Czechoslovak Chamber of Commerce
Since the foundation of the Bohemian National Alliance no such important step has been taken by the Czechoslovaks of America, as will prove to be the establishment oi a chamber of commerce, realized at a convention of American businessmen of Czechoslovak birth or descent, held at Chicago on February 3rd and 4th, 1919.
The great interest which was felt in the projected convention showed itself in a surprisingly heavy attendance. Over one hundred bankers, merchants, manufacturers and other interested persons came to Chicago from all parts of the United States to take part in the American Czechoslovak Commercial Congress. There were visitors from New York, Cleveland, Detroit, Saginaw, St. Louis, Omaha, Boston, Pittsburgh, Minneapolis, Cedar Rapids, Lincoln (Neb.), Washington, Petersburg (Va.), Braddock, Perth Amboy, Bridgeport, and from several cities of Kansas, Arkansas and Texas. The number of Chicago delegates was especially large.
The convention was called to order on Monday, February 3rd ,in the convention hall of the Morrison Hotel, one of the. largest and most modern hotels of Chicago. Chairman of the committee of arrangements, John A. Červenka, called for the election of temporary officers, and by acclamation Mr. fiervenka was elected for chairman and John A. Sokol for secretary. The first morning was spent in listening to speeches of welcome and in attending to various routine matters. On behalf of the governor of Illinois an eloquent address was made by Edward J. Brundage, attorney-general of the state; response was made by James J. Štěpina, president of the American State Bank.
A good friend of the Czechoslovak citizens of Chicago, Harry H. Merrick, presented greetings from the Chicago Association of Commerce of which he is president. Then followed an address by Charles Pergler, commissioner of the Czechoslovak Republic in the United States, who welcomed the work of extending commercial relations between the two republics as being in the best interests of both countries and in the interest of firm friendship between America and Czechoslovakia.
The chairman then announced his list of committees which were to meet during the afternoon and prepare definite proposals for discussion and approval of the congress on the following day. The credit for the smooth transaction of business by the large assembly and the satifastory outcome of the congress should justly go to the officers of the convention and to the members of the committees who did their work well. The committees iippointed and their members were:
Committee on Resolutions: V. A. Geringer, J. F. Smetanka, Albert Mamatey, F. J . Svoboda, Lieut. Albert Hlaváč, Capt. Method Pázdral and Václav Bureš.
Committee on Rules: A. S. Ambrose, John Novák, Chas. S . Chapp, J. J. Wlach, J. F. Kolář, G. Sedláček and Jos. J. Tyra.
Committee on Ways and Means: Paul Jamarik, F. J. Švejda, Geo. Palda, F. Holmans, Joseph Kovář, Chas. Novák, Stanley Šerpán and A. J. Čermák.
Committee on By-Laws: A. J. Čermák, K. V. Janovský, Andrew Shustek, L. A. Zavitovsky, W. F. Severa, A. A. Rumreich, A. S. Ambrose, F. J. Businský, Hynek Dostál, F. J. Vlček, J. Bilza, Jos. Kusek, Rud. Pilnáček, Frank Šimek, Milan Getting, J. F. Kolář, Chas. Zalusky, J. F. Eliáš, C. K. Kosek and Louis Jalovec.
Committee on Permanent Organization: John Švehla, John Pankuch, J. Sklenář, M. Zeman, Otto Stehlík, Jos. Mikšíček and Jos. Zvoneček.
Committee on Credentials, consisting of Thos. Filas, Dr. Rybák , Jos. Kosek, M. Weinberg, John Švehla, C. K. Kosek and Louis Jalovec reported that delegates registered numbered altogether 235, of whom 103 were from out of town, the balance from Chicago and neighborhood.
The afternoon was spent by members of the committees in hard work. Some of the committees were kept at it until time came for the dinner which concluded the first day’s proceedings.
More than 600 guests sat down at the tables when Rubringer’s band struck up the American hymn at half past eight o’clock Monday night. At the speaker’s table were the prominent out-of-town guests, representatives of the commercial bodies and consuls of the Allied countries. A Bohemian dinner could not, of course, be complete without music, and Miss Libuše Zdeněk, soprano, and the Bohemian-American quartet helped to keep the large company in good spirits. The principal after dinner speaker was James Keeley, former publisher of the Chicago Herald. He had some interesting reminiscences to relate of President Masaryk. Charles Pergler spoke in Bohemian, but he addressed a few words in English to the Polish representative, assuring him of the continued good will between their closely related Slav nations, in spite of a recent conflict in Silesia. Mr. Pergler’s sentiments were warmly reciprocated by John Smulski, the offical Polish representative in the United States. Short addresses were also made by Albert Mamatey, president of the Slovak League, John R. Palandech, representing the Jugoslavs, Francis Kopecký, Czechoslovak consul general in New York, Major
