nslated into it.

It is generally recognized that Esperanto represents a great advance on
Volapuek. Yet there are already signs that Esperanto is approaching the
climax of its reputation, and that possibly its inventor may share the
fate of the inventor of Volapuek and outlive his own language. The most
serious attack on Esperanto has come from within. The most intelligent
Esperantists have realized the weakness and defects of their language
(in some measure due to the inevitable Slavonic prepossessions of its
inventor) and demand radical reforms, which the conservative party
resist. Even M. de Beaufront, to whom its success was largely due, has
abandoned primitive Esperanto, and various scientific men of high
distinction in several countries now advocate the supersession of
Esperanto by an improved language based upon it and called Ido.
Professor Lorenz, who is among the advocates of Ido, admits that
Esperanto has shown the possibility of a synthetic language, but states
definitely that "according to the concordant testimony of all unbiased
opinions" Esperanto in no wise represents the final solution of the
problem. This new movement is embodied in the Delegation pour l'Adoption
d'une Langue Auxiliaire Internationale, founded in Paris during the
International Exhibition in 1900 by various eminent literary and
scientific men, and having its head-quarters in Paris. The Delegation
consider that the problem demands a purely scientific and technical
solution, and it is claimed that 40 per cent of the stems of Ido are
common to six languages: German, English, French, Italian, Russian and
Spanish. The Delegation appear to have approached the question with a
fairly open mind, and it was only after study of the subject that they
finally reached the conclusion that Esperanto contained a sufficient
number of good qualities to furnish a basis on which to work.[246]

The general programme of the Delegation is that (1) an auxiliary
international language is required, adapted to written and oral language
between persons of different mother tongues; (2) such language must be
capable of serving the needs of science, daily life, commerce, and
general intercourse, and must be of such a character that it may easily
be learnt by persons of average elementary education, especially those
of civilized European nationality; (3) the decision to rest with the
International Association of Academies, and, in case of their refusal,
with the Commit