Page:The Bohemian Review, vol2, 1918.djvu/183

 Liberty Loans, the American Red Cross Society, etc.

When finally a Czechoslovak army was created on the soil of France and the call was extended even to the Czechs and Slovaks in America who were free from duty here, Dr. Fisher was the first to offer his services. He was immediately entrusted with the task of organizing the medical department for the new forces. After having served in that capacity on both the Italian and the French fronts he has received the rank of Major and has been sent on a special mission back to America. He will remain for a short time only. It is his conviction that his place is among his brethren who are fighting for the independence of their beloved nation. His heart is now there and he means to remain with the Czechoslovak fighters until that cause is won, to which he has devoted for years the strength and powers of his being. “And then”, to quote his own words, he will “come back happy to America”, and for the rest of his life will “seek to render devoted and grateful service to that country to which our nation owes so much.”

The Japanese Government issued on the 9th of September the following declaration:

The Japanese government have noted with deep sympathy and interest the just aspirations of the Czechoslovak people to exact free and independent national existence. These aspirations have consciously been made manifest in their determined and well organized efforts to arrest the progress of the Germanic aggressive policy.

In these circumstances the Japanese government are happy to regard the Czechoslovak army| as an allied and belligerent army waging regular warfare against Austria-Hungary and Germany, and to recognize the right of the Czechoslovak National Council to exercise the supreme control over that army.

They are further prepared to enter into communication with the duly authorized representatives of the Czechoslovak National Council, whenever necessary, on all matters of mutual interest to the Japanese and Czechoslovak forces in Siberia.

The month of September opened for the Bohemians and Slovaks of the United States with the act of recognition by the American Government. Both the Bohemian National Alliance| and the Slovak League with their hundreds of branches sent telegrams eloquent with gratitude to the President and the Secretary of State. Celebrations were held in the principal settlements of the Czech and Slovak people, at which not merely this one people, but all the Austrian races as well as the representatives of the city and state governments took part. Among the many meetings of this sort should be recorded the celebrations in Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis, St. Paul, Bridgeport, etc.

The Bohemians and Slovaks of New York were fortunate to hear at one occasion the most noted figures in the Czechoslovak movement. At a meeting in the Sokol Hall on September 13th addresses were made by President Masaryk, his daughter Miss Olga Masaryk, General Štefanik, vice-president of the National Council, and General Janin, commander of all the Czechoslovak armed forces. General Janin, like all the others, spoke in the Bohemian language.

Under the influence of the great diplomatic achievements the campaign for raising money for the support of the Czechoslovak government, a campaign that goes on without interruption, has been unusually successful. At the bazaar in Omaha the goal set was to raise $50,000 and thus beat the larger Bohemian settlements; the result exceeded all expectations, for the total raised was $60,000. The same great success rewarded the efforts of the Slovak workers in Bridgeport, Conn., where the result was also far greater than anticipated, the net proceeds being equal to the sum gained at Omaha. At the same time recruiting for the Czechoslovak army in France is proceeding with renewed vigor, and the camp at Stamford, Conn., is crowded almost all the time.

The Slovak League million dollar fund will now soon be collected. Among other notable gifts is one of $10,000, voted by the convention of the First Catholic Slovak Union. A remarkable and highly gratifying fact, testifying to the good effects of the common campaign for freedom, has been the holding of a union patriotic meeting by the conventions of the Slovak Catholic and the Slovak Protestant Unions, both of which held conventions at Pittsburgh at the same time.

Members of the oppressed races of Austria-Hungary filled to overflowing the auditorium of Carnegie Hall in New York on Sunday, September 15th and applauded speeches and resolutions demanding the break-up of Austria.

The speakers were Professor Thomas G. Masaryk, President of the Czechoslovak National Council, now recognized as the Czechoslovak Provisional Government; Ignace J. Paderewski, representative of the Polish National Committee to the United States; Lieutenant Vasile Stoica, President of the Rumanian National League of America; Pierre de Lanux of the French High Commission, and Dr. Hinko Hinkovitch, representative of the Jugoslav National Council.