Esperanto: Hearings before the Committee on Education | Page 3

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