I wish to call your attention to the article printed in last
week's GREAT ROUND WORLD about Austria. Your description
about the Bohemians, properly called Czechs, is wrong. They
are not wild, unruly, nor obstinate. In the United States
there are five hundred thousand Czechs, and you never hear
of them giving trouble to the Government nor any one else.
Everywhere they are known as a quiet, industrious race,
doing their business and offending no one. In Europe they
have a great many obstacles to overcome. One of them is that
the Germans are trying to crush them wherever they can.
Every nation loves its tongue and wishes it to live, so do
the Czechs. Because they oppose, are they to be called wild,
obstinate, and ill-governed? The Czechs' language is not so
difficult. I know Americans speaking the Czechs' language
as well as Czechs themselves. I do not wish to discuss their
rights, but I do feel that where a sad mistake has been made
it ought to be rectified. Young readers must be informed
correctly; and knowing it to be your aim to inform your
readers so, I take the liberty of writing. I hope you will
not think me prejudiced, nor that I merely write from a
Czech's standpoint. An injustice has been done and ought to
be righted if possible. If you wish to gain correct
information, I refer you to Mr. Riis, author of "How the
Other Half Lives." Also to Dr. Hall, minister of the
Presbyterian Church. They have both been to Austria several
times, and know a great deal about the Czechs. Hoping you
will consider the matter, I remain yours, A.B. BAZATA.
NEW YORK CITY, October 18th, 1897.