Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1916-03-03

In our last issue we mentioned that
Charles Pergler had gone to Washing.
ton as representative of the Bohemian
National Alliance before the House
committee on foreign relations which
is considering resolution to convene a
congress of neutral nations to offer
mediation to the warning nations of
Europe. Mr.. Pergler was heard by the
committee on Thursday last. His ad-
dress follows and we are glad to give it
space as it is especially Of interest to
the Bohemians of this vicinity, most of
whom have relatives who are unwilling
participants in the European conflict.
Gentlemen of the Committee on For
eign Relations of the House of Repre-
sentatives;
In dealing with the question of the
liberation of oppressed nationalities,
and in preparing to take the initiative
to achieve Etheir liberation, the Con
gress of1the United States is following
the best American traditions and prec-
edents.
In IS49, while the Hungarian Revo-
luton waslstill:in progress, Mr. Clay
ton sent an emissary, Dudley A. Mann,
with instructions to recognize the Hun
garian republic in case it appeared to
be firmly established. The Austrian
government protested, and it became
the lot of Daniel Webster to respond,
and inlDec. 1850, this great American
wrotea spirited reply, denying that the
visit was an unfriendly act, and assert
ing thesright.of the American people to
sympathize with the efforts of any ma
tion.to acquire liberty. Certainly the
UnitedIStates may be pardoned," said
Daniel Webster, ''even by those who
profess adherence to the principles of
absolute governments, if they enter
tain an ardent affection for its popular
forms Of. political organization which
have so srapidly advanced their own
prosperity, their happiness, and en-
abled them in so short period to bring
their.country, and the hemisphere to
which it belongs, to the notice and re-
spectful regard, not to say the admira
ton, of the civilized world"
There is no--ques ton that in the Span
ish American war one of the main mo-
tives actuating the American people in
their conduct, was the desire to see
Cuba free and independent.
The right of any nation to self-gov-
eminent and independence is not and
cannot be a debatable question. 1t
would be idle, and waste of time and
words, to endeavor to prove that this or
that nationality is entitled to freedom
and independence. This is one of the
self-evident truths from the force of
which debate or discussion would mere
ly detract. This is especially true of
nation concerning which President
Woodrow Wilson says in one of his
works: mo lapse Of, time, no.. defeat
of hopes, seems sufficient to reconcile
the Czechs of Bohemia to incorporation
with Austria; pride of race and the
memories of notable and distinguish
ed history keep them always at odds
with the Germans within their gates
and with the government set over their
heads. They desire at least the same
degree of autonomy that has been
granted to Hungary. The State by
Woodrow Wilson, Section $50, Edition
of 1889, 'page $685.
The..history of the Czech nationality
is one of an unparalleled martyrdom.
With the exception of the Poles, and at
present of the Armenians, it is quite
doubtful whether there is any other ma
ton in the world that has ever been
subjected to the persecution which fol-
lowed the unfortunate result of the bat
tie of White Mountain in 1920.
During the fifteenth century, the
Czechs fought for the freedom of con-
science against the whole of Europe.
But following this glorious period came
and after the battle of
White Mountain in 1920 the Bohem-
ians lost their independence. After
this battle, twenty seven leaders of the
Bohemian rebellion against Ferdinand
the Second were executed, many Of
them tortured and thirty-six thousand
families forced to leave their native
land, and their property confscated.
Today Bohemians pay more than four
hundred million crowns yearly by way
of taxes to the Austrian government in
Vienna; but all this money stays in
Vienna, and is being used for the sup
port of the Austrian Alp lands that are
financially passive, while the needs of
Bohemia are being neglected.
The ruthless persecution following the