The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1917-10-18
Declaration of Bohemian independence
Contributed by Edward E. Straka Of
Maribel representing the Bohemian
National Alliance OF America.

National Alliance Of America.
We place ourselves before the polit
ical public at a moment when the re
treat of the victorious Russian army II
being used by opponents POLITICAL!
against Russia and her allies. W.
take the side of the fighting Slav ma
tions and their allies without regard t
victory or defeat because right is or
their side.
Yet we are prompted to come forward
by warm feelings of Slav union. We
wish to express hearty sympathy to otn
Serbian and Russian brothers and u
brother Poles who are SO cruelty
afflicted by this war.
We believe In the final victory o
Slavs and their allies. We are con
vinced that this victory will be for the
benefit OF all Europe and all humanity
We shall not discuss the whole situa
ton created by the war. We shall
only explain briefly the position of the
Bohemian people, the Czechs as they
call themselves. The Bohemian nation
having by it's free choice called to The
throne king OF the 'Hapsburg family
entered into union with Hungary and
German Austria; but the dynasty
through gradual Capitalization and
| Germanization aimed at the construc
zion of single state with arbitrary
government thus violating its agree
ment to maintain the internal and
external independence OF the Bohemian
state,
The Bohemian people exhausted by
the European and Hapsburg counter
reformation we're for long time unable
TO Withstand the oppression, until the
great revival came at the end Of the
eighteenth century, eliminating in the
revolution of 1913.
The revolution was suppressed,
rights conceded to the people of Aus
tria, and principally to the Bohemians,
were taken back and absolution reigned
once more, until the disastrous war OF
1859 compelled the granting OF an i'm
perfect constitutional regime.
Magyars obtained from Vienna what
they demanded, but all that the Boz
emians got were solemn promises
never fulfilled The Bohemian people
through their representatives preserv
ed for a long time an attitude of passive
opposition, later entered the new
parliament but both in the central
parliament, and in the diets, demanded
their historical rights and reconstruc'
ton Of the monarchy on federalistlc
basis as against the German-Magyar
dualsm. All attempts TO reach an
agreement with the empire were frus'
trated by the Germans and Magyars.
The present war has intensified the
antagonism between the people OF
Bohemia and Austro- Hugarian empire.
War was declared without tho approval
of the parliament; every other country
participating in the war has laid the
momentous decision before the repre-
sentatives OF the nation, but Vienna
government was afraid TO listen TO the
voice OF the Austrian peoples, because
the majority would have been against
The war.
The Bohemian representatives. would
have protested most vigorously; there
fore the government did not consult a
single Bohemian deputy or leader be-
fore taking the momentous step. The
recent history OF the Bohemian people
shows plainly the great stress laid by
the Czechs upon the Slav idea.
And so in this war, which found the
Czechs totally unprepared, just as II
did every other peace loving nation,
from the very beginning in spite of the
incredible terrorism with which every
manifestation Of the real sentiments of
the people was suppressed, sympathy
for Russians, Serbians and their allies
was universal.
Declarations in favor Of Austria were
engineered and extorted by the
government.
Today Bohemian leaders are in jail;
an imbecie government enforces obed.
fence by hangings, and Bohemian
regiments are decimated, because they
spontaneously acted in accordance with
the unanimous sentiment of the Czech
people. The rights Of the Bohemian
language are ruthlessly violated and
curtailed, as the war is going on.
Military power overrides all laws and
treats the Bohemian lands, and all
non German and non. Magyar districts
as conquered provinces. Bohemian
publications are conhscated and sup
| pressed for expressing their opinion,
whereas our national enemies are al.
lowed to inveigh against the Czech
people, and Vienna and Budapest en-
courage pan Germanic excuses in the
spirit OF Tea Garde, Won Hartmann,
Mommsen, Trestschke. In this ex.
tremity the Czech or Bohemian people
can no longer keep silent.
A foreign committee has been formed
OF the Bohemians living beyond the
boundaries OF their native country
aiming to inform the world OF the real
facts, TO the statesmen, political lead
ers and journalists OF the allies and the