New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-24
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
! Sir: Now that the clouds Of war are omi-
nously hanging over our country, it is oil
vital importance that the American puoile
should know the attitude of the Czech DO
hemian) people (of whom there are several
hundred thousand in the United States) tow
ard Austria and America. False reports from
Vienna make it appear that the Czechs are
| in sympathy with the cause Of the Central
Powers, which is, however, absolutely con-
( trary to facts. In your paper Of January 81
you published an article entitled "Austrians
| Gail Wilson's Speech Brief for Allies" In
this article it was denied that the small races
Of Austria are yearning for change Among
other things it was stated:
THE Czechs and Slovacs express similar
views ito those of the Poles and Italians j
stress being laid by the Czechs upon the fact
that Bohemia, one of Europe's great indus
trial centres, must be part of strong state
IL her industries are 10 continue to fourish
The idea is also presented that separate
state of Bohemia could not be constituted
without including Germans, who compose two
ffths Of the population"
More fragrant untruth could never have
been uttered by any one but an Austrian, Ger
man or an agent Of Austrian bureaucracy.
can state with absolute certainty that the
Czech people in Bohemia, as we'll as in Amer
lea, are unquslifedly and absolutely in sym
patty with the cause of the Allies Never IN
the history of Bohemia have the Czechs will
ingly submitted to the German domination
and for many centuries the Hapsburg rulers
have been and are now regarded as then
greatest enemies. The assertion that the
Czechs are Joined to the German and Hun
garian main groups by reason of historical
evolution, of which the fealty to the haps-
burg dynasty and economic necessity are the
main factors, is plain lie. Ever since the
loss of Bohemia's independence the Czechs
have struggled in face Of most incredioie
prosecutions to regain their freedom lhes
fought a noble but desperate hgnt agaihs'
the Austrian tyranny, which is backed oy the
notice, the Austrian army and the German NIL
roritv. Only one who knows the Austrian ma
chinery Of oppression, only one who knows the
unscrupulousness of the Austrian civil anu NIL
itary officials, can understand what courage
what heroism, what infinite sacrihces were
required on the part of the Czechs to gam
hut q semblance Of civil liberty.
The Germans spare no energy ana expense
in their efforts to impress the American pup
lie with the notorious expressions perpe
trated by the Russian bureaucracy. Ihough
do not wish to extenuate Russian tyranny
nevertheless maintain that it is put to shame
nv the righteousness and underhandedness oil
the Austrian regime. The latter is perhaps
more subtle, but at the same time more uh'
scrupulous, more cruel and more unfeleht
ing than the former.
Why did not those who inspired tht
above mentioned article explain the cause OF
Tho countless executions and imprisonment
Of the Czech patriots and leaders IN 30
hernia since the beginning Of the war! Amer
ican, know nothing, or very little, OF the
thousands Of lives that have been sacrlheed
for the Bohemian cause in the last two years
The Czechs have paid heavy toll IN lives
and have been made to feel to the utmost
the brunt Of Austrian despotism. For cen
turtles they have been bounded by the Ger
man minority, socially prosecuted and pollti-
cally oppressed in their own natiVe lahu
They are yearning for freedom, ana u Is
nothing short of absurdity to contend tha'