The evening leader., 1918-08-24

Captain Merriam's office, and that
they were rendering valuable assist
ance in carrying propaganda among
the Austrian forces. They have also
given information to the Italian gen.
eral STAG, and have supplied data
which proved extremely useful in
turning the recent Austrian offensive
into a complete fiasco.
After this, saw a good many
Czecho-Slo>ak soldiers, both in Rome
and on the Italian battle front. And
l must say that l saw no finer, more
soldierly fellows in all my trip
through Europe The boldness they
have shown in leaving the Aus trian
ranks is really amazing. Thoroughly
convinced that Austria Hungary has
no other purpose toward the Czecho-
Slovak people than to Cypress and ex-
plot them, the Czechs in the Austrian
army have deserted wholesale and
joined the Italian forces. On one sim
gle day, | was told, as many as 1000
Czecho-Slovals deliberately left the
Austrians and entered the Italian
camp. The total number of Czecho-
Slovaks now in Italy, including 10000
soldiers, 7 was assured was not far
short of 10000.
Of course, these men are primed
with al sorts of military information.
They were able to tell the Italians
much about tn" Austrian plans of at
tack prior TO the launching of the of
fensive. The Italians knew the dav
and in Some cases the exact hour at
which certain Austrian movements
were to BE- launched. Their victories
on the Pave, in which the coopera-
tion Of the Czecho -Slovaks was a big
item, have gone far to console the
Italians for the bitter events of Capo-
retto.
Besides actually fighting for the al
lies, the Czacho-s'ovalls have been as
siduously spreading allied propaganda
through the Austrian armies. Just
how they are able to do this do not
know, but they undoubtedly have some
sort of underground railroad. Some
OF the material has been dropped from
balloons and aeroplanes. 1t is well
known that the entire army is well
permeated with Czech influences and
the Czechs are now unreservedlv un-
tied against the Central powers. The
morale Of the Austrian army is at a
very low ebb just now. From what
| saw ard heard. I believe that if it
were today possible to spare troops
from the western front and guarantee
them reserves and equipment, a sue
cossfuI offensive could be launched
against Austria this fall and the duaI
monarchy could be effcctually put out
of the war. With Austria out of it
the war could be ended year sooner
The hatred which the Austrians fee
for the Czechs is almost as intense a,
the Germans hatred of England. The
Austr'ans feel that the Czechs hav,
| betrayed thcm, and never stop to re
, member the long, long years durins
: which they oppressed them. While
; was at the Italian front, | was show
. some large spiked clubs which locke,
like relies Of barbarian days. The,
, WeF@ deadly looking weapons and i
, seemed almost incredible that the,
should b. brought into use again il
this century. Yet l was assured tha
they have actually been used habitual
, ly for Draining Czecho-Slovaks. Il
; their whole carnival of brutality. tn
Z. raj powers have scarcely beel
. guilty of greater atrocities than il
, Austrla's treatment of the Cccho- Slo
vaks. A few weeks ago 800 Czech
were hanged on one day. But tn,
Austrian papers reported that "the,
died with smile on their lips"
The propaganda which the Centra
powers have been carrying on anon,
the Italian people is pretty we'll know
by this time, and | have nothing new
to say about it except that it's magni
tude and its insidiousness astonishe,
me. talked with an American lad,
IN a certain big italian city who sal,
that she had nearly made up her min,
to leave that city becuse of the dis
torted stories which she continual,
heard about the war aims of Americ;
and Great Britain.
! st is intolerabIe," she said. "to bea,
them repeat the stories which hav
been set going by German agents
One story, which many people believe
is that America and Great Britain in