Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-09-05
WHO ARE THE CZECHO-SLOVAKS?

in 1868, and the demand for autonomy, if
not for independence, grew in spite of
concessions made by the Government in
Vienna. From this date until the opening
Of the war the Czechs have fought
in the Austrian Parliament for the recog-
milton Of their national rights. The ex-
tremists demanded complete independence.
The moderates wanted king of their own
crowned in Prague. They were willing to
accept the Emperor of Austria as king,
as the Hungarians have accepted him, but
they were sone with the extremists in de-
rights.
A S those rights had been persistently
\ denied they entered the war in 1914
with real grievance against the Haps-
burg dynasty and the German speaking
Austrians. 1t was the possibility of realiz-
ing their national independence through
the assistance of the Entente Allies that
led the Czecho-Slovak soldiers in Russia to
refuse to return home and fight Austria's
battles for her. 1t is the same feeling that
has been leading the Czecho- Sovak regi-
ments on the Italian front to desert and
hide themselves in the mountain forests
and prey on the surrounding country.
THE Entente Allies have seen the politi.
= cal value Of recognizing the claims of
these disaffected Slavs within the Austro-
Hungarian Empire. Their independence
as a nation was recognized by Italy,
France and Great Britain weeks before the
American Government recognized it, 1t
is true that we issued statement express
ing sympathy with their national aspira-
tions before Great Britain followed the
example of France and Italy in recognizing
the de facto government which has been
organized under the style and title of the
Czecho- -Slovak National Council.
PEFORE August 1, 1914, the recognition
- of the autonomy Of Bohemia by Aus
tria and the consent of the Austrian EN-
peror to be crowned as king of Bohemia
in Prague would doubtless have satisfied a
majority of the Czechs. But events have
| moved rapidly since that momentous date.
| and few Czechs will be content now with
anything short of complete national indie.
pendence.
| TT should be noted at this point that All
L autonomous Bohemian kingdom ruled
| over by German prince, preferably one of
the sons Of the Kaiser was included in the
| plans Of the Pan -Germanists as early as
March, 1914, when the arrangements were
| making for the war which began four
| months later Austria Hungary was to
| be separated into a lot Of kingdoms tied
| to Germany as vassals.
| A N independent ho-Slovak State, set
"A up under the patronage # the Entente
Allies, would Illustrate the plans of Ger.
many. 1t would separate the Germans of
Austria from the Germans of Saxony and
Bavaria by the creation of a new Slav
kingdom or republic. 1t would place a
barrier in the way of Germanic control of
commercial routes between Berlin and
Bagdad. 1t would strengthen the Slavic
races in the south of Austria. Hungary and
justify their demand for independence and
hasten the day of the dismemberment of
Austria Hungary in the interests of the
little nations. ACKNOWLEDGMENT which the
Pan-Germanists planned in the interests
of German domination OF the world
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