Page:The Bohemians (Czechs) In The Present Crisis.djvu/13

 The literature of Russia is well known in Bohemia, and there are few Russian works of any significance that have not been translated into the Bohemian language.

The Italian people for a long time suffered under Austrian despotism, and even now are fighting for the liberation of their compatriots still living within Austrian boundaries. Could the Bohemians take a stand against their fellow-sufferers? Most decidedly not.

And where is there a human being in whose breast the plight of heroic Belgium did not engender the desire that Belgium's ravishers be defeated?

Thus we see that the sympathies of the Bohemian people in the present struggle of necessity could be nowhere else than on the side of the Allied powers, and against the Austrian and German governments.

It may be said that all these things are of no account, no value, and no influence in politics, especially international politics. There may have been a time when this was true, but modern governments now are and of necessity must be more responsive to the moods and attitudes of the peoples they rule, and all these matters must therefore be taken into account, not only by the governments, but of necessity wise statesmen will consider them in the future peace conference. Diplomacy cannot be any more a game of the select few, but must take into account popular tendencies and popular opinions.

R. MOWRER, the Daily News correspondent, the other day described the terms upon which the Allies are willing to conclude peace, and one of these he says is the re-establishment of an independent Bohemia. If the Allies can enforce their will, the conclusion of the war will see the re-establishment of Bohemian independence, which in spirit Bohemia never relinquished. Perhaps no single sentence could better de-