The sun., 1918-07-14

The old Russian regime, oppressive as
it was itself, looked askance at the idea
of an Independent Czecho- Slovak army
consisting of former prisoners of war.
kerensky himself to start with was not
favorable to the idea because he looked
upon the CZecho -Slovaks as Chauvinists,
but after their heroic showing at the bat
ties Of Zborow and Tarnopol Kerensky
changed his mind and authorized the
formation of the Czecho- Slovak army.
Immediately after the outbreak of the
revolution Prof. Masaryk went to Rus
STA TO put the finishing touches on the
organization of this army. When he left
Russia last March $4,000 men were al
ready organized, and $4,000 more were
ready to be formed into units, so that
very conservatively estimated the Czecho-
Slovak forces in Russia amount to at
least 100000 men and as an allied army
follow In numbers Immediately after
Italy's
When Russia to all ntents and pur-
poses dropped out of the war the aim of
the Czecho- Slovak National Council was
to transport these men TO the western
front, there to fight with the French,
under whose military control, more spe-
officially speaking, this army is. The pol
icy of the council was not to mix in
purely Russian affairs, believing as we
DO that in the last analysis the Russian
nation must work out its own destiny.
And so Prof. Masaryk while in Rus
STA reached an agreement with the Boil
shevik authorities that they would permit
an unmolested departure of oar troops
for the western front. While in Japan
he took up with the authorities the ques-
ton of Transporting our men to France
and the matter was also taken up here in
America.
Made Tools of Local Soviets.
The present troubles in Siberia which
forced our troops to fight against the
Red Guards and the Austrian, Magyar
and German prisoners of war undoubt-
eddy were instigated by German, Austrian
and Magyar agents who probably made
tools of some of the local Soviets. 1t is
not yet clear whether the Bolshevik cen
trail government itself has had it, hand
in causing these troubles, although it does
seem that they cannot be absolved from
guilt. But this is a matter that must first
be ascertained. Meanwhile Prof. Ma
saryk has sent his protest to Tchicherin,
the Bolshevik Commissioner for Foreign
Affairs
1t is obvious that if the Bolshevik au-
thorities violated their pledge 10 permit
an unmolested passage to our troops we
ourselves are released from the obligations
we assumed. AS to the future attitude of
the Czecho-S lovak National Council with
regard to the disposition of our troops
in Russia at the present time it can SIM
ply be said that our policies will con-
form to those of our allies. We are ore
Of the combined fighting western democ-
racies. For us Gen. Foch is also the
supreme military authority.
You will note that Col. Hurban of our
army, who is on his way to America from
Siberia to report to Prof. Masaryk, has
Gecl: red on behalf of the army that if
any modification Of our previous attitude
is 10 be called for, Prof. Masaryk is the
one man who can make the decision. This
is Our idea Of discipline in the present
contingency, and it incidentally proves
that the Czecho- Slovaks are people that
can maintain order, and that they are
State forming element Of the first rank.