New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-08
Bohemian ReUolt Would
Aid Allies and Open
Ewes of the Russians
By ISAAC DON LEVINE

revolt in Bohemia at the present
moment is the most fortunate thing
that could happen for the Allies in re-
lation TO the Russian situation. II Will
expose TO the Russian pacifsts the true
state Of conditions in the Central Pow
crs.
All Russia is sympathetic toward the
Bohemian national aspirations. The
radicals there recognize every nation
ality's right TO solve its own destiny.
The Stockholm conference has been
called By them to establish this prin-
ciple as basis for peace. The German
and Austrian Socialists delegated TO
the conference will therefore be called
upon to side with the revolutionary
Czecho- Slovaks.
The rebellion in Bohemia Will force
an immediate crisis in the information
a Socialist gathering The Teuton rep
resentatives will be faced by the di-
lemma: Do you support or oppose your
autocatic governments!
If they disapprove OF Bohemia
struggle for freedom. they will un-
GOuDltQly lOSt ali OpPOi NN444SE "
an understanding with the Russians
and the Allied radicals. II they sus-
tain the rebellion of the Austrian Slavs,
IL will amount to a hostile declaration
against the rulers of the Central Pow
ers.
The Teutonic delegation to stock
holm will be further discredited by the
Bohemian events. There arrived in the
Scandinavian city several Bohemians
together with the Austrian delegates
claiming to represent the enure
Czecho-Slovak nationality. Several
DAYS ago these emissarles issued a
statement in which they assured the
world that Bohemia was satisfied with
Austrian rule. As a matter OF TACT,
they represented only an Insignificant
body of Socialists, while the real Social
Democracy of the country was not al
lowed by the Austrian authorities to
send delegates to Stockholm.
The present uprising reveals the true
status of these self-appointed repre-
sentatives. 1t shows where Bohemia
really stands. 1t also discloses the
tactics employed by Austrian Social
lists 10 deceive the world. The Stock
holm conference will certainly demand
to hear the Bohemian revolutionarles,
as it will also take the Scheldemann
Socialists to account for not helping
the Minority Socialists TO secure pass
age to Stockholm.
The immediate causes of the revolu-
tionary movements are the critical con-
dition of the population and political
oppression by the authorities. At the
orening OF the Austrian Parliament last
week the Czechs expected that the many
arrested Slav leaders would be freed.
Even the Teuton Deputies saw no rea-
son for their detention. The govern
mont. however, made no move toward
liberation and reform.
Famine is at our door," wrote an in
habitant of Bohemia last winter. "The
situation in many of the provinces is
horribly gloomy. The reign of terror
in Croatia and Dalmatia during the two
and a half years of war has been with
out precedent. There has been whole
sale hanging. shooting and numbering
without any parallel in any European
country"
There is hardly any likelihood Of the
success of the Bohemian movement, in
view of numerical weakness, there being
only about 100000 CZecho-Slovaks,
and also because of the fact that prac-
tically all of the men are at the front.
And yet its service to the cause of de-
mocracy may prove tremendous. BY
Illuminating and emphasizing the gov
ornamental processes and methods of the
Central Powers it will sober the Rus
sian extremists to large extent, at the
same time creating a deep gulf between
their aims and the present views of the
Teuton Socialists.