Page:The Bohemian Review, vol2, 1918.djvu/87

 After some hesitation, Frederick accepted the crown and proceeded to Bohemia accompanied by his consort. They arrived at the “Star” Palace, immediately outside Prague early in the morning of October 31st, and on the same day made their solemn entry into the town. Many Bohemian nobles who had awaited their new Sovereign at the “Star” joined the procession to the Hradcany Castle. At the Strahov gate they were met by the guilds of Prague carrying their banners, and by numerous peasants “all clad in the old Bohemian dress and bearing arms that had been used during the Hussite Wars.” On November 4th Frederick was crowned King of Bohemia in St. Vitus's Cathedral, and the coronation of Queen Elizabeth took place there three days later.

Since we got into the war Chicago has witnessed a number of patriotic demonstrations that were truly impressive. But in point of number and enthusiasm only the reception accorded to Marshal Joffre and the French mission a year ago can compare with the wonderful manifestation which took place upon the arrival of Professor Masaryk in Chicago.

Masaryk arrived Sunday, May 5th, at 2:00 P. M. It is no exaggeration to say that all the Czechs and Slovaks of Chicago, including the children and the babies, turned out to welcome him. The Tribune states that 40,000 people were in the line of march: there were all the Sokol organizations, Bohemian and Slovak, freethinker and Catholic, including further other uniformed bodies and all the fraternal societies. Among other organizations were officers of the Slovak League, Bohemian members of exemption boards, the Bohemian Liberty Loan Committee, officeholders of Bohemian descent, Police Captain Ptáček and squads of policemen of Bohemian blood, visitors from Omaha, Cedar Rapids, Cleveland and other cities and various celebrities too numerous to mention. Masaryk was further welcomed by President Judson of the University of Chicago, H. H. Merrick of the National Security League, representatives of the various Slav races of Chicago and consuls of the Allied countries. The line of march from the Northwestern station to the Blackstone Hotel was jammed with members of the Czechoslovak societies, and when the mile-long procession arrived on the lake front at the hotel, there were 200,000 people packed around the professor’s auto, filling up the wide Michigan avenue and overflowing into the side streets and into Grant Park.

A number of brief welcoming speeches were made in English and Bohemian, while moving picture cameras were grinding busily. Then Masaryk replied, also briefly. He spoke of the unshakeable determination of the Czechoslovak people to throw off the Hapsburg yoke and quoted the letter of a Bohemian mother to her son in a prison camp: “Your father is under ground, and your brother too; and you are not yet in the Czechoslovak army?” The Czech leader mentioned also that his principal task at present would be to hasten the transport of 50,000 fighters from Russia to France, stating that by the time these would be gone, there would be 50,000 more to go.

When the American newspapers brought the report that great crowds in Prague cheered the name of President Wilson, the Bohemian National Alliance|, together with the representatives of all the principal Bohemian societies in this country, sent to the President a most eloquent expression of their loyalty to him and their confidence in him. Secretary Lansing in behalf of the President acknowledged the telegram in very cordial terms. The  published both the message of loyalty and the reply. We quote from it Mr. Lansing’s reply:

The President directs me to say that he is deeply touched by your message of the 18th in which you voice the appreciation of your fellow Czechoslovaks in the United States for the stand the President has taken in advocacy of the rights of the human race to undominated control of their own destinies. The presence among us of many thousands of your fellow countrymen who have made their home with us and become assimilated with our national life is proof not only of the welcome which our Commonwealth extends to such worthy elements, but of the sympathy of the newcomers with the broad principles of democratic union upon which this country builds up its national faith and of their desire to become a helpful part of the enduring civic organization we have framed. To all such the people of the United States hold out the hand of earnest sympathy and gladly share in the aspirations which animate them and their kindred in their old country.

The press of the United States has not paid as much attention to the Inter-Allied Labor Conference which met in London on February 2d, as its significance entitled it to. The conference adopted a platform containing the war aims of the Allied Labor, and thanks to the indefatigable labors of our workers in England, principally Miss Olga Masaryk, daughter of the Bohemian leader, and of Mr. V. Nosek, the Czech demands were specifically mentioned and substantially endorsed. The platform, as far as it relates to Austria-Hungary, reads: