Page:The Bohemian Review, vol1, 1917.djvu/199

 the bulk of industry of the empire; that her growth has been retarded by the capitalistic intrigues or high finance of the Austro-Hungarian Bank, from whose directorship Czechs, though owning one-third of the shares, have been excluded. It is a known fact that the aggressive expansionist policy of Austria-Hungary in the Balkans during the ten years preceding the war destroyed Bohemia’s greatest market, the Balkans. The Balkan peoples and the Turks boycotted Austrian goods, that is Bohemian goods, while the Czechs protested in vain against a foreign policy which could lead only to war. It is doubtful whether as an independent state Czecho-Slovakia would fare any worse than she has in the past. She has fought the wars of a German dynasty, which since 1879 has been the vassal of Germany, she has paid far out of proportion for all the costly wars of the empire, she has suffered economically worse than if she were surrounded wholly by German territory.

The solution of the Bohemian Question has become a vital American interest and should find a definite place in American policy. Once more may America stand up for democracy and the rights of small nations and, at the same time, help to destroy the ugliest dream of the ages—Pan-Germanism—and help to build a just federation for all the nations of the world. In the words of President Wilson, “These are American principles, American policies. We could stand for no others. And they are also the principles and policies of for ward-looking men and women everywhere, of every nation, of every enlightened community. They are the principles of mankind and must prevail.”

In these days, when the question of Bohemian independence is to the fore, the minds of all true sons of Bohemia often revert to the former fights made for the restoration of ancient Bohemian glory. The most recent of them was the great struggle carried on fifty years ago for the recognition of the historical rights of the Bohemian lands under the leadership of František Ladislav Rieger.

Rieger’s long life spans the days of Czech “resurrection” with the most recent times. When he was born in 1818, Bohemia had the appearance of a thoroughly Germanized country. The government was German, the privileged classes were German, the capital and most of the country towns were, superficially at least, German. When Rieger was a young man, it was rare indeed to hear a well-dressed man speak in Czech on the streets of Prague. What a contrast with the closing years of Rieger’s life! In 1903, the year of his death, Prague was a city of half a million, Czech to the core, center of a brilliant Slav culture, with a great university, a splendid literature and a strong political life.

Rieger was born in northeastern Bohemia in the small town of Semily. His father was a miller, and so had been his ancestors before him since the seventeenth century. In spite of his German name Rieger came of good Czech stock, of that peasant class which saved the whole race and reconquered the cities of Bohemia. It was the custom in those days, and for many years later, to send young children to board with acquaintances in German districts so as to learn German early. Little František was only eight years old, when he was sent by his parents to Schumburg for this purpose, and at the age of ten was admitted into the Jičín gymnasium, in which the instruction was German, as was the case with all the higher schools in Bohemia at that period. Later he went to the academic gymnasium of Prague, the rector of which was Joseph Jungmann, the man who more than any other single man brought about the revival of Bohemian literature. At the early age of seventeen Rieger composed patriotic poems for the “Květy”, and coming into contact with the enthusiastic men who were full of devotion to the despised Czech race and language he determined to put all his strength into the service of his people and to do some notable deed to bring the Czech nation into something more like equality with the great nations of the west.

It was the father’s intention to give his son a sound liberal education and then have him take up the family trade of miller. But young Rieger persuaded his parents to allow him to take up the study of law. That profession was indicated for him by his extraordinary oratorical ability. He had a splendid, resonant baritone voice, a complete command of the choice, pure, undefiled Czech language, and a poetic temper, which, based upon a solid foundation of culture and wide reading made his speeches brilliant, fiery and convincing. He was a true tribune of the people, but he never became a demagogue. It is noteworthy also that he possessed the command of more than half a dozen languages. He was as mighty an orator in German as in Bohemian, and he spoke fluently French, Italian, Polish and Russian, in addition to a fair knowledge of English and Serbian.

Before the year 1848 the talents of Rieger found little expression. There was no political life in Austria under Metternich. In 1847 Rieger received the degree of doctor of law and took a lengthy trip into the south Slav lands and Italy. He was in