Since the founding of the Bohemian National Alliance, no such important step has been taken by the Czechoslovaks of America as will result in the establishment of a Chamber of Commerce, realized at a convention of American business men of Czechoslovak birth or descent, held in Chicago, Feb. 3rd and 4th.

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. The number of Chicago delegates was especially large.

The convention was called to order Monday, Feb. 3rd, in the convention hall of the Morrison Hotel. The Chairman of the Committee of Arrangements, John A. Cervenka, called for the election of temporary officers, and by acclamation Mr. Cervenka was elected Chairman and John A. Sokol, Secretary.

The Committee on Credentials, consisting of Thos. Filas, Dr. Rybak, Jos. Kosek, M. Weinberg, J. Svehla, C. K. Kosek and Louis Jalovek, reported that delegates registered numbered altogether 235, of whom 103 were from out of town, the balance from Chicago and its surrounding territory.

The following morning the delegates met for business at ten o'clock. The Committee on permanent organization recommended for permanent President of the Convention, John A. Cervenka, and for Vice-Presidents, Vaclav Bures, M. Zeman, Joseph Domek and Rudolf Pelnacek. John A. Sokol was recommended for Secretary; Milan Getting, Alois Jalovek and Joseph Kubicek for Assistant Secretaries; Paul Kvorka for Treasurer. These recommendations were unanimously approved.

Upon recommendation of the Committee on resolutions, the Congress instructed the Secretary to ask Secretary Redfield of the Department of Commerce, to send as soon as possible a trade mission to Bohemia for the purpose of gathering information on the trade opportunities between the American and the Czechoslovak Republics. The Ways and Means Committee estimated that 3the maintenance of the office and the expense of the work, which the proposed Chamber of Commerce should undertake, would amount to about $20,000.000 a year and figuring on that basis, it proposed definite membership fees for various classes of members. This matter produced considerable discussion. The only definite action taken by the Congress was to vote that local Chambers of Commerce and similar societies, such as have already been organized in Chicago, New York, Baltimore and elsewhere, should become members of the national organization by paying $2.00 for each member. Out of the usual provisions found in the By-Laws of Chambers of Commerce, the most significant was the decision to have a board of twenty-one directors upon whose ability and efficiency the success of the new Chamber of Commerce will depend. The convention having decided previously that the headquarters of the Czechoslovak Chamber of Commerce of America should be in Chicago, seven of the twenty-one directors are residents of Chicago. They are - John R. Cervenka, James F. Stepina, Frank G. Hajicek, John A. Sokol, Andrew Schustek, John Kubicek and Paul Kvorka.

The American Czechoslovak Commercial Congress gave the necessary impulse and set into motion the machinery needed to create business ties between the American and Czechoslovak Republics. A good start has been made. All depends on the efforts of the Board of Directors, and on the way in which their work will be received and backed by American business men of Czechoslovak descent and by the entire Czech speaking body of American citizenship. Those who attended the Convention left Chicago full of confidence that the work begun there would bear fruit.