Page:Czechoslovakia's tribute to the memory of Woodrow Wilson.djvu/19

 centuries to come. His name is not only linked with the great war effort of the American people but also with something which is much more difficult than waging war: the creation of peace. In spite of the fact that Wilson had no detailed knowledge of European affairs he was unquestionably the greatest personality at the Peace Conference: he was one of the few who possessed a practical programme and strove for the realization of the wider ideas of mankind and not merely for the satisfaction of the demands of their own particular States. He had his own philosophy of peace, attempted to incorporate it in the Peace Treaty and was at least partly successful in this, in spite of the opposition of most of the other members.

He will be a great man because his name will always be linked with the conception of the League of Nations and the ideal of eternal peace, the hopes and the longing of all nations and of all ages.



For us, for Czechoslovakia, President Wilson is inseparably joined to the struggle for our freedom. In spite of the fact that it has an American colouring, the whole of his philosophy, his democratic ideals and his moral principles are and will remain near to us, for this philosophy was the ideological basis for our fight for freedom and it must be our foundation on which alone the whole of our State can stand in the future.

During the difficult days of our struggle abroad President Wilson became our helper, our supporter and finally also our good friend. Gradually he was won over by President Masaryk to support us in our national aims; he understood what was the meaning of our fight against Prussianism and why Austro-Hungary had to disappear as a State. His Notes, his manifests, his recognition of the Czechoslovak National Council, all this unquestionably formed the decisive factor in the history of the fight for our deliverance.

In the most painful days of the War when our people was most bent under the pressure of the central Powers, at a time when all parties at home used to prove to it that there were no hopes of the fulfilment of its bold dreams, when it suffered terribly from hunger and physical and moral exhaustion, it pronounced the name of Wilson, its greatest hope and consolation, and thus obtained the last stimulus to persevere in the fight.

At the Peace Conference President Wilson remained our helper and friend. On several occasions I had the opportunity to speak to him and negotiate on our own and other affairs. He was always equally genial and human, always equally approachable and ready to assist, always equally prepared, not only to have his own say, but also to hear and accept our case. I mention the following examples:

His first intervention in our affairs was in connection with the Těšín frontier district. I desired that we should conclude the War begun with the Poles in this district. He sum-