The Czechoslovak Review/Volume 1/America taking notice of the Bohemians

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2982800The Bohemian Review, volume 1, no. 5 — America taking notice of the Bohemians1917

AMERICA TAKING NOTICE OF THE BOHEMIANS

Formerly it was a very rare occurrence to have American newspapers mention either Bohemia or citizens of Bohemian birth. Lately the word Bohemian is found very frequently by readers of our newspaper columns.

The successful campaign for recruiting undertaken by the Alliance together with the Sokols has been noticed and favorably commented upon by scores of daily papers, ranging from Baltimore to Seattle. Dr. Hrdlička’s excellent article on “Bohemia and the Czechs,” published originally in the National Geographic Magazine, was sent out as a war bulletin by the National Geographic Society and reprinted in hundreds of smaller newspapers in this country. That article alone has done a very great service to the Bohemian cause by bringing a sympathetic discussion of the problem of Bohemia to the attention of millions of American citizens.

There is evidence, too, that the Bohemian Review is read by men who mould public opinion in this country. Reprints from the Review and editorial articles based upon material found in the Bohemian Review, have been published, as far as we could ascertain, in the following newspapers: Providence Journal, Chicago Post, Austin, (Tex.) Statesman, Cedar Rapids, (Iowa) Times, Evening Gazette and Republican of the same city, Boise, (Idaho), Statesman, Houston, (Tex.), Post and Houston Chronicle, Galveston News, Oelwein, (Ia.) Register.

Newspapers in cities containing larger groups of Bohemian born citizens refer frequently to the patriotic meetings, enlistment and Red Cross campaigns held by men and women from Bohemia. Some of the local branches of the Alliance are very successful in informing the American people through the public press of the sentiments of Bohemians and the cry of Bohemia for freedom. The Hudson County, N. J. branch, with its able secretary, Jeremiah L. Trnka, is the best example of this persevering work through which the sympathies of America are gained for Bohemia.