The grades of laces produced in the West European countries were introduced into Bohemia about this time. The Bohemian lace makers were experts and quickly mastered the technique of construction and design. It spread over the western portion of the country and quickly became an important industry. At present it is centred about the towns of Stráž, Sedlice, Vamberk and Dobrovice.
In the leading authoritative work on Bohemian laces, “Laces and Lace Making of the Slavonic People” (Krajky a Krajkářství Lidu Slovanského), prepared jointly by Maria A. Smolka and Regina Bíbova, we find this statement: “The artistic execution of laces by our people excites admiration. Their ingenuity in producing Valenciennes, Brussels, Netherland and Flanders patterns with flowery ornaments or harmonious grouping of numerous motifs excites astonishment in the neutral observer and he is amazed at the soft and delicate execution, while we are surprised. Therefore, we ask, how it is posible for the heavy and work tired hands of our old and young women to produce such delicate laces? Where did our people gain such extraordinary skill which is necessary in weaving the West European laces? To this question there is but one answer—the antiquity of the technique of weaving laces among the Slavs.”
It is to be regretted that there exists no comprehensive public collection of Bohemian laces anywhere in the world except possibly the small exhibit in the Vojta Náprstek Industrial Museum in the city of Prague. Some of the larger museums in the metropolitan cities treasure some small pieces. The Bohemian authorities on lace, Marie A. Smolka and Regina Bíbova, collected numerous examples of the handiwork of the early centuries. It is hoped that some day these may become available for public exhibition so that all may understand and appreciate the laces of the Czechoslovak people.
But New York is fortunate. Happily it boasts of a very excellent collection of black and white prints showing the laces of Bohemia. It is housed in the Webster Branch of the New York Public Library, which is located at Seventy-eighth street and Avenue A. Here the glory, delicacy, richness and splendor of the Bohemian laces may be viewed and appreciated at leisure. The kindly assistant in charge of the Slavonic department, Mrs. Matulka, is an inexhaustible well of definite information on these laces and she will willingly and gladly enlighten the visitor.
Bohemia the free will speedily revive her lace industry, particularly the commercial, and will return to her former state of quantitative and artistic production. Her laces will be offered to the world as her products, under her labels and names. By reestablishing herself in her former position in the lace industry and, incidentally, stimulating the production the world at large will be the ultimate gainer.
ALICE MASARYK FUND.
Miss Emma Novákova who came to the United States in June to arouse interest on behalf of the Czechoslovak Red Cross sailed back at the end of August, after a trip that took her as far as Nebraska and Kansas and involved making more than a hundred addresses. Lieut. Sedley C. Peck who served in Prague as Hoover’s assistant and there learned to like the Czechoslovak people accompanied Miss Novákova and in English addresses told of what he saw in Prague and how greatly the children were in need of more food and proper medicines.
This brief campaign, coming in the midst of the hot weather, could not reach the great masses of the American people, and its effect was limited to Americans of Czechoslovak descent. With the assistance of the Bohemian National Alliance and especially the Slovak League collections were taken for the Alice Masaryk Fund, and Miss Novákova was able to take with her about one hundred thousand dollars as a fund for purchase of milk and cod liver oil for sick children. The campaign is still going on and will bring greater results.
At the same time charitable hearts in America kept sending help to the needy in the old country in another way. The American Czechoslovak Board opened an office in Chicago for the purpose of assisting people here to send packages of clothing to relatives in Bohemia and Slovakia. Through the co-operation of the Czechoslovak Commercial Commission low rates were secured, and in July and August the Chicago office under the direction of Fráňa Klepal forwarded $600,000 worth of goods to the Czechoslovak Republic most of it clothing, as that is the principal need over there; some of the boxes are intended for the general distribution by the Red Cross. As parcel post to Czechoslovakia will soon be in operation and as there are now many commercial houses offering transportation at a moderate rate, the Board intends to close soon this branch of its activities.
