The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-06-24
OPPRESSED NATIONS
WORK OUT PROGRAM

On the 9th and nth OF April, 1918,
the representatives OF all the OPP
pressed nations OF the Austro- Hun
garian empire. together with repre-
sentatives of the Italian. French. Ser
han. English and American govern
ments held very important confer
enee at Rome for purpose of draft
ing mutual program. whose object
is to complete an understanding rel
alive to the freedom Of each OF the
oppressed nations represented. The
results Of this congress, which Is one
of the first of its kind, are extremely
important Attention to these will be
called later. For the present we shall
confine ourselves to few extracts
from the speech OF Premier Orlando.
Of Italy which was delivered to the
assen bled representatives of hose ma
tons.
Turning to the Czecnolslovak rep
reseutatiyes. DIR. I5enes and DR.. Ste
fanek. he said To be or not to be la
the incorporating dilemma which
has a vital meaning for your nation
at this moment for you it ia neces-
sary 20 have faith and TO act. Faith
and acts make nations. / can call
back to my memory with deep
emotion one of the interviews / had
with one Of the representatives pres
ent. Grant US, he said, the privilege
that my people may have the honor
of lighting in the ranks OF your
army
How can you request me, | said.
to permit your people to face not only
the usual dangers C war. but also
those other dangers which shall face
them when they shall have done
their duty ard fallen lnto the hands
of he Cailpwa mir p
that is not in harmony with the right :
Of men, How can ! agree to this re-
quest when morally / would not bind
myself to such great sacrifices?
And the reply was. i absolve you
from ali moral agreements ana ask
nothing more than to he permitted to
die for our ideals
Gentlemen. at this time was the
premier of great state comprising
thirty-six million free born citizens
land before me stood a political out
law without fireside and driven from
his native land: at that moment ] felt
bowed in spirit before q man of such
elevated thought, true picture of
mighty strength on earth.
One more episode which comes
from the battlefield and WAS related
to me by an old soldier with tears In
his eyes II w4s a dark night. Our
first-line trenches and thosu OF our
enemies were hushed in deep slum-
Der, comparable to the silence OF a
tomb. Among the first Austrian ser
tries was a division in which were
| many Czechs. The poet Homer alone
would be masterful enough to depict
| that occa sion. The song was the
Czech national anthem You could
see the guards erect. soldiers in the
| trenches stood with uncovered heads
until the last sound had died away. In
| fact nothing could be more solemn.
| and more elevating. Before these SOL
diers stood the enemy who, hearing.
was able to shoot them down but be-
! hind them stood a greater foe, who,
seeing the courage with which they
procia lined their national viii. was in
position to attack them from the
rear. These soldiers cared nor for the
enemy either before or behind them,
but hearing the voice OF their native
| land stood erect, uncovered their
! heads and listened to their national
anthen-their highest and most sa
cred symbol.
Gentlemen, il seems to me from
all that I have Just said that see
a cross rising it is a symbol of all
the pain and suffering and on that
cross in brilliant characters are en-
graved the words--Faith and Hope
! In this sign YOU will conquer. Yes
gentlemen. in this sign YOU will con-
| quer"