Page:The Bohemian Review, vol2, 1918.djvu/108

 great part of the Bohemian people declared their country independent of Austria-Hungary. The Bohemians have done about all a people so situated could do to express their hope of Teuton defeat.

It has happened, however, that many Bohemians and other sincere friends of our cause have been annoyed and humiliated merely because they bore names which were neither Anglo-Saxon nor Latin.. The loyal people of the United States have plenty of real enemies to fight. Let them take care that they do not fight friends. The Outlook, a famous American weekly, has not the circulation of the Saturday Evening Post, but it counts among its readers all the intellect of America. It says in its issue of May 15th:

“There never was more need for the expression of sympathy and for actual help for the oppressed peoples of Austria-Hungary. Although, as subjects of Austria-Hungary, they are technically enemies of the Allies, these people are really the Allies’ friends. By the thousands they are risking, not only their lives, but all they hold dear, for the cause for which the Allies are fighting Czechs, or Bohemians, as we would call them, have deserted in groups from the Austrian army in which they were impressed. They have sent messages across the lines to the Italians; and then the Italian guns have put down a barrage behind the Czechs, cutting them off from the Austrian rear, and then the Czechoslovaks have gone safely over to the other side and joined the Italians in fighting for liberty.

Men who do this know that if captured they will be hanged.

Such peoples deserve our sympathy and aid. They ought to be told that we are not going to stand for the preservation of the Austro-Hungarian empire, that we believe in their liberty as we believe in our own; that though they are technically enemy aliens when they are in this country, they are really our friends, and when they go to fight for our cause and theirs, they have our Godspeed.”

Most of the great dailies of America have commented with admiration upon the brave stand of the Czechoslovaks. An editorial typical of many others appeared in that earliest friend of Bohemian freedom, the Chicago Journal of May 21. After refer ring to the riots in Prague, the editor goes on:

“The work of the Bohemians is magnificent; it is also war, and we in America must not forget our obligation to that heroic people. The reinforcements which they have drawn to Prague relieve the pressure on our boys at the front. But to give us that relief, the Czechs and Slovaks have put their head in the lion’s mouth, and staked their all, not merely on an allied victory, but on the good faith and sound judgment of the allies when that victory is gained.

To leave the Bohemian people under Hapsburg or Hohenzollern rule is to hand them over, helpless, to the vengeance of tyrants who know neither mercy nor justice. No treaties bind either of these degenerate dynasties. No supervision can thwart their hate in territories which they are allowed to controlAmerica must be the liberator or the slave-catcher. There is no middle ground—and of course there is no real doubt as to the role that our country means to take. But it would be well to announce our decision in terms that the dullest can understand.”

Mr. Joseph J. Fekl, who until recently acted as business manager for the Bohemian Review, sends a description of the army camp at Stamford, Conn., where he is at present stationed. He says:

The camp is located in a pleasant wooded country near Stamford. It is not intended for a training camp of recruits as are the great United States army cantonments. The volunteers get some drilling, while waiting for transportation to France, where their real military training will take place.

The Czechoslovak camp is distant about four miles from the city of Stamford and it is located on the property of the well-known sculptor, Gutzon Borglum. Near the entrance is a residential building which is now used for headquarters and reading room. Nearby is a garage. Below on the river are three barracks for the men and the kitchen. Be tween two of these buildings is the laundry and shower bath served by a gasoline pump. Across the river a large residence has been placed by Mr. Borglum at the disposal of the invalids of the Czechoslovak Army.

The camp is commanded by Václav Šolc with the cooperation of officers and drillmasters chosen from among the volunteers. Everything is kept spotlessly clean and the sanitary conditions, as well as the health of the soldiers, are excellent. While strictest discipline is maintained, the democratic spirit of the Czechoslovak army is evident here and all are ad dressed as “brother”.

The men spend their days in drilling and in labor for the maintenance of the camp and the raising of vegetables. There is time for recreation. The camp library contains already several hundred volumes of good reading matter, and nearly all Bohemian and Slovak newspapers are received at the camp through the courtesy of the publishers. Men go in for singing and music, fishing, ball games, etc. Mrs. Borplum, who continually adds something appetizing to the fare of the camp, undertook to teach the men French and is pleased with the progress of her pupils.

Many prominent Americans and foreign guests visited the camp. To some of them the very name of Czechoslovaks had been unknown before: now we have in them warm friends.

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