Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-08-22
THE C"ZECHO.SLOVAKS

most minds as to the identity Of the Czecho-slovaks,
whose activities in Russia are now being watched with:
such great interest, for the. racial history of the Old World
is something which even the best informed students find
exceedingly puzzling. The Czecho-Slovaks. while they are
in Russia to the number of perhaps some hundreds of
thousands, are not Russians. They belong to the great
Slavic race by which great areas of Russia are inhabited.
but they have a national identity Of their own. Separated
into two groups, they are really one people. Military and
political developments have caused them to be known
under two names, those of the western group being
known as Czechs, and those of the eastern as slovaks. The
Czechs inhabit Bohemia, Morava and silesia, and num-
Der some six million people. The slovaks are to be found
in the northeastern part of Hungary, and number approx
imately three million.
At one time a. self governing people, they have for
generations been engaged in a struggle to preserve their
traditional independence, but they have been over-pow-
cred and held in subsection, in part by the Teutons, and
in part by the Magyars, who constitute the dominant ele-'
ment in Hungary. 1t was the extension of Magyar influ-
ence northward, that drove a wedge in between the eastern
and western branches Of this great family, and this has
resulted in the slovaks being ruled by Hungary and the
czechs by Austria. proper and Germany.
War with Russia and Serbia was vigorously opposed
by the Czecho-slovaks. Under protest they had yielded
to the domination Of their over-lords, but they had never
relipquished the maintenance Of their right to an inde-
Su0 lidI4OuoA AASISAA 4Hey were empnatlCaIy Op-
posed to making war upon neighbors Of their own race
and kindred, with whom they had no quarrel, and upon
whom, as was perfectly manifest, war was being forced
for the aggrandizement Of the Teutonic powers and the
complete subsection of the slav races. They were forced
into service. Some of their regiments mutinied. A con-
siderable part of their force went oyer to the serbians.
Thereafter in all regiments made up largely from their
people there was an admixture Of at least 40 per cent Of
Austrians or Hungarians.
When in the early stages Of the war great numbers
of Austrian troops were captured by the Russians. many
OF the czecho-slovaks were included, and in this manner
became distributed throughout many portions of the Rus.
sian empire to which they had been transported 9 nr,..
oners Of war. It is these men who constitute the bulk Of
the Czecho-slovak force which is now operating in RMS
STA. They have organized themselves into little bands ana
larger armies. When they could do so they have arrn.d
themselves. and in other cases they have marched with
out arms. Their desire has been to reach some place
where they could aid the Allies in their warfare, for tnev
have realized that only through the success of the Allies
was there the possibility Of their own national aspirations
being realized.
The national character Of this movement has b.en
recognized by France. Italy. Great Britain. and sympa-
thy has been expressed by the government Of the United
States. This recognition gives to the Czecho- slovaks wno
are in arms against their former masters the character
OF regular soldiers rather than gue1las, brings them un-
der the regulations OF warfare, and entities them TO GER
tain -immuniies Not unnaturally Germany and Anstr,.
refuse this recognition. and have announced that czecho.
Islovaks taken in arms against them will be treated A.
traitors and not as prisoners Of war.
This being the situation. 1t is apparent that these
men have assumed great personal risk in the action which
they have taken. for they are subjected both TO the or.
binary risks Of battle. and to the certainty that IL they
are captured they viii be shot without ceremony. Their
movement has done much to develop Russian sentiment
AZ fsyor Of the Allies. and 70 stimulate large groups Of, the
Russian people TO action.