The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1920-12-09
CZECHO-SLOVAKIA: BORN
ABOARD FREIGHT
TRAINS

Amid the disorders of Central Eu-
rope one new nation affords a con-
spicuous exception to the chaos, strife
and revolutions prevalent on all sides
of her. That nation is Czecho-Slo-
vallia.
The inception Of this new national
ity from a racial unit of ancient and
distinguished lineage is modern ro-
nance comparable TO the crusades Of
the middle ages.
Early in 1918 the intrepid Czech
warriors started out from the Kiev
district of western Russia in railway
cars, some OF which were decorated
with the slogan, "From War TO War
Around the World"
At that time it looked as though
the summer of 1918 would find them
in Champagne or the ArgOnne, Joined
with the thousands of their compa-
triots who were already fighting in
the allied armies to down the Hun.
But a strange combination Of circum-
stances delayed them in Siberia
through the short summer Of long days
and the long winter of little sunshine.
A communication follows from
MAYNARD owen Williams, first Amer
lean correspondent with the spectacu-
lar anabasis of the Czecho-Slovaks
across Siberia:
"Xenophon had a fine trip, If one
Is 10 Judge from the accounts Of his
favorite press agent, and Napoleon
and sherman have made famous eX-
cnrsions. but when it comes TO the
world enclrcling vision of the tourist
bureau writer, and the doggedness or
death the wonderful Czechs take the
palm.
"The war found them about as en-
tbusiastIc in their friendship for Will
liam Hohenzollern and his Potsdam
corfedprates as they were for the
Itopshure house that betrayed them
centuries ago, after they magnanimous-
~ Joined the Austrians in the repulse
OF the hordes from ASIA ''at 'nen
threatened Europe.
.,rhelr going over to the enemy was
o,c Of the reasons why Germanys
ennthern neighbOr failed TO pick up
ronldly amid the heavy traffic that re-
snited from the mobilization OF
Europe.
oWhole regiments of them went over
49,. Goo Other thousands were
y.t down by their Austrian compan-
.aas IN arms, and all their organiza-
, we're heavily differed by the
, ,,o, or Magyars, whose methods
~ aims they hated. Thousands OF
" 'tsm escaped to Russia, where they
~, cont 10 the cold of Siberia or the
.,oloria OF the Tashkent region DIS
prisoners OF war.
MANY Of them entered the RUSSIAN
,,ndar Kerensky. but with the
"'''S ~, NJ the Brest-Lltovsk treaty.
s ~. Lost foith I'm their Russian com
W. in arms and with a spirit OF
i r 70 the cause of freedom 'na Una.
loyS atGer group surpassed, they set out
e Nv ~ Russia to cross Siberia, the IA
ir ro America. the Atlantic and France
:. hurl themselves once more aenins'
y, ,%olr oppressors and traditional roes,
''. ,,,,,,n met them their as trains
" ' strung out from the Ukraine TO
ys,,o BoIkal, all moving toward tne
mort ,a of vlndIvostok' ,.,.. ,,o
p0 arhe BolshevilSi walked .. into the, .ne
- which they had themselves pre-.
trap rap " for had they lived up to the e,5
pu' ,,,scs the Czechs would nave 49,, a.
pron''I,r n vladIvostok by July. Wh ,,,n
p pee Reds attempted to d'',rin nv
the .r "'S expedition the DO
o1e ,',ars refused to he as meek ~ a.
hen, n"n,tI.Bolsheviks usually were . .neu,
the ono ,bc result was a conilnen, so ,,.oa
and democracy ,"u while the world e, was va,
FOR 18th through its atlas to ma 9 t6e
na hum these aghtIng men Win v5 e
who Who, s name really were. ana ro,. @"'
straw .sn~ we're doing SO far from nome