Page:The Bohemian Review, vol1, 1917.djvu/53

 kultur. Their only real ally is the Magyar race, which actuated by a similar megalomania, has linked its fortunes to the Hohenzollern chariot in order to crush the Slavs of Hungary and Serbia. Bulgaria found itself on the German side partly from hate of its neighbor and cousin, Serbia, party through the crooked politics of its German king, and Turkey hardly knows at all, how it came to deliver itself to Germany. Among the numberless races of newcomers in the United States, two only need be considered as possible enemies, the Germans and the Magyars.

The census of 1910 undertook for the first time to classify immigrants and their children according to their mother tongue. There were at that time 2,910,857 immigrants, naturalized and aliens, whose mother tongue was German, and 229,094 whose mother tongue was Magyar. Of the Germans the largest part was born in Germany, a considerable minority in Austria-Hungary and several hundred thousands in Russia. Most of the immigrants from the Dual Empire belong to races that not only do not sympathize with the Teuton cause, but are far more anxious to defeat Germany with its domineering ambitions and ruthless methods than the average American citizen whose patience has only recently been roused to the point of war.

Among the races of Austria-Hungary who are hostile to the Central Powers Bohemians and Slovaks occupy the place of honor. Bohemians have fought the Germans for fifteen centuries and Slovaks were held down by Magyar overlords for a thousand years. Bohemian and Slovak regiments in the Austrian army mutinied, surrendered and went over to the Russians on many occasions. The Vienna parliament has not been called together since April, 1914, because of the known opposition of the Czech deputies to the war. In every Allied army there are volunteer formations of Czechs and Slovaks who feel that they fight for their own country by fighting against Germany. Bohemian and Slovak immigrants in this country have collected large sums of money for the support of a movement aiming at the liberation of their brothers from the German and Magyar yoke.

No one doubts that in case of war with Germany the overwhelming majority of immigrants of all races, German included, will be found absolutely loyal to this great land which has the faculty to gain the love of strangers within its gates. But there will be found many among the German and Magyar elements of the foreign-born population who will commit treason by adhering to the enemy of the United States. There will be none such among the Bohemian-speaking citizens and residents of this country.

By CHARLES PERGLER

The pronouncement of the Austrian court, condemning to death Dr. Karel Kramář for treason to the Austrian state, is one of the most remarkable documents in the history of jurisprudence, and as such should not escape further scrutiny.

The court’s statement, which was published in full in the last number of the Bohemian Review, is not a legal opinion at all. But to save its face, and to furnish the world at least a semblance of justification for the judgment and sentence, the court made an exceedingly labored effort to present to the world certain alleged evidential facts upon which it pretends to base its findings.

If we seek for these evidential facts we find them to be exceedingly few in number, and they may be enumerated as follows:

1. A certain number of editors, propagandists and publishers, with whom Kramář prior to the war maintained relations, after the war broke out demand the destruction of the monarchy and become its enemies.

2. In his own organ, the Národní Listy, after the commencement of hostilities, Kramář published three articles which expressed hope for the liberation of small nations.

3. At the time of his arrest, in the defendant’s pocket was found a French publication inimical to the Austrian state, and among his effects there were, also found Bohemian translations of two articles from the London “Times” of a similar tendency.

4. While Italy was still at peace with Austria, the defendant had a conversation with the Italian consul in Prague (April, 1915).

5. Among the defendant’s effects was found a draft of a letter to Prince Thun, declaring that, faithful to his political principles, Kramář was