachusetts. SIMEON D. FESS, Ohio. +STEPHEN A. HOXWORTH, Illinois. ARTHUR R. RUPLEY, Pennsylvania. + + James L. Fort, Clerk. + + + + ESPERANTO. + + + --------- + + + HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, + COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, + Tuesday, March 17, 1914 + +The committee this day met, Hon. Dudley M. Hughes (chairman) presiding. + + STATEMENT OF HON. RICHARD BARTHOLDT, + A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF MISSOURI. + +Mr. BARTHOLDT. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I do not wish to occupy your +time, for the reason that I can be here almost any time, while Prof. +Christen has made a special trip from New York for this purpose, and I +should like to give him all the time you can afford to devote to this +bill. + +I merely wish to say, in explanation, that I have not, as you will +notice, introduced this bill by request; I have assumed responsibility +for it personally because I thoroughly believe in it. I first introduced +the bill in the shape of a request to the Committee on Education +to investigate the subject; that is, as to the practicability and +advisability of introducing Esperanto as an auxiliary language in the +public schools. That resolution was referred to the Committee on Rules +and, of course, I could not get any action in that committee, and for +that reason I introduced the bill in its present form, which merely +provides that Esperanto be taught as a part of the course of study in +the schools of Washington, this being the only jurisdiction we have in +the matter of education. + +We Americans are known the world over as being deficient in the +knowledge of languages. I think we might as well admit that. While +every other nation is teaching two or three languages in its schools we +have failed to do so, and yet the requirements of international trade +and commerce make it absolutely essential that our young men should be +taught at least one language or two languages besides their own. Now, +this being the case and Esperanto now being taken up by nearly all the +civilized countries as an auxiliary language, how easy it would be for +us, instead of compelling our children in the schools to learn Spanish, +French, and German, to simply take one lesson a week in Esperanto and +thereby enable this nation to correspond and communicate in a common +language with all the other nations of the world. + +The CHAIRMAN. Your idea would be that the various nations would +understand Esperanto, and that whenever they would use that language all +would understand and comprehend it? Is that your idea? + +Mr. BARTHOLDT. Yes. I want to say that there is a movement on foot in +nearly every civilized country to make Esperanto a part of the course of +study in the schools. If that were carried out, each country would learn +its own language and Esperanto, in England English and Esperanto, and +so on, so that the international language would really be Esperanto. As +one who has studied languages to some extent I can feel the shortcomings +and handicaps of a man who, for instance, having studied French for some +time, comes to Paris. The very moment you open your mouth the people +will notice that you are "a foreigner," no matter how well you speak +French, so that the other man, the native, has a certain advantage over +you. But if that Frenchman were obliged to speak Esperanto with you then +you would be on a common level and neither would have an advantage over +the other. I have read in several of the Esperanto newspapers that, for +instance, in England the great manufacturing establishments are now +printing their catalogues and price lists in Esperanto, and that other +publications are sent all over the world printed in that language, in +matters of trade and commerce. So you can see it is coming. And since +we have not overcrowded the minds of our children with languages as +yet, I think it would be advisable and profitable for us to start with +Esperanto. + +I want to add that it is a very easy language. I have learned it in four +lessons. Of course I have not had the time to keep it up, and you must +keep in practice. + +The CHAIRMAN. Does Esperanto partake more of the Spanish language? + +Mr. BARTHOLDT. No. For an English speaking person it is very easy to +learn, because it is composed of words taken from the English language, +some from the German language, and some from the Latin. But the whole +construction of the language is so remarkably simple, that you will +wonder why it is that a universal language of that kind has not been +introduced before for the use of civilized men. + +That is all I wish to say, gentlemen, and I take pleasure in introducing +Prof. Christen, of New York, to you, whom I regard as one of the +greatest living experts in that language and a missionary for Esperanto. + + STATEMENT OF PROF. A. CHRISTEN, + 46 MANHATTAN AVENUE, NEW YORK CITY. + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, this is quite a novel +experience to me. I do not even know how these hearings are carried on, +but I am entirely at your disposal and shall be very glad to answer +questions. If I had my own way I would like to speak for at least an +hour and a half or two hours, but I understand that you can not give +me so much time. Therefore, it will be rather difficult to put in +all the information I would like to lay before you. I should like to +tell you something about the absurd and ridiculous linguistic chaos +to which the world has been brought through those great agencies of +progress which have now practically abolished distance and brought +the ends of the earth nearer to each other than were the opposite +frontiers of the smallest kingdom 400 years ago; (1)[1] then about the +advisability, nay, the absolute necessity of an international language; +how various attempts have been made to meet this growing demand for a +special international language, not for home consumption but only for +intercourse with all other nations, and why this one is, in my opinion +and in that of many wiser men, bound to succeed, and that is because it +absolutely fills the bill and is fool-proof; as a scientific and at the +same time practical scheme, it can not be improved upon. Next, I should +like to speak about the reason why neither English, nor any other living +language, can ever become international. No living language can become +international because they are all too difficult, too complicated, and +not neutral; (2) and then, perhaps, I ought to give you a few outlines +of the construction of Esperanto to show you why it is so easy, how +it meets all the requirements of the case, and is going to succeed. +However, I do not suppose I shall be able to do all of this, and, +therefore, will merely take a few points. + + [1]See additions to verbatim report of hearing. + +Dr. Bartholdt has mentioned to you the movement that is already in +existence for Esperanto. Here is the official yearbook of the Universala +Esperanto-Asocio (3), the best-organized international society that +the movement has yet produced. This society is called the Universal +Esperanto Association. It is not a propaganda society, but purely a +commercial league for the coordained use of the language, not merely +for the spread of it, but for its practical use among those who have +already learned it. This association has 698 branches throughout the +world, and is in its sixth year. Here is a map showing the places in +which the society is represented, and to-day, if I want any information +on any industrial, commercial, educational, scientific, or any other +matter--say, in Portugal, Russia, Japan, Spain, Belgium, Holland, or +China, etc.--I look up the place nearest to the district from which +I want that information and find the address of the Esperanto center +there. Then I write to the delegate and ask for the information in +Esperanto, and no matter what language he speaks at home I will get a +reply in Esperanto, and he will take any amount of trouble to satisfy +my demands. This society has done a remarkable amount of excellent work +in the last five years, and Esperanto is more and more used for all +practical international purposes. + +Now, Dr. Bartholdt told you about many commercial houses in different +countries already using Esperanto practically, that is to say, actually +using it for their business purposes internationally, printing their +circulars, price lists, catalogues, and so on, in Esperanto, and using +it for correspondence. + +I am reminded that seven years ago, in the north of Scotland, I saw +a communication to a Scotch railroad company from a French railroad +company written in English, but across the communication there were +stamped the words, "We correspond in Esperanto." And that was six or +seven years ago, and since that time Esperanto has made very great +strides. + +I have here a number of trade catalogues in Esperanto, and you will +see from the nature of them that they are really very elaborate things +and on which these firms have spent a great deal of money, which they +would not do if they did not think the thing was actually paying. I have +only about 40 such samples here because I can not carry them all about +with me. For instance, here is a very elaborate, costly, and handsome +catalogue from the biggest firm of photographic instrument makers in +Germany, and, I believe, in the world. + +Here is a pamphlet issued by the Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles, +a very attractive pamphlet. That was published in order to attract +European immigration to that portion of California, and that same +chamber of commerce has made large use of Esperanto for that purpose. +Two years ago they sent a man to lecture all over Europe and in some +parts of Asia on the attractions of California. That lecturer visited 27 +different countries; he lectured in 120 different towns during 18 months +and every one of his lectures was given in Esperanto, and in several +places he was obliged to give his lecture two or three times, because +the crowds that came were so large that it was impossible for everybody +who desired to hear the lecture to get in at the same time. There were +large numbers of people in every place who actually understood him; +all did not understand him, but a large number did in every town. For +instance, in Paris and Barcelona there are many thousands who understand +Esperanto. Here is another German firm in Berlin. Here is a bookseller +in Paris issuing a catalogue entirely in Esperanto. Here is a leaflet +about the Panama Exposition published in Esperanto. Here is the town of +Baden, a watering place near Vienna. They publish a guide of their town +in Esperanto. Here is a catalogue issued by the Oliver Typewriter Co. +printed in Esperanto. Cook's famous touring agency has used Esperanto +for the last seven years. Here is a Scotch tea firm publishing a +circular in Esperanto. Here is a bicycle-saddle maker in Germany using +Esperanto for publicity. Here is a Berlin taximeter catalogue in +Esperanto. Two years ago there was held in Leipsic the greatest hygienic +exposition ever held anywhere. It was the most successful of its kind up +to date, and hundreds of thousands of people attended from all over the +world. In that exposition Esperanto was used to a great extent and the +exhibition authorities published a guide to the exposition in Esperanto. +Here is a railroad company that uses Esperanto. A great many railroad +companies in Europe already use it. They issue regional guides to the +most attractive parts of their districts in Esperanto. Here is a Paris +automobile company with a circular in Esperanto. Here is the biggest +iron works in England, the Consett Iron Co., of Durham, a firm that +employs 30,000 hands, and that firm publishes its catalogues and price +lists in Esperanto. This is only one of their Esperanto publications. + +Here is a circular issued by a Paris department store. All the big +department stores of Paris not only use Esperanto in their publications, +but actually have interpreters for Esperanto in their stores. The +biggest ink firm in the world--the Stephens Blue Ink Co., in London--use +this language for their correspondence. About six years ago they began +to use Esperanto and published their advertisements and their circulars +for foreign trade entirely in Esperanto. The town of Antwerp publishes +an illustrated guide of the town in Esperanto. Here is a very big +Anglo-American firm of medical supplies, Burroughs, Wellcome & Co., +and they use Esperanto in many of their circulars. The Government +of Brazil three years ago sent a man to lecture in Europe as to the +attractions of Brazil. That man lectured in Paris to an audience of +3,000 people entirely in Esperanto, and the Government published his +lecture in that language. Here is a curious document. This was issued by +the anti-alcohol congress in Italy last year, and you will notice that +Esperanto is used, and that it is recommended as the only remedy against +the language trouble which entirely hampered the deliberations of this +congress, as it does all international conventions of every kind. I will +hand this to Mrs. Crafts, because she will be able to tell you more +about it, since she was there. + +That is the commercial side of it, and these are only a very few +samples of the actual and practical use being made of Esperanto in +this one alone. I could produce, no doubt, a great many more such +examples, but I can not carry them all about with me. Here are some 60 +to 70 guide leaflets published by so many different towns in France, +in Italy, in Austria, in Germany, in England, and in several other +countries--leaflets printed in Esperanto for the use of foreigners and +tourists. They give them information in Esperanto about the various +things they might first need to know on arriving at those cities. For +instance, here is Milan, Italy, and Poitiers, France, and Insbruck. +Austria, and Tavia, Italy, and Davos, Switzerland, and so on. In the +same line here are 20 more elaborate guidebooks to various towns in +Europe, published entirely in Esperanto by the local authorities. Of +course, you will not have the time to look at all these things just now, +but I will leave them with you. Then, again, I think I can safely say +that there are over 100 periodicals published in Esperanto in different +countries. + +Esperanto is making very rapid progress in Japan and China; for +instance, I have here an excellent Esperanto paper published by a native +society in Japan. + +The CHAIRMAN. In what nation is it progressing most rapidly? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. That is difficult to say, but seven years ago France was +at the head, and Germany did not take it up for a long time. Then about +five or six years ago England shot ahead of France, and then suddenly +Germany took it up, and now I think Germany is ahead of all the other +countries in the practical use of Esperanto. But it is making good +progress everywhere--in France, in England, in Denmark, in Bulgaria, in +Spain, in South America, in Germany, in India, in China, and in Japan. +In Germany the authorities and scientific people have very strongly +espoused Esperanto. For instance, the Government of Saxony sustains +financially an Esperanto institute in Dresden, and that does a great +deal of good work. The Government of Saxony is also a large contributor +to an Esperanto library, which is the biggest in the world, as yet. +And in many towns in Spain, in Germany, and in France, especially in +France, whenever an Esperanto lecturer goes into a town he gets a +stipend from the town; the town pays out of the city funds the expenses +of his propaganda, or partly pays them; they contribute 50 or 100 +francs, and frequently more, according to the size of the place. That +is the practice in many places in other countries besides France, but +especially in France. Even the Russian Government gives financial aid to +Esperanto propaganda. + +The CHAIRMAN. As I understand it, this is not supposed to be a universal +language? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. No; an international language. + +The CHAIRMAN. But at the same time it is a language in which all the +universe can meet upon a common plane and converse? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. That is the intention, to give the whole of the +civilized world one and the same secondary language. + +The CHAIRMAN. In which they can all meet on a common plane? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Yes; no matter where you may go, if you know Esperanto, +you shall not be a foreigner anywhere. The intention is to do away with +this terrible handicap of being unable to converse with your fellow men +of the various countries you may visit unless you learn all or most of +those languages, a thing which, as you know, is in most cases quite +impossible. It is the intention to have all the nations understand +Esperanto, and by that means make it possible for all the peoples of +the world to commune directly with each other. The time has come in the +world's history when a common vehicle of human expression is absolutely +necessary, and the barrier of Babel must fall, as mostly all other +obstacles to free intercourse have already fallen, before the triumphant +advance of modern science and technology. It is positively fatuous and +futile to ask the modern man, be he in commerce or science or what not, +to become an expert in his particular line of endeavor and a polyglot +besides. It can not be done. Languages are too many and each one too +complicated for our crowded curricula. The obligatory study of foreign +languages belongs to a remote past when there existed no sciences and +no industrial arts, when life was less crowded and when there were +fewer world languages. Even less than a hundred years ago a man was an +accomplished cosmopolitan if he knew French and his own mother tongue. +To-day he wants and ought to be conversant with French, German, and +Spanish, at the very least, besides English, and before long he will +have to tackle Russian and Japanese. As a matter of fact in some of the +European countries and in South America the school children actually +spend from 35 to 60 per cent of the school time in acquiring that sort +of an education, which is really not education at all but only a means +to an end. + +The CHAIRMAN. What progress has Esperanto made in the United States? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. In this matter the United States is behind all other +progressive countries. There have been many sporadic efforts made and +there are Esperanto groups in different places from New York and Boston +to Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Tacoma, etc., but as +a national movement it is not what it should be, and the difficulty +is, to far as I can make it out, the enormous size of the country. It +is difficult for a society, without very large funds, to carry on an +effective propaganda all over the country. + +Then another difficulty is that Americans are not generally very much +given to what I should call ethical ideas of this kind, that offer no +immediate and sudden cash returns, until they really become a craze or +until a certain class, perhaps, takes them up. (4) Let us not forget +also that the American people are not so much in touch with the language +difficulty as are other countries, and they do not yet appreciate the +enormous use that Esperanto will be to them, for, in my opinion, no +white people will benefit more from Esperanto than will the American +people, chiefly because like all English-speaking nations they are very +poor linguists. Then it is becoming more and more acknowledged among +educational people that the English language is the only language that +can not be taught. It is well known that if you put educated people from +different countries together the Anglo-Saxon will invariably be the one +who understands his own language least. That is due to the peculiar +construction of the English language. + +However, Esperanto would not be difficult for the American people +because it is so scientific, so logical, and entirely free of all +irregularities. Prof. Mayer, of the University of Oxford, learned +Esperanto in his seventy-ninth year. I heard him make a speech in +the language about six or seven days after he took it up, and he +declared that Esperanto ought to be introduced into the educational +system of the country. He was professor of the Latin language at +the Oxford University. He declared Esperanto ought to be introduced +into the schools, into the kindergartens, where children of 5 years +of age should begin with Esperanto, and I hold with him, because +if children were to learn Esperanto it would be of help to them in +their English. It is extremely easy to learn and can be learned in +a very pleasant fashion, because it is so scientific and so simple. (5) + +If children understood Esperanto, they would understand English better, +and much of the time we waste in trying to teach them English would be +profitably spent, for they would have something to go upon, something to +compare English with, and that something so scientific and so logical as +Esperanto. Take, for instance, analysis. I will not say it is difficult +but I will say it is impossible to analyze an English word, because +every word can be so many things. It can generally be an adjective, +a noun, a verb, a preposition, a conjunction, and an interjection, +that is, the same word, without any structural change, so that it is +difficult for a child to discriminate and label the word. Take the word +"benefited." That might be used in the past tense (I benefited), or as +a past participle: (We may have benefited), and it is impossible for +a child to sense the difference, and such confusion occurs to a great +extent with most words in the English language. + +I am a teacher of languages and have done nothing all my life but study +and impart languages. If I had to teach you gentlemen, say, French +upon the theory that you were going on an important mission this day +12 months, and that it was absolutely necessary that you should speak +French (or any other language that I could impart you) by that time, I +would say it was impossible for a number of busy men to acquire a new +language inside one year; that I could not guarantee useful results, +but that if you would take two months to start with for the learning of +Esperanto, then I might be able to teach you the other language in the +rest of the time, because Esperanto is the best foundation for learning +any language. And, as I say, an English-speaking student, be he young or +old, knowing Esperanto would more easily distinguish the parts of speech +in English and possess a real and valuable "linguistic feeling" (which +he now entirely lacks) because of his Esperanto. + +The CHAIRMAN. Is Esperanto made up of the derivatives of the various +languages? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. I will explain that, if you like, in a very few words. +Esperanto is the work of a Polish scholar, Dr. Ludovico L. Zamenhof, +who started with an inspired mind. I should say he was a great genius. +He had studied a large number of languages, for, as a boy, nay, as a +child in the cradle, he spoke four languages, because so many different +languages were actually spoken in his home town. Then at school he +learned several more and it is due to this polyglotic experience and the +evils caused daily by Babel in his own circle that as a child, almost, +he conceived the idea of constructing a language that should at once and +for all time put an end to a foolish and intolerable situation. He must +have been inspired in what he did, because he at once hit upon the only +possible solution of the thing, and he hit upon it without knowing that +scores of others, older and more learned, had tried the same thing and +failed. His first stroke of genius was in the composing of his entire +vocabulary by borrowing all his words from well-known sources. With the +true insight of the genius he decided that the words of an artificial +international language must be taken from international sources, and so +he first of all hit upon the good idea to use first of all those words +which are already common to most languages, and there are a great many +more such words than we have dreamed of. He decided that that should be +the starting point of his world tongue, because everybody would know +those words to start with. Take the names of animals and produce that +come from certain parts of the world and carry their names with them, +such as elephant, tiger, lion, camel, and a great many more. Take the +rose: the rose is a rose in every language; so an orange, a lemon, a +nut, and tea, coffee, and tobacco, etc., are the same in most languages. +They may not be spelled the same or pronounced the same, but they are +international, and therefore they are Esperanto. That was the foundation +of the vocabulary in Zamenhof's new language--take words that everybody +would know and use them in Esperanto (6). + +Mr. TOWNER. How do you determine those common names? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Well, he formed his vocabulary; he selected these words +because they were international--to the exclusion of anything else. + +Mr. TOWNER. Well, that was not definite; it might be enlarged? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Oh, yes. + +Mr. TOWNER. What was the vocabulary that he first issued? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Offhand, I think, about 963 words. + +Mr. TOWNER. What is the vocabulary now? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Probably about 3,000 words. Now, I have dealt with the +so-called international words; but the bulk of every language consists +of what I would call home words, which every country has for its own; +and the only way to bring equivalents for such words into the language +was to select them from all the principal languages under consideration, +which means, of course, the European languages and to select these words +on the principle of greatest internationality--that is to say, such +verbs as to come, to do, to write, etc., or the nouns, hand, knife, +water, table, etc., or adjectives, like good, bad, healthy, etc. Before +he put these words into his vocabulary, Zamenhof had their equivalents +in all the European languages before him, and then he took from the +whole list the root which was the most prominent, the root that occurred +oftenest, and this became Esperanto, the idea being that the words +selected should be common to at least four or five different languages. + +Mr. TOWNER. You do not mean that, do you? You do not mean that the only +words you would put into the Esperanto vocabulary would be those that +might be common to at least four or five of the principal languages? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Yes; whenever it is possible to find such words, and the +words do not conflict with the general harmony of the language. + +Mr. TOWNER. That is what I thought you meant. + +Prof. CHRISTEN. The consequence is that a language formed on these lines +must be a Latin or Romance language because Latin gave birth to at least +six languages: French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Roumanian, and +English, and besides, Latin and French have influenced and enriched the +literature and languages of every other modern nation. The dictionary +of Latin words contained, for instance, in Russian or German would be +a very large volume indeed. It is a fact that all modern attempts at +making an artificial language, and their name is legion, especially +since the acknowledged success of Esperanto, are based on Latin. +Consequently also, the international language must be largely English, +because mostly those Latin words will be chosen that are common at +least to French and English. I have lectured to hundreds of English +audiences, and I have given them numerous examples of Esperanto words +in my lectures that could be easily understood by everybody. Take the +words "skribi," to write; "lerni," to learn; "mangxi," to eat; "trinki," +to drink; "tablo," a table; "glaso," a glass; "nazo," the nose, and +"busxo," the mouth; "mano," the hand; take the adjectives, bona, bela, +granda, kapabla, etc. Few, indeed, are the Esperanto words that do not +connect at all with the English; in most cases, in at least 87 cases +out of 100, you will find those words connect with one or many English +words. + +Mr. TOWNER. You mean that 87 per cent of the words now in the Esperanto +vocabulary are formative words? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Yes: they are connected with the English language, and +from each Esperanto word you can form mechanically absolutely every +word that sense and logic can possibly connect with the one and only +meaning of the original Esperanto word. I am accustomed to lecturing +before audiences and making this statement, which I make without fear +of contradiction, that "if all of you were to take up Esperanto now and +carry it on until you were as expert in it as I am, you would not in the +whole of your studies come across more than 60 words, probably not more +than 50 words, which are entirely new to you." + +Mr. TOWNER. Of course, a vocabulary of 3,000 words is a very limited +vocabulary; it is a primitive vocabulary? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Yes? + +Mr. TOWNER. How are you going to increase it? For instance, how are you +going to make it a literary language? How are you going to write poems? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Personally I should not want an international language +for poetry, although Esperanto does in fact lend itself excellently +to the purposes of the muses. But to answer your question: First of +all, the Esperanto language does not contain any words at all; I think +there are only 138 full-fledged words, prepositions, adverbs, and +conjunctions, but the rest of the vocabulary is formed of roots only. +Let us take the words "to sew," "to stitch." The root is "kudr." It is +only a root, and that alone stands in the vocabulary. Now, if you want +to make this root into a noun "o" is added to it, "kudro": if you want +to make it an adjective, you add "a" to it, "kudra"; if you want to +make it an adverb you add "e," kudre, which would mean by or through +sewing, "sewingly," if it could be so expressed in English; and if you +want to make it a verb it would be "kudri," because every infinitive +ends in "i." You see, with that root to begin with you can form four +words, and you can express a great deal more in Esperanto than anybody +can possibly imagine; in fact Esperanto is, on account of its perfect +and absolutely complete flexibility, more precise and more comprehensive +than any language under the sun. As I said before, you can form four +words from every root at the start if sense allows it, and sense allows +you a great deal more leeway in Esperanto than anybody can possibly know +about, because in no language are you allowed to proceed by sense. The +English language does not allow it, nor does any other, not oven German +or Greek, but it is allowed in this most logical of all languages, +Esperanto. (7) + +Mr. TOWNER. Take the illustration you have just used. We say "The sewing +is beautiful." and "We find her sewing assiduously." Now, we use the +same word, but the formation of the sentence determines whether or not +it is a noun or a verb. + +Prof. CHRISTEN. You mean the distinction between the participle and the +noun? + +Mr. TOWNER. Yes. + +Prof. CHRISTEN. With your permission I will not answer that +particularly, but will deal with the whole subject. I want to say that +from every root you form four words, the four principal parts of speech. +And the first thing to remember is this positive stroke of genius--that +every noun ends with "o," every adjective with "a," every derived adverb +with "e," and every infinitive with "i." + +Mr. TOWNER. How would you carry that to proper names? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. London would be Londono; Robert is Roberto, but proper +names you are at liberty to do with as you please; give them the +Esperanto ending or leave them in the original form. + +Mr. TOWNER. What about Washington? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Washingtono. + +Mr. TOWNER. I mean, you would really change it? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Yes; if you prefer it; that is, if it sounds better. + +Mr. TOWNER. In the language? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Yes. + +Mr. TOWNER. For instance, if you were speaking about the city of +Washington, you would not say Washington, but Washingtono? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. You will find it frequently printed as Washingtono. + +Mr. TOWNER. Why do you do that, because Washingtono is not the name of +the city? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Let me say that you say London in English, but that is +not French. + +Mr. TOWNER. But we always spell Paris the French way, although we do not +pronounce it the same way; that is, "Paree." + +Prof. CHRISTEN. But London is not London in French; it is "Londres" in +French. + +Mr. TOWNER. Do you mean to say that if a letter were addressed to London +from Paris the Frenchman would not pronounce and write it London but +Londres? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Yes. + +Mr. TOWNER. He does not say London? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. No, he says Londres. And the same is true with Dover; +Dover is not French; The French would be Douvres. However, I want to say +this, that after the first three or four years after I took up Esperanto +geographical or proper names were left optional and they were not given +any particular spelling in the Esperanto language and are not now. Many +Esperantists now would say Washington and London. But you can make the +change if you want to. + +Mr. TOWNER. Internationally, has not that come to be the custom, to +pronounce the geographical names and proper names in the way they are +pronounced in the country in which they originate? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. I think so. As I said, there is no arbitrary rule about +personal names or geographical names. Now, let me proceed with this +marvelous scheme and repeat that every part of speech is distinctive +in itself; that is the reason a child, when it follows Esperanto, will +not find English so hard and will understand English better than in any +other way. Such a child will understand English far better than if it +did not understand Esperanto, and that is a statement I often make in my +lectures. + +Mr. RIPLEY. We had a man here the other day who has a language which he +claims is an improvement on Esperanto. + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Yes? + +Mr. RIPLEY. He is from Ohio, I believe. + +Prof. CHRISTEN. I know. Since Esparanto began to move forward there have +been at least 30 to 40 different schemes elaborated, and that is easily +done. You can do it overnight. But there is no scheme that has ever +touched and no scheme that can ever touch Esperanto, because it has hit +the mark from the first. (8) + +Mr. TOWNER. What do you do with adverbs? Do they have a definite form? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Every derived adverb ends in "e." + +Mr. TOWNER. So you could not distinguish from the form between a verb +and an adverb, could you? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Perfectly. The adverb ends in "e" and the infinitive +ends in "i." + +Mr. RIPLEY. It is your contention that children will do better in +English if they acquire a knowledge of Esperanto? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Undoubtedly; this is a statement I make in my lectures: +If you gentlemen will give me a number of children aged 4 or 5 years +I will give them a quarter of an hour's pleasant explanation about +grammar, that is Esperanto grammar, and they will understand it after a +quarter of an hour's explanation; then I will jumble together a number +of blocks, with various words on these blocks, and I will say to these +children "pick out every noun," and they will be able to do it--that is, +pick the nouns from the adjectives--and so with every part of speech. + +The CHAIRMAN. Because they will know to a certainty? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Yes; every word tells its own tale on account of its +distinctive ending. Now, that is a thing you can not do in English; that +nobody can do in English, because we can not tell the parts of speech +simply by the appearance of the words; we can only know from the context +and that is not always easy! + +The CHAIRMAN. How does that apply to other languages? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. The same thing applies more or less to all, because they +are all irregular; they were not formed; they have "growd" like Topsy. + +Mr. TOWNER. The Latin language is more regular? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Yes: but it does not begin to compare with Esperanto. +Now, we have had these four words, and I want to proceed a little +further, and I will take up something that will help me to answer your +questions. If I had to teach you gentlemen French I would have to make +you commit to memory 2,667 endings and contractions for the verb alone; +it would take you months and months to learn that alone. The same +absurdities and even worse occur in Italian, in Spanish, in German, in +English, and in all so-called natural languages. + +Mr. TOWNER. And we never could learn these irregularities and +exceptions. + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Well, if you did learn them you would never remember +them at the right time because the whole scheme is so complicated. +This is only one of the many reasons which make us so shy at speaking +foreign languages. Now, the same thing is true of German, and of all +other languages, but it is not true of Esperanto. I will teach you the +whole Esperanto conjugation in five minutes and you will never forget +it, because there is nothing to remember. You already know that a noun +ends in "o" and that the infinitive ends in "i," and so on: there is +absolutely no difficulty whatever. (9) Now, I am sorry I have to speak +so rapidly, because I would like to give you more information. + +The CHAIRMAN. We would be glad to have you add to your remarks. + +Mr. TOWNER. You can extend your remarks. + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Since my time is up and, indeed, far exceeded, I will +be very glad to do so. But before I leave you, let me read one or two +items, which will only take two minutes more. Here is a quotation +from the British Esperantist, of November, 1913, showing the progress +Esperanto is making: + + The central Esperanto bureau, of Paris, gives the following + statistics: In 1889, there had been published 29 books in + Esperanto; in 1899, 128; in 1910, 1,554; in 1912 (to August + 30), 1,837. Enough already to keep most readers going for + full five years of Sundays, and the output, both of bookshop + and of press, is increasing daily. + +Mr. TOWNER. In a general way, what is the character of this literature? + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Up to now chiefly textbooks for learning Esperanto, +such as this little book [indicating], which can be purchased for 10 +cents. You can learn the whole mechanism of the language from one of +these little books. Then there are a great many other publications, +translations, scientific articles, etc., and we have already several +novels originally written in the new language. + +Mrs. CRAFTS. May I say a word right here? I hold in my hand the New +Testament, published by the British and Foreign Bible Society together +with the Scotch Bible Society. It is a translation from Nestle's Greek +Testament, and the Old Testament is now being translated by one of the +most eminent Hebrew scholars in the world. + +Prof. CHRISTEN. Here is the next item, which I would like to read to +you: + + Evening classes for the study of Esperanto under the auspices of + the L.C.C. (London county council) are being held at the Halstow + Road Nonvocational Institute, Greenwich, S.E., on Thursday, + 7.30-9.30 p.m., and at Bloomfield Road Commercial Institute, + Plumstead, S.E., on Fridays, 7.20-10.50 p. m. Instructor Mr. + William H. Dennis, B.D.E.A., 108, Eglinton Road, Plumstead, + S.E., from whom any information may be obtained. These classes + are designed especially to meet the requirements of the serious + student, beginner or advanced. (10) + +That is from London. Then I have another quotation which I want to read +from Edinburgh: + + The chief constable of Edinburgh has interested himself in Esperanto, + especially in view of the 1915 congress. The chief constable has + ordered a copy of "Esperanto For All," to be sent to the 650 members + of the Edinburgh police force, with a recommendation that the police + learn the language. A class for policemen is being arranged, for + which 14 names have been received. + +Esperanto classes for policemen have been conducted for several years +in several towns in Germany, in France, in Spain, etc., and even during +their hours of duty classes are going on in Esperanto so that policemen +may learn Esperanto without the loss of their own personal time. I thank +you, gentlemen, for bearing with me so long. + +Mr. BARTHOLDT. I should like to have an opportunity, if possible, at +some future time to have you give us about 10 or 15 minutes to hear Mrs. +Crafts. + +The CHAIRMAN. We shall be very glad indeed to give you that time. + + +(The additional matter submitted by Prof. Christen follows:) + + +(1) We are apt to lose sight of the fact that the whole world's +business is daily becoming more and more internationalized and that +what in former centuries was done parochially is now more and more +done internationally. + +The first public international convention ever held took place +less than 75 years ago; it is a significant fact that this was a +peace convention. To-day there are over 300 societies: Commercial, +scientific, religious, sociological, industrial, sporting, etc., +organized internationally. During those seventy-odd years over +2,000 international congresses of one kind or another have actually +taken place, and now a days not one year passes without several +scores being added to the total. An incomplete list for 1914 gives +49 such prospective international gatherings and over one score of +exhibitions, fairs, and festivals of an international character. + +What lamentable and foolish and provoking situation at such gatherings +is due to the multitude of tongues only those know who have wasted +time and money in attending them. Usually three or more languages are +officially accepted and most of the time is irretrievably lost in +misunderstandings and more or less inadequate translations. + +Compare with this the nine yearly international Esperanto congresses +held at Boulogne, Geneva, Cambridge, Dresden, Barcelona, Washington, +Cracow, Antwerp, and Berne, at which from 800 to 1,500 delegates from +20 to 30 different countries spent a week in complete communion through +this wonderful language. Orations, discussions, sermons, concerts, +theatrical performances, and general fellowship among the members being +freely enjoyed by all, and often by individuals who had only had a few +weeks of acquaintance with the language. + +An international language of some sort has become an absolute necessity +of our new era of universal solidarity. + +A hopeful sign of progress is that many international organizations have +already declared in favor of Esperanto for their future meetings. + +(2) The impossibility of ever making any national language international +will at once become clear if we imagine the whole youth of the United +States condemned to become proficient in French or Spanish or German. +Say we take the easiest of them, Spanish: does anyone dream the thing +possible? Only an infinitesimal fraction of our young people could +attain even a smattering, and that at the cost of from two to three +years' study; and even then it is quite unlikely that other nations +would adopt the same language. But if they all did this impossible +thing the Spanish speaking peoples would still have the pull on them +all because they grow up with the language and have not to acquire it +artificially. + +What holds good for Spanish holds good for even other so called natural +language, including English, and more with English than any other on +account of its barbarous spelling and pronunciation. + +None of these objections, neither structural nor national, apply to +Esperanto, which is entirely neutral and ideally simple. + +(3) The U.E.A. (Universala Esperanto Asocio) has its central office +at 10 Rue de la Bourse, Geneva, Switzerland. Yearly dues 50 cents for +private members, $2.50 for business firms. These contributions entitle +the members to use the machinery of the association for the acquisition +of information--free of cost, except postage--on any subject whatever +(except confidential matters), the only condition being that the request +be written in Esperanto. A sufficient amount of Esperanto for this +purpose can be acquired by anyone in a few days, or even in a few +hours. It is not even necessary to have a teacher, the textbooks being +very easy to master. In America, if local booksellers do not yet stock +Esperanto literature, the would-be student may apply to Peter Reilly, +Esperanto bookseller, 133 North Thirteenth Street, Philadelphia, Pa. + +A growing number of Esperantists all over the world are using the +services of the U.E.A., not only in correspondence, but actually +traveling through many countries for pleasure or profit by means of +Esperanto alone, and finding everywhere helpful hints and congenial +surroundings in the local Esperanto groups. + +In addition to the U.E.A. there is an international Esperanto society +for the propaganda of the language; this has its world center at 51 Rue +de Clichy, Paris, France, and powerful national societies in France (240 +branches), in England (118 branches), in Germany (over 250 branches), +etc. + +(4) I should, however, add, in justice to the American people, +that wherever Esperanto has been brought to their notice by press +or platform it has been well received. I have myself lectured to +large and sympathetic audiences in Chautauqua, Buffalo, New York, +Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Washington. Public schools, high schools, +and universities have frequently opened their doors to Esperanto, and +in my own case the University of Pennsylvania and the University of +Columbia have shown their open-mindedness to the extent of engaging a +paid lecturer for a prolonged course. + +So has the Department of Education of the city of New York. + +In the Bureau of Standards, Washington, D.C., a considerable number of +scientists have declared in favor of Esperanto, and are adepts of the +language. + +My experience is that in this country the informed public warmly +approves of Esperanto and the ideals it stands for, but expects +the spread of the language to come through the schools. There is +consequently in this country a special inertia in this matter, in spite +of approval; this makes organised propaganda extremely difficult in such +a vast territory. + +Accordingly the national organization, the E.A.N.A. (Esperanto +Association of North America), central offices, Newton Center, Mass., +has so far had but a checkered and precarious existence. + +A rival society, the U.S.E.A. (United States Esperanto Association) has +its headquarters at Shaller, Iowa. + +(5) If I were asked how Esperanto could best be introduced into the +schools, I should suggest that a limited course of lecture lessons, +say, from 6 to 12, to the teachers would suffice to give them all that +is necessary to enable them to practice the language until complete +proficiency is attained. In many places there is even now a supply of +local Esperantists ready to cooperate with the schools. + +After a month's study any teacher should be able to teach others and +perfect himself in the process. At that I would teach the language only +to the pupils in their last year of school; many of them could make +immediate use of Esperanto on entering business; most of them would +probably get enough of the language during the last session at school +to engage them to keep up the practice afterwards according to local +opportunities. + +Please do not judge of this probability by your experience with other +languages, which most students drop as soon as possible. Their endless +complications make the study and practice irksome and futile, while +Esperanto is positively fascinating. + +In my opinion two lessons of 45 minutes a week would amply suffice to +secure practical results never dreamed of in the French, German, or +Spanish classes. After a very short course of study, the boys and girls +would get an opportunity to correspond with scholars of their own age +and station in many lands. There are even now hundreds of school boys +and girls in France, Germany, Austria, Spain, and even in China and +Japan eager for such interchange of thoughts by means of Esperanto. + +The hour or hour and a half spent weekly on this subject would be amply +repaid by the increased intelligence and linguistic feeling of the +pupils, and ultimately the subject could be taught with great benefit to +the whole school, doing away with the necessity of ineffectual attempts +at teaching foreign languages to all and sundry, regardless of taste and +capacity. + +(6) Perhaps a few remarks may be in place here to substantiate still +more clearly the postulate that Esperanto fulfills absolutely the ideal +requirement of a language that means to be introduced throughout the +world as a secondary or auxiliary language: Facility of acquirement to +all nations. + +(a) There is not one difficult sound, such as our th, our obscure +vowels, the French nasals, the German ae, oe, ue, etc. The vowels are a, +e, i, o, and u. Each has but one sound value, and that long and full, +approximately as in the phrase: "Pa may we go, too?" + +(b) The tonic accent, an insuperable difficulty in English, on account +of its irregularity and elusiveness, is in Esperanto invariably on the +last vowel but one. + +(c) The grammar is reduced to a minimum, the whole mechanism of +Esperanto being compassed within 16 rules which any one can grasp and +assimilate inside one hour. + +(d) The vocabulary is extremely small, less than 1,000 roots, mostly +common to every Aryan tongue, being sufficient for all ordinary purposes +of language. + +This is due to the marvelously ingenious system of word building, which +enables anyone to derive from a dozen to one hundred and more words from +every root, there being to this derivation no limit but that of common +sense. + +Of course, the vocabulary for science and technology is considerably +larger, but equally flexible. + +(e) There are no troublesome genders; sex is expressed by the insertion +of "in" before the "o" ending of nouns, and of course only in the case +of animate creation. For instance, "viro" is man, "virino" woman, +"frato" brother, "fratino" sister, "kuzo" male cousin, "kuzino" female +cousin, etc. And here Esperanto has over all other languages not only +the signal advantage that there are no irregularities, but the far +more important advantage that the scheme is applicable to all cases. +For instance, although we have in English from 30 to 40 different +ways of forming the feminine such as father, mother; brother, sister; +uncle, aunt; bull, cow; stallion, mare; fox, vixen; etc., yet in most +cases we possess no decent or sensible way to indicate the sex of the +individuals; as, for instance, in the cases of teacher, doctor, friend, +cousin, neighbor, witness, elephant, camel, goat, typist, stenographer, +companion, president, chairman, etc. + +Last, but not least, every word parses itself by its distinctive ending. + +(7) The stupendous flexibility of Esperanto will be still better +understood if I state here that it possesses some 30 particles (prefixes +and suffixes), each with a definite meaning and each available whenever +you want to attach that particular meaning to any word. + +We have already seen that the suffix "in" expresses the female sex +whenever it may be desirable to give it expression. So "id" denotes +the offspring, "il" the tool or instrument, "isto" the profession, +"ul" the person or individual, "ec" the quality (abstract), "ajx" +the concrete thing, product, or result, "eg" means large, and "et" +small, etc. Now, let us see how this works out in practice. Bovo is +bull; bovino, cow; bovido, calf; bovajxo, beef; bovidino, female +calf. And you may say bovego, boveto, bovinego, bovineto, bovidego, +bovideto, bovidinego, and bovidineto if you wish to add the idea of size +or smallness to the original or to the derived word. + +Again: "Lern" is the root for learning. We first get lerni, to learn; +lerna, learned; lerne, learnedly; learno, learning. Next, using a few of +the particles we can make: lernebla, capable of being learned; lernema, +inclined to learn (studious); lerninda, worth learning; lernilo, a +text book (a tool); lernisto (a professional learner), a student; +lernulo, a learned person, a scholar; lerneco, learning in the abstract; +lernajxo, the matter to be learned (concrete), etc. And once more +note that what you can do with one root you can do with every root +in the vocabulary. So that the originally available number of words +is multiplied ten and hundred fold. Which simply means a tremendous +saving of labor in learning words and forms and yet secures a range of +expression and a degree of precision undreamed of in any other language. + +(8) On the possible rivals, past, present, or future, to Esperanto see +closing remarks. + +(9) To complete what I said on the verb during the hearing I give here +the entire paradigm of the verb in Esperanto. + +Paroli, to speak; parolanta, speaking; parolata, spoken. + +Present, I speak, etc.: Mi parolas, vi parolas, li parolas, sxi parolas, +ni parolas, vi parolas, ili parolas, oni (one) parolas, gxi (it) +parolas. + +There a thus only one ending "as" for the present of every verb and the +same for every person. + +In the past the ending is "is": mi parolis, I spoke, etc. + +In the future "os" mi parolos, I shall speak, etc. In the conditional +"us": mi parolus, I should speak, etc. In the subjunctive "u": ke +mi parolu, that I may or might speak, the tense being sufficiently +indicated by the antecedent verb. + +For the imperative we use the subjunctive without conjunction and +generally without subject. + +The participle has a most ingenious flexbility, it having three forms, +anta, inta, onta for the active, and ata, ita, ota for the passive; +parolanta, speaking now; parolinta, having spoken; parolonta, about to +be speaking; parolata, being spoken now; parolita, spoken formerly; +parolota, to be spoken later. + +Only practice can reveal the wonderful usefulness of this scheme, again, +of course, applicable to all verbs. + +One interesting sequel is, that as every word can be turned into a +noun--if sense demands it--by simply changing the ending into o, we +therefore get: parolanto, the present speaker; parolinto, the past +speaker; parolonto, the future speaker. + +Let no one say that such richness and possibility of precision is of +no importance; many a life's jeopardy has turned on less. Nor can it +be said that this unlimited capacity of expression makes the mechanism +of the language cumbersome, for the whole scheme of Esperanto can be +thoroughly mastered in a few hours. + +(10) In England Esperanto has been on the school rates for several +years; any technical or continuation school can apply to the board of +education for permission to put Esperanto on its program. In 1909 it was +already thus taught in 33 centers. + +The London Chamber of Commerce holds examinations in Esperanto every +year, and has done so since 1907. The United Kingdom Association of +Teachers prepares for the certificate of proficiency in Esperanto. + +In the town of Lille, France, Esperanto has been taught in the high +schools for at least nine years; about 1,500 pupils benefiting yearly +from this. The same is true of Rio de Janeiro, in Brasil. + +In conclusion, I wish to register my opinion as an unbiased student of +the whole movement for the adoption of an international language that +Esperanto has nothing to fear from any rival scheme--present, past, or +future. + +Of upward of 150 different projects that have seen the light since the +seventeenth century, not one was born with a life worth saving but +Esperanto; not one has ever attained one-hundredth part the power and +vogue and vitality that Esperanto has achieved. + +One only of all these schemes has ever come prominently before the +public before Esperanto came into the field, Volapuek, and this failed +of its own defects. + +One only among some 20 or 30 imitations of Esperanto, namely, Ido, +succeeded for a time in creating a diversion in the Esperanto camp. +If Volapuek died of its defects, it is permissible to say that Ido +never lived on account of its numerous authors' everlasting chase +after theoretical perfection, each one having a different opinion--and +changing the same with every wind--as to what constitutes perfection +in every one of a thousand features of a human language. Accordingly, +the Idoists have altered their mock Esperanto a hundred times in six +years, so that no one has been able to keep track of the changes, and +the adherents of the secession themselves have never been able to learn, +speak, and use the language. + +During these six years Esperanto has succeeded in establishing itself +and getting a firm hold in every civilized country from China to Peru +and from Greenland to Zanzibar, because it is a live and growing +language, perfect in so far that it is endowed from the start with all +the power of evolution without the need of any internal changes in its +wonderfully simple structure. + +Here are a few quotations from great thinkers as to the need for an +auxiliary language: + + The diversity of languages is fatal for genius and progress. If + there were a universal language, we should save a third of life. + (Leibnitz.) + + The interrelationships of the peoples are so great that they most + certainly need a universal language. (Montesquieu.) + + One of the greatest torments of life is the diversity of language. + (Voltaire.) + + What an immeasurable profit it would be for the human race if we were + able to intercommunicate by means of one language. (Volney.) + + It seems to me quite possible--probable even--than an artificial + language to be universally used will be greed upon. (Herbert + Spencer.) + + The learning of many languages fills the memory with words instead of + facts and thoughts, and this is a vessel which, with every person, + can only contain certain limited amount of records. Therefore the + learning of many languages is injudicious, inasmuch as it arouses + the belief in the possession of dexterity, and, as a matter of + fact, it lends a kind of delusive importance to social intercourse. + It is also injurious in that it opposes the acquirement of solid + knowledge and the intention to win the respect of men in an honest + way. Finally, it is the ax which is laid at the root of a delicate + sense of language in our mother tongue, which thereby is incurably + injured and destroyed. The two nations which have produced the + greatest stylists, the Greeks and the French, learned no foreign + languages; but as human intercourse grows more cosmopolitan, and + as, for instance, a good merchant in London must now be able to + read and write eight languages, the learning of many tongues has + certainly become a necessary evil; but which, when finally carried + to an extreme, will compel mankind to find a remedy, and in some far + off future there will be a new language used at first as a language + of commerce, then as a language of intellectual intercourse, then + for all, as surely as some time or other there will be aviation. Why + else should philology have studied the laws of language for a whole + century and have estimated the necessary, the valuable, and the + successful portion of each separate language? (Nietsche.) + +In this connection it may be well to repeat once more that Esperanto is +only an "auxiliary" language. Nobody dreams of it being a "universal +language." + + EXAMPLES OF ESPERANTO. + +Simpla, fleksebla, belsona, vere internacia en siaj elementoj[1], +la lingvo Esperanto prezentas al la mondo civilizita la sole veran +solvon[2] de lingvo internacia: cxar[3], tre facila por homoj nemulte +instruitaj, Esperanto estas komprenata sen peno de la personoj bone +edukitaj. Mil faktoj atestas la meriton praktikan de la nomita lingvo. + + [1] "j" has the sound of English "y", as in boy, and is the sign for + the plural of nouns and adjectives. + + [2] "n" is the mark of the accusative or object of the verb. + + [3] The diacritic sign ^ occurs on c, g, h, j, s and has the force + of an h after the first and the last--ch, sh. gx is pronounced + like English g in George, which g without sign has the value of g in + good. jx is pronounced like s in pleasure, while j simple has the + sound of y in yes, esp. jes. hx occurs rarely and is doomed to + disappear in favor of k. + +Kaj se vi pregxas, vi ne devas esti kiel la hipokrituloj, kiuj volonte +staras kaj pregxas en la lernejoj, kaj apud la anguloj de la stratetoj; +por ke ili estu vidataj de la homoj. Vere, mi diras al vi: Ili ricevis +sian pagon. Sed se vi pregxas, iru en la cxambreton kaj fermu la pordon, +kaj pregxu al via patro en la kasxito, kaj via patro, kiu vidas en la +kasxiton, rekompencos gxin al vi publike. Kaj se vi pregxas, vi ne +devas multe babili, kiel la idolistoj, cxar ili opinias ke gxi estos +akceptata, se ili faras multe da paroloj. Tial vi ne devas simili al +ili. Via patro scias, kion vi bezonas, antaux ol vi petas lin. Tial +vi devas pregxi tiamaniere. Patro nia en la cxielo. Via nomo estu +sanktigata. Via regno venu. Via volo farigxu sur la tero, kiel en la +cxielo. Nian panon cxiutagan donu al ni hodiaux. Kaj pardonu al ni +niajn kulpojn, kiel ni pardonas niajn kulpulojn. Kaj ne konduku nin en +tenton, sed savu nin de la malbono. Cxar via estas la regno, kaj la +forto, kaj la gloro en eterneco. Amen. Cxar se vi pardonos al la homoj +iliajn kulpojn, tiam via cxiela patro pardonos ankaux al vi. Sed se vi +ne pardonos al la homoj iliajn kulpojn, tiam via cxiela patro ankaux ne +pardonos al vi viajn kulpojn. (La Evangelio Sankta Mateo VI, 5-16.) + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Esperanto: Hearings before the +Committee on Education, by Richard Bartholdt and A. 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