Page:The Bohemian Review, vol2, 1918.djvu/124



Upon the motion of M. Ernest Gay the Municipal Council of Paris voted to present a flag to the first CzechcoslovakCzechoslovak [sic] regiment fighting alongside of the French.

The flag is made by artists from a sketch prepared by the noted Bohemian painter Kupka. It is made of silk with golden tassels and is divided horizontally into two fields: white above, red below, with a blue hem trimmed with gold. In the center is the number of the regiment and the Czechoslovak monogram. In the corner are the coat of arms of the Czechoslovak lands whose union is symbolized by four golden rings attached to the top of the flagpole instead of the usual pointed end. Underneath is tied a ribbon of white and red silk with the embroidered French and Bohemian inscription: “Paris to the Czechoslovak Army.”

The presentation of the flag took place on June 30th. President Poincaire himself made an address upon this occasion in which he said: that France constituted the Czechoslovak army as testimony of her gratitude to the valiant soldiers of that race who had volunteered to serve her from the beginning of the war and had won honor and death under her flag.

“It never entered the mind of the French Government”, said President Poincaire, “on the day that Austria the faithful servant of Germany’s ambitions, sent an insulting ultimatum to Serbia, to treat the Czechs who are resident in France, notably young students, as its enemies.”

The President recalled that the protest of the Bohemian Diet was the only one made anywhere against Germany’s annexation of Alsace-Lorraine.

On June 11th, Mr. Outhwaite member of Parliament for Hanley, asked the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, whether his attention had been called to the declaration of sympathy with the nationalistic aspirations of the Czechoslovaks and Jugoslavs, is sued by the Premiers of Great Britain, France and Italy at Versailles, on June 3d; and what steps the British Government proposed to take to secure the liberation of the Czechoslovaks and Jugoslavs who, for pursuing nationalistic ambitions, had been imprisoned without trial by the Austrian Government.

Lord R. Cecil answered: The British Government have no means of modifying the action of the Austrian Government in this matter. These persons are the enemies of our enemies, and as such are entitled to our warmest sympathies.

In reply to a further question by Mr. Outhwaite, Lord R. Cecil stated: It will be for the liberated Czechoslovak and Jugoslav peoples themselves to determine their future status. His Majesty’s Government thoroughly recognizes the many proofs given by these races of intense national feeling, and cordially acknowledge the assistance which their troops are rendering to the Allied cause.

The Government of the United States has followed the example of its Allies, France, Italy and England, and has declared unequivocally for complete independence of the Czechoslovaks. Secretary Lansing gave out on June 28th the following statement:

The British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Arthur J. Balfour, addressed a letter to Dr. Edwad Beneš, General Secrectary of the Czechoslovak National Council, dated June 5th, in which he says:

The next step which we hope will soon be taken should be the official recognition of the Czechoslovak National Council by the American Government.

Since the arrival of Professor Masaryk in the United States the Czechoslovak cause has made a tremendous progress. Masaryk has spent most of