The Association of Free Thought Czech Schools has formulated a program, the success of which will be of great importance for our societies. The Association recently appealed for the formation of a "club of adolescents". The significance of such an organization need not be emphasized.

Every year, fewer Czechs immigrate to the United States. The period of mass immigration seems definitely to have passed, at least for a long time hence.

There is reason to assume that the flow of immigrants will gradually decrease. If the war ends favorably for the Czechs, there will be no grounds to expect a strong tide of immigration from Czechoslovak lands. Should the war disappoint us, however, at least no immediate immigration to the United States will begin. We must not forget that after the war Europe will lack men, especially young ablebodied 2men. Every government will feel compelled to restrict emigration, if for no other reason than self-protection. Furthermore, old and feeble men will be debarred from the United States.

It is more likely that, with Czechoslovak independence achieved, an emigration from America, will be begun, especially by Czech-Americans who are obligated to relatives in the old country.

There can be no doubt about the validity of these assumptions. It is reasonable to conclude that our organizations will have to draw membership from the Czech-American adolescents of today.

How to keep the younger generation within our own ranks, how to bring them up in the spirit of the parents, is the pressing problem of the home and of the school. Boys and girls who have not been reared in the Czech spirit of their parents and 3who have not been taught love for the homeland cannot be relied on to fill the ranks of our Czech aid societies and Sokol associations.

Several years ago some of our largest organizations attempted to attract our second generation to our Czech-American organizations by founding adolescent clubs. It would be futile to try to conceal their lack of success. Some of these clubs were founded, true enough, but they did not take root.

To minimize the sincere efforts of those who organized this campaign would be unjust to them. Neither do we intend to emphasize the reasons for the failure. It becomes, however, imperative to tread a different path if we want to build up an army of nationally-conscious young people in our Czech-American ranks.

We hope that the Association of Free Thought Schools is pressing the proper lever, and that it will procure a large membership.

Two kinds of clubs will be formed. One will consist of pupils of our Czech 4schools, and will be a sort of preparatory institution. The other will accept only youths over fourteen years of age. Therefore, there will be a graduation from the preparatory club to the clubs for older boys and girls and from the latter to regular adult organizations, such as aid societies or Sokol associations. It must be admitted that our school education is the best means of organizing adolescents. The mere fact that children attend Czech schools is a guarantee that those children will receive training that will make them loyal to our cause. It is necessary to stress thoroughly the parents' role in this process. It may well be taken for granted that parents who send their children to Czech schools at all will take the trouble to see that these young minds form the proper attitudes toward our clubs.

The Association of Free Thought Schools will organize clubs in every Czech district of Chicago and vicinity where there is a Czech school. We hope that these clubs will in due time furnish new members to our brotherhoods and sisterhoods. We also expect these clubs to be places of recreation and entertainment for our 5youth, and not of monotony and boredom. Without the former the clubs would lose their purpose, and they could not be maintained very long.

Here is the opportunity for our organizations to perform meritorious work which is highly important for the future. The Association of Free Thought Schools should attract the attention of all our organizations and of the entire community.