The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1920-07-10
Mss oZGA lz4G4PE1-.

absorb the mOribund organism of Austria Hun.
gary; the CzechO-SlOvak people was doomed
Frague was to be the first in the series of stepping
stones OF Prussian power: Vienna. Budapest, Bel
grade, Sofia COnStantnople, Bagdad the Persian
gulf He recognized that the cause of the Czecbo-
SlOvak people the cause of the allies and
, heeing from Austria. he proceeded to convince
stateSmen and public opinion in the entente
countries.
AT the outset the task seemed almost homeless
Ihere he was, lone fugitive under sentence of
death in the land of his fathers, the enemy-Haps-
burg-Hohenzoem Observation-Disclosures on HE
pinnacle OF military success Masaryk was un-
daunted
HE found" says the Bohemian Review
Czech exiles in Switzerland; he established rela-
tlOhs with e1nigrants in Paris, London and Russia
he told them that the hour had come to strike
blow for free Bohemia His call raoobod
across the ocean to the Bohemians Of America
lie lectured in universities talked TO statesmen
gave interviews to Journalists wrote for the re
views established a French periodical in tho in
terests nf his country. enlisted gifted writer's and
generous friends of freedom In the canse of
Bohemia" "
In 1915 Masaryk founded the CzechoSloy
National Council in Paris This body assumed
the role Of provisional government of coun+rv
embedded In the very center of the power of the
victorious enemy. Vienna cursed hut did mot taLe
ment without country" advanced; II came to
nave an exchequer-suppOrted chiefly by assess
ments ana voluntary contributions Of the Czecho-
SlOvak organizations in the United States # main
tanned an army in Siberia, and military units in |
france and Italy. Vienna still scarned but the
signs of panic became visible behind the sheer for
meanwhile the passive resistance, the "slIent revo
luton" of the Czecho-Slovak people at home CON |
tinued, impeding the war activities of tho dina
monarchy at every step.
Allied recognition Of Czecho-SIovakia ms
belligerent power and the Czecho- Slovak National
CounclI as It's de factO government came in the
summer Of 1918. and on October % Of that year
governmental authority at Prague was taken over
Dy It's local committee. Free Czecho-Siovakia was
a reality
But 1t is seldom that MaSaryk speaks of him
self. The one personal passage of his birthday
address on March was that in which he dis
claimed personal merit and good fortune He said
Many pleasant messages came to me TODAY
bringing out that NV life was very fortunate
one. I must confess that the word 4fortrro+o
never carried much meaning for me 7 never he
heFed IN accident. did not believe in good luck
ID the lie or individuals and nations Fortunate
Is ne who has life rich in contents, fortunate is
ne who can at least partly through honest effort
reaize ms Ideals. In this sense I am fortunate
put 1t Is not my good fortune alone but of all who
Win me Struggled for the liberty of the nation
never talked much of myself and even TODAY
u Is diHicut to say something OF myself I will
'hy promise you that the task intrusted TO me
oy the VIII Of the people shall faithfully and
irelessly carry out"
And today the AustrO-Hungarian empire
1apsburgs and Hohenzollerns are evil memories I
me two emperors, William and Karl, lead I
'arasiuc existence in exile; and Masaryk the
'oachmans son. Onetime blacksmith's apprentjce I
governing the CzechO Sovak republic nroboblv I
trongest and best organized of central European I
Countries and quite possibly destined TO become S
model democracy of the Old~NorId, from the
anne Hradeany castle where once the Hapsburps r
eigned over third of Europe {