The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1921-01-21
CZechO-SlOyakia
Is Progressive

CSpecal Correspondence to "Labor'O
London, Jan. &c. p. Cramp,
President of the British Railway
mems Union, is just back from
Prague, where he served as frater-
nal delegate from the British Labor
party to the annual conference of
the SOcial-Democratic party of Gee
cho-Slovakia. He has many inter
experiments which the Czechs are
making in old Bohemia.
For more than 300 years the
Czechs, or Bohemians, were ruled by
the Austrians and Magyars. They
made many attempts to secure their
freedom, and during the great war
tens of thousands of them respond
ed to the appeal of their national
leader, DR.. Thomas Mazarik, well
known in England and the United
States and now the first President
of Czecho-Slovakia, and fought in
the armies of the allies.
When the boundaries of Czecho-
Slovakia We're fixed by the peace
conference Mazarik was chosen pres
ident, and with him was elected a
parliament which was decidedly pro-
gressive in all it's political tenden-
cies. OF the 300 members 1876 are
Socialists and they constitute the
strongest party in the parliament,
BY a combination with other liberal
and radical groups they have
launched one of the most interest
ing industrial experiments in the
world.
Experiments in Specialization
The great estates Of Czecho-Slo-
vakia, which had been owned by
German and other aliens, have been
cut into small farms and turned over
to the men and women who actually
cultivate them.
The government Is proceeding with
the work of Matchmaking the mines
and other basic industries. The lead
ers, however, realize that the work
ers must be prepared for their new
esponsibilities. So they are con-
Quoting a gigantic experiment in So
cialization at Zlichov. The workers
have been placed in control of a
large glass works with all its sub
,idiary undertakings. With the
works is a landed estate covering
$50 acres of fields, quarries, and
chalk and sand pits. The factory
and the whole district will be man
aged on the shop-steward princi-
pie. The profits will be applied
to humanitarian and educational
purposes.
Similar experiments will be made
in various parts of the country, and
thus the system Of specialization will
be gradually introduced throughout
the nation
Democracy of the PrOetariat
One Of the first acts Of the new
government was to build 1900 pri-
mary schools in Slovakia, which had
been governed by Hungary and
which had been deliberately starved
of the means of any education but
that of Magyar influence.
The Bohemian Socialists are ap-
parently a mighty sane crowd. They
hold that Socialism cannot be es-
tablished by bolshevist coup. and
that too rapid specialization of the
means Of production in the present
world economic chaos and exhaus-
ton would lead only to anarchy.
"The system on trial is one of
democracy of the proletariat anC
not Of the dictatorship of the pro.
letariat," declared one of the gen
tlemen who made up Mr.. Cramp'
party.
Opposed to War and Slavery
As might be expected, the trade
union and cooperative movement
are very strong in Slovakia Their
are 100000 enrolled union mer
The wholesale cooperative societ,
supplies 500 federated societies. II
the city Of Prague and vicinity tn
Social-Democratic Cooperative Or
ganization has 882 cooperative so
cieties, 500 of which distribute food
stuffs, 100 are concerned with tn
supply Of labor 100 with buildinl
operations and the others are az
cricultural.
The army which guards this so
cial republic is made up of con
scripts. I'VE are opposed to war.
said one of the Bohemian leaders
"but we are also opposed to slavery
Surrounded by our enemies GU