Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-11-14
.DEF|ANTLY TAUNTs
RAMsHACKLE EMPIRE
Bohemian Deputy Declares Charge
OF Treason Is View OF
Enemies.
CzECHS' RIGHT TO FREEDOM

Responsible Only to Bohemia, and
Determined Bohemia Shall Say in
Future for What Cause It's Sol
diers Shall Give Life Blood.
international News Bureau.I
'The following is verbatim report
or aenaht and spirited speech de-
IN the Reichsrath OH July II, 1918. The
iuIl report Of the speech has ONLY Just
reached us as 1t was not unnaturally
us tome is typical OF the determination
OF the entire CZecho-SIovak race to
win through to- frccdom)
Gentlemen.-Let me first of all en-
Phaslze mat my speech is not de-
tense OF the Czech nation and of the
I ,h;s L., soldiers: There arc no Judges in
Inns parliament competent to judge us
mere are not even any men in this
monarchy who would dare to criti-
nation, reject, therefore. beforehand
any suggestion that my speech is a
defense of our deeds and feelings dur
inE the war. We recognize no Judge
over us except our own nation.
You call us traitors-we accept your
declaration as the view OF our enemy
Nothing more-nothing less.
You. however, gentlemen OF the Ger
man benches. you dared to touch the
honor Of our soidiers-you called them
not going to keep silent. II there is
single gentleman among you. he
ought for 4 moment to reflect on the
who was compelled by force to fight
in war which the German Imperial
G.hanceilor openly called "a war OF
was compelled. under the threat of i'm
mediate execution. to take up arms
a against tho Interests of the slavs.
against the interests OF his own coun-
try. Bohemia. Well. then. was it COW
nruiG bc on ire his part when he exposea
guns and machine guns from the back.
went over to the other side? Was he
n coward when. while free to remain
safely waiting for the end OF the war,
nc volunteered to fight again and was
Is that Czech soldier n coward who
went once more into the trenches al
though aware that in case of being
an ordinary prisoner of war. but as
Il descrter and would be hanged ac-
sGrdinEly? is, is he coward who sac
behind. and his soil and property in
hcrited from his ancestors? Is he a
coward who sacrifices himself. his
dren for the sake OF his nation and
country?
Is that Czech soldier not hero who
Grai Mountains to Vladivostok. on the
Piaye and in France?
If there Is single gentleman. 2
real gentleman among YOU. who has
passed through the experiences of this
war in the trenches. let him stand up
and answer: but not TO us-we do not
ask your opinion. Let him give frank
answer to YOU when you are sitting
privately without any witnesses and
discussing things frankly between
MILITARY MEN LOST
And. If there is not such gentle
man among you. remember the words
for o ho n.ts afs sney the last minister
related to this House in a secret Sit
ting al that our regiments had ac-
e0mpiisned; he could not as soldier
treacheries of Czech soldiers still more
because from their deeds on the side
mnrs Mg ws bays wh 5os splendid
And now with regard to the title
SGt S ons Of Of y 9s a SoMeye
has the. right to make this reproach
TO us: Al Of you are patriots by order.
state like Austria. Your German pa
triotism could be judged only il you
were sent against your brothers from,
the German empire. we. having good
wait for this proof. We know that you
would do the same as our soldiers if
there was war between Austria and
Germany.
With regard TO the patriotism of the
MaSyarS, we have proofs from 1866.
They have done the same as we are
doing to-day. They surrendered and or
ganized klapka's leglons against Aus
tria. The fact that they were pun
ished for their trcachery by being
given their own independent state does
not speak against us.
Yes, gentlemen. we are traitors as
much as you Magyars. or as you Ger
mans were or would be under similar
circumstances. And we want the same
as YOU want, i. C. to be free citizens
OF our own state. Our own state-that
does not mean TO have few officials
or one more university. To have a
state OF our own--that means to he
able freely TO decide II our soldiers
shall 60 TO war again, and IL they do
SO. TO see to il that they go only for
the interests of their own nation and
not for the interests OF their enemies.
An independent State--that means 10
US no Longer 10 have to die BY order
under foreign domination.
Let me remind the gentlemen on the
tIcrinan hcnchcs OF Il lesson in history.
Up Till 1866 Germany was nominaliy
under the sceptcr OF the Hapsburg dy-
russia and Northern Germany felt the
indignity of The foreign" rule of the
Hapsburgs--and they started the fra
tTlcidai war IN 1866 in order to get
IT Is for you. gentlemen on the Ger
man benches, to speak. Let him who
regrets the blood then spill; stand IN
and speak Let him stand up and con-
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
"The XMAS STORE
That Pleases"