Page:America in the Struggle for Czechoslovak Independence (1926).pdf/70

RV 66 Catholics) immediately addressed a communication to members of Congress from that state, dated November 28, 1917, and which, perhaps, is not without interest. It reads:

The possibility of a necessity of declaring war against Austria-Hungary and the fact that Congress may consider it wise to declare such war at the present session, and the fact that it is necessary to adopt strict methods against alien enemies, constrains us to call your attention to a situation that would seem to make advisable special measures regarding those residents of America who are technically enemies, but in fact are pro-Ally, such as the Czechoslovaks.

Legally speaking the Czechs and Slovaks are Austro-Hungarians, but as a matter of fact they are antagonistic to Austria-Hungary and Germany, as is evidenced by the fact that there is a Czech army fighting the Austro-Hungarian and German forces in Russia, and another Czechoslovak army is being formed in France. Throughout the world there is a well-defined movement for Bohemian independence and against Austria-Hungary and Germany.

It is worth saying that a strong case could be made out for the legal theory that Bohemians are simply subjects of the Bohemian state; that no Bohemian parliamentary body has ever authorized a declaration of war, and that on this ground no Czech can be classed as an alien enemy. But whatever the situation may be technically, it remains a fact that Czechs and Slovaks are ardent supporters of the