The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1918-10-25

way, indeed for Germany's mastery
of Asia, which would give her thai
world supremacy which is the goal OF
the kaiser.
Repairing Great Wrong.
Ii must never be forgotten that in re
storing sovereignty and independence
to the Czecho-Slovaks we are not ere,
ating anything new, but merely repair
ing a great wrong. Few nations have
contributed more to the prosperity and
to the progress of central Europe than
Bohemia, whose people We're in an adj
yenced state of civilization when Ger.
many was n region Of bogs and of rob.
Der ba"ons.
Their university at Prague, founded
in 124S, Is The oldest seat of learning
east Of the Rhine, and it served as a
model OF most of the universities sub.
sequently created on the continent,
The Czechs are mn ancient race. They
were fourishing in Bohemia away back
in the fifth century before Christ, and
they have always been noted for their
progressive spirit, for their longings in
the direction of liberalism and demOc-
racy, and above all for their indus.
trial and commercial enterprise, thanks
to which they have been for the past
400 years the economic backbone of the
Hapsburg monarchy.
They were independent and there
fore unfettered, until they foOlishlJ
elected Emperor Ferdinand of Austria
as their ruler in 1920 not only because
he was married to the daughter and
heiress of their last king of the dynasty
OF st. Wenceslaus, but also because he
solemnly pledged himself to respect
their national rights and liberties,
Needless to add that Ferdinand fail
ed to keep his promises. This is
peculiarity of the house Of HapsbG-g.
When he found that his powers, which
were absolute in Austria proper, were
restricted in Bohemia he proceeded to
abolish the latters national privileyes
one by one.
Nearly n hundred years later the
Czechs, led by their territorial aristoc-
racy, organized a revolt against the
despotism of the Austrian emperor,
Ferdinand II, who had shown himself
far more dangerous and hostile to Bo-
hemia as an ally than as an open en-.
emy. The Czechs were defeated in
the memorable battle of the White
Mountain, which marked the end of
the independence of Bohemia as a ma.
tion.
Always Oppressed by Teutons.
From that time forth the Czecho-Slo-
yaks have been a constant subject Of
and tyranny of the govern.
ments Of Vienna and of Pesth, encour.
aged and abetted by the Hohenzolleru
dynasty, which has ever seen in
CH,:cho-S -SlOyak t. -nationalism and eco
noln1c Importance an obstacle and
barrier to it's openly avowed designs
Of extending its sovereignty from Ber.
lin to the Mediterranean, at the head
Of the Adriatic. Well nigh every rul.
er of the dual empire has pledged him.
self at one period or another of his
reign to restore to the Czecho- Slovaks
heir national independence and their
on the same footing as Hun.
gary and to have himself crowned at
Prague with the crown Of st. Wences-
Iaus and invested with the sceptre, the
,rb and the mantle of that famous rul-
er and patron saint as king of Bo-
lernia. In no case have these promises
been kept, not even by the present
Emperor Charles, who gave an under.
aking Of this kind on his accession to
he throne of the dual empire.