The rainy weather did not prevent the delegates to the third convention of the Svaz Svobodomyslnych (Federation of Bohemian Freethinkers of America) from attending in large numbers the opening session of the convention. Particularly gratifying was the strong participation of women delegates in the convention business. After the opening of the convention at 9 A.M. by the chairman, Mr. Prudik, all formalities were disposed of and the assembly elected Mr. Voska as convention chairman. Mr. Voska is the representative of the Svobodna Obec (Free Thought Community) of New York; Mr. Zelenka, of Milwaukee, and Mrs. M. Stepanek, of Chicago, were elected as vice-chairmen; Mr. J. Novak and Mr. K. Smiricky, were chosen as convention secretaries. A resolutions committee composed of Messrs. Vonasek, Vinklarek, Tvrzicky, Nosek, and Kozeny, and Mesdames Veselska and Liskova was set up.

The secretary of the executive committee of the Svaz Svobodomyslnych, Mr. Sevcik, of New York, presented a long report on the work of the Svaz during the last three years. The report was received with appreciation, much more so since most of the work had been done by the secretary himself. He also read the financial report showing that the total income of the Svaz in the past three years amounted to $2,329.43, and the expenditures totaled $2,065.33. The editorial work and administration was free of charge, the work being almost exclusively done by Mr. Sevcik. There followed the reports of local branches of the Svaz Svobodomyslnych, particularly those of Baltimore and Cleveland, the Svobodna Obec of New York, the local body of Milwaukee, and the Volna Myslenka (Free Thought Association) of Chicago.

Mr. Tvrzicky reported for the Volna Myslenka of Chicago and expressed regret that there is such a lack of understanding of the significance of the Macharova Knihovna (Machar Library [named after Machar, a liberal minded, freethinking modern poet and writer]) established in Bohemian California by the Volna Myslenka.

Mr. Vodrazka reported for the Straz Osvojenych (Guard of the Liberated) of Chicago, and described in detail the action of the Straz to have the article about the German Kaiser removed from Chicago school books.

Mr. Breznovsky of New York reported on the activities of the Cesko-Americka Matice Skolska (Bohemian-American Scholastic Association) which maintains practically all freethinking Bohemian schools east of Cleveland and whose president is Mr. Breznovsky. The Cesko-Americka Matice now comprises forty-nine Bohemian schools, an association for the building of a children's home, the Sdruzeni Skol (School Association) in Cleveland, and the Vzdelavaci Vybor (Educational Committee) of the Zapadni Ceska Bratrska Jednota (Western Bohemian Brotherhood) which is the body governing the schools of that Brotherhood.

The Cesko-Americka Matice is an organization of considerable strength, since it maintains forty-nine schools with 5,052 pupils.

The debate on schools was participated in by the secretary of the teachers' 4association, Mr. B. Jonas, and by Mrs. Veselsky, who discussed the situation of Bohemian free thought schools in Chicago. The debate resulted in the presentation of the motion to issue an invitation to the Sdruzeni Svobodomyslnych Skol (Federation of Bohemian Free Thought Schools) of Chicago to attend this convention. The motion carried and the school debate was discontinued for the time being.

Proposals were adopted to make Chicago the seat of the executive committee of the Svaz Svobodomyslnych, and New York the seat of the press committee (publishers of the"Vek Rozumu" [Age of Reason]). There followed a debate on the strengthening of free thought propaganda through the press.

The attendance of the convention was beyond all expectations. There were over one hundred delegates from eleven states, representing sixty organizations.