Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-11-15
STORY OF THE czEcH.sLovAKs
Bravo Slav People Who Have Estab-
Iished Their Independents.

/ STORY Or The SZ6SH- H-SISSSNS
Bravo sIav People Who Have Estas-
Iished Their Independence.
Who are the Czecho -Slovaks who are
virtually leaders OF the new movement
for the liberty and Independence OF
middle Europe? The question has
been admirably and succinctly answer
ed by George W. Douglas In the fol-
lowing terse description Of these peo-
Piles:
The Czechs and the Slovaks are both
Slav races. The Slovaks live on the
southern slopes Of the western Carpa-
,thians and extend southwark into the
great Hungarian plain. The Czechs
constitute a majority Of the population
of Bohemia and Moravia, two pro-
vinces in northwestern Austria. There
are about s,50o.000 Czechs and 2,0o0.-
900 Slovaks living in district approx
imately the size Of Pennsylvania.
There are about $4,000 Germans in
the same territory. II We should call
/
identity would be clearer.
| There was a time when Bohemia
was an inde pendent Kingdom with Its
own native rulers. When the line OF
its kings ran out Hapsburg king was
elected to the throne in 1925 and he
pledged himself to maintain the inde-
pendence of the Bohemian kingdom.
But the Hapsburgs broke their pledges.
They refrained from being crowned
kings Of Bohemia in Prague and grad
ually destroyed the independence Of
the kingdom. 1t was revolt OF the
Bohemians against the Hapsburgs in
1918 that started the Thirty Years
War. The population OF the country
was reduced by this bloody conflict
from 1000, 200 when 1t began to 70o.-
900 when 1t ended. The Czech leaders
attended the Pan-Slavic congress In
Moscow in 1868. and the demand for
Autonomy. II not for independence.
grew in spite of concessions by the
government in Vienna. From this date
until the opening Of the war the Czechs
have fought in the Austrian parliament
for recognition Of their national rights-
The extremists demanded complete In
dependence. The moderates wanted q
king of their own crowned In Prague.
They were willing to accept the empe-
ror of Austria as king. az the Hunga-
rians have acce pied him, but they were
one with the extremists in demanding
recognition Of their national rights.
AS those rights had been persistent
ly denied they entered the war In 1914
with a real grievance against the
Hapsburg dynasty and the German
speaking Austrians. 1t was the possi-
bility Of realizing their national inde-
pendence through the assistance OF the
Entente Allies that lead the Czecho-
Slovak soldiers in Russia to refuse to
return home and fight Austrta's battles
for her. It Is the same feeling that
has been leading the Czecho-slovak
regiments on the Italian front to de-
sert and hide themselves in the noun
tain forests and prey on the surround
ing county ~
The Entsnts 4figgtmyB1ssnxheb
litical value Of recognizing the claims
of these disaffected Slavs within the
Austro- Hungarian empire. Their In
dependence as a nation was recogniz-
ed by Italy, France and Great Britaip
weeks before the American govern
ment recognized 1t. 1t Is true that we
issued a statement expressing sympa-
thy with their national aspirations be-
fore Great Britain followed the exam
pie Of France and Italy In recognizing
the de facto government which has
been organized under the style OF the
Czecho -Slovak National Council.
Before August 1, 1914. the recogni-
ton of the autonomy Of Bohemia oy
Austria and the consent Of the Aus
trian emperor to be crowned es king
of Bohemia In Prague would doubtless
have satisfied majority Of the Czechs.
But events have moved rapidly since
the momentous date. and few Czechs
will be content now With anything
short Of complete national independ-
ence.
It should be noted at this point that
an autonomous Bohemian Kingdom
ruled over by German prince, prefer
ably one Of the sons Of the kaiser, was
Included in the plans Of the pan-Ger-
nanists as early as March. 1914, when
the arrangements were making Tor the
war which began four months later.
| Austria Hungary was to be separated
into a lot of little kingdoms tied to
Germany as vassals.
An independent Czecho-slovak STATE
set up under the patronage OF the En-
tente Allies, would Illustrate the plans
Of Germany. It would separate the
Germans of Austria from the Germans
NJ saxony and Bavaria by the creation
Of a new Slay kingdom or republic. IL
would place a barrier in the way Oh
Germanic control Of commercial routes
betveen Berlin and Bagdad. 1t would
strengthen the Slavic races IN the south
OF Austria Hungary and justify tne'r
demand for independence and hasten
tho day OF dismemberment OF Austria
Hungary in the interest OF the ntue
nations, a dismemberment which the
PAN -Germanists planned In the inter-
est of German domination OF the
world.
Since the Allied convoy system was
successfully adopted some 2s,ooo'ooo
tons OF food and s5.0Oo.ooo tons OF mu-