The Washington herald., 1918-06-22
SLAVIC LEGION
OWRATIF'IED
COMMITTEE
Wilson's $ Suggestion For
mally Adopted by Mill
tary Affairs Body.
WILL FORM BIG FORCE
Czecho -Slavs In u. S. Said
to Number More Than
- 100000.
WILL FORM BIG FORCE

President Wilson'S suggestion to
create q Slavic legion in the United
States, to fight Germany. was formal
ly adopted by the Military Affairs
COMMITTEES Of the Senate yesterday.
It means that Germany's most Bit
ter hereditary foes are to be afforded
every opportunity to enlist. organize
and fight side by side with the troops
Of the United states and, the allies.
No limit to the size Of the force Is
fixed. All Slavs. Jugo-Slavs. CZecho-
Slovanes and Poles in this country
who are physically fit and not avail
able to the draft owing to allen citi-
zenship will be given an opportunity
to volunteer.
Half Million In q. 9.
were in the United States, counting
only males of q years and over. con-
siderably more than half a million
Czechs. Croats and Poles. A fair per-
centage Of this total who had availed
themselves OF citizenship rights are
already at the front with the Ameri-
can forces.
DR.. Thomas Masaryk. president Of
the Czecho-Slovak International Soun-
ell. and Ignace Jan Paderewski. the
Polish leader, have assured the Al
ministration the opportunity to or
ganize a Slavic legion was all that was
needed to make the movement a Srea /:
success. Several thousand Poles or
ganized in the United States by
of the French army.
- l. -
doing valiant service with the Italian
forces which are opposing the Aus
trians. DR.. Masaryk yesterday for
the following message to these
troops:
Brethren: am happy to read the
official Italian report Of your gal
lantry. Our soldiers from the very
beginning Of the war have shown US
the right way leading to liberty. Let
US remember the old Hussite saying
that every Czech Is a hetman."
The suggestion that the Slavic le-
gion might be sent as q part OF the
proposed expedition to Russia 10 not
accurate. The Slavs desire to be
sent where they can enter the strus-
gle against their Germanic foes with
reservation 10 that they be not asked
to nght Russians In any circum-
stances
The Russian situation. with the de-
mand for Intervention, has been re-
ceiving a great deal of attention from
the President the last few days. The
plan being evolved 10 understood to
be entirely consistent with the pre-
wrtA Nal, Ill ~
United States, This favors concilia
tory reconstruction but opposes mill
tary Intervention.
VIII Join Allies.
The Slavic legion will join the
allied forces either on the Italian
or the Macedonian front. There are
said to be many Jugo-Slavs in It
ally, formerly involuntary soldiers
OF Austria, and now prisoners of
war. These men, It Is expected,
will join the foreign legion and
fight for the defeat Of Germany,
which means the liberation of Jugo-
Slavia.
Congressman and diplomats alike
are of the opinion that President
Wilson has opened the way for one
Of the most important developments
in the general scheme to organize
all opposition to Germany and Aus
tria. More than half the popula-
tion of the Austro-H Hungarian EN-
pire Is pro-American, proally and
proliberty. 1t is declared. Until now
only a feeble effort has been made
to stimulate this sentiment against
the Teutons.
When the oppressed Austrians
learn that thousands of their own
people are actually fighting with
the allies and the United States the
moral effect among the oppressed
nationals of the Central Empires
is expected to outweigh greatly any
physical service they might render
The physical weight Of this new
force Is regarded as a real military
asset. In addition to the Foreign
Legion yet to be organized and the
Poles and Czechs already at the
front, there Is q vast army now
making Its way out Of Russia.
Eager To Fight.
Only since the arrival in Wash
ington of the French Gen. Berthe
lot, and DIR. Masaryk was It pos
sible to obtain authoritative infor-
nation about the Czecho- Slovak
army in Russia. They have brought
the report that the force is $4,000
strong and all eager to fight Ger
many. The entire force is being
fed by the allies and will be
brought to the Western front via
Nladivostok. as soon as means OF
transport can be made available.
Charles Pergley, president of the
cho-Slovak National Council in
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