Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-10-21
SEVEN MILLION CzECHs
AND 100000 sLOvAKs
Who They Arc and What They Wnnt
Told by Press Bureau
Secretary.
BELONG TO SLAVIC RACE
National Council Practically Rccoy
nized as Provisional Government OF
bohemia-Bulll of Army Recruit
cd From Prisoners I'm Russia.
by VLADIMIR NOsEk.
secretary OF the Czech Press uureau

secretar, OF the Czech Press bureau.
The reeenp SsMf Mure,I which
Great Britain so generously ana eX-
p!ielin,S recognized the efforts OF the
charter OF liberty for ourselves. but
Is also an assurance that the allies
or the break up OF Austria for the wei
rare OF future humanity.
. The Czecho Slovaks. or simply
!. compact territory right in the center
..st"een the Baltic and the Adriatic
The term comprise. 7,ea2.ooo of Czechs
S.ooeooo Sioraks. who speak a dialect
OF Czech, in Northern hungary. Sur
rounded by high mountains and deeply
BUDAPEST, the Czecho- Slovaks form n
oeritanie fortress, and tho most west
Sistorv aT the 0ui hn Throdshout their
against German and Magyar on
slaughts, and to-day. being the most
advanced and the most determined OF
W non-iermln nations OF Central
Europe they form real menace TO
iernahy
Being SLAVE hy race like the Rus
SLAMS. F9ies and Serbs. and regarding
Ahstria. hungary. who since 1920 domi-
mated them and deprived them of in
ocpendenco and liberty. aa their deadly
SnsmE. the Czecho- S,ovaks aided
whole heartedly with the allies since
the beginning OF the war Czech lead
ers were imprisoned by Austria. Czech
soldiers in the Austrian army ..urr.n
dercd wholesale whenever opporiunity
offered itself, and the Czecho- Slovaks
IN the allied countries volunteered TO
nsht AGAINST the central powers.
PROFESSOR NASARYK HEADS
PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT
The task OF organizing Czccbo-SIo-
yak forces in the allied countries and
IN the first place The $4,000 Czecho-
Slovak prisoners OF war who volun-
tarily surrendered TO Russia, Serbia
and Italy. fell to the Czecho- Slovak
National Council who have now at
me proEisional government of Bo-
hemia. The president Of this council
is Professor r, q. Masaryk. vener-
able Czech leader and philosopher. Who
was sent By the parties in Bohemia 10
the allied countries during the first
year or the war. With him escaped
pr Edward Berries, lecturer at the
Prague University. who is acting as
Se,cre,ary- general ON the national coun-
sloyak provisional government is GEN
eral Stctanik. distinguished Sloyak
airman and scientist Without hav-
the Czecho-Slovak National Council
nevertheless succeeded in raising
soh esno,. army in France. Italy,
remembered that France issued de-
cree authorizing the formation of an
autononouS Gaecho- Siovak army, un-
-
tional council In December. 1917. and
Italy in April. 1915. All the Czecho-
Sioyak troops Gin kussia, France and
ltaly), greatly exceeding 100000 men
form single army with headquarters
i'll France.
The bulk of this army has been re-
cruited from among Czccho- Slovak
prisoners OF war in Russia. Unfor-
tunateiy. when we succeeded in or
ganiZng two whole divisions in Rus
under tremendous difficulties Russia
collapsed u was then lin February,
l.ls) decided by Professor Masaryk,
VINO at that time WAS in Russia, that
this army should be TRANSPORTED to
France. Unaffected by Bolshevism. the
czeeho -S'ovaks had only one desire
TO assist TO the victory OF the allies
me Bolshcriks at first granted them
Tree passage TO N.adivostok. but later
.ney Welded to German intrigues, and
attempted TO destroy our army with
the help OF German and Magyar en-
prisoners; The Czecho- Slovaks. how
sheviks, ar.d occupied the Nolga region
In East European Russia and the whole
trans Siberian railway. Thereby they
induced and enabled the allies TO in
terver 6 in Russia. which will no doubt
prove OF the greatest Importance. not
, 1nly IF for the shiya.on and regsnera
OF the allied cause.
The international position of Bo
hemia will he very advantageous. 30
frontiers. Since she viii border on
Poland in the north. with whom she
will conclude a close alliance. she will
have an outlet to the sea in Danzig.
Austria and Hungary will become
small states of little value for Ger
many. and will be placed into hope
less strategic position in view Of the
alliance of Italy. Yugoslav:a and
Greater Roumania in the south. There
is no doubt that Bohemia will be a
thoroughly democratic and absolutely
antt-Gcrman state on whom the allies
will always be able TO rely. The down
fall of Austria will mean an end of re-
action, autocracy and racial tyranny
in Central Europe 1t will mean the
definite victory OF the principles OF
justice and democracy for which the
allies arc lighting in this war.