Page:The Czechoslovak Review, vol3, 1919.djvu/103

 of the suppressed newspapers under another name should not be permitted. The dissolution of municipal and country councils and the substitution of state commissioners is in many cases a desirable measure, increase in the number of gendarmes is highly desirable ”

On the same day the supreme army command addressed a report to the emperor in which the same subject is taken up, the intention being to compel action by premier Stuergkh.

On December 5th, 1914, the army command renewed its representations to Emperor Francis Joseph over conditions in Bohemia. After references to previously reported disloyal sentiments the document says:

“Reports received since as to the conduct of troops recruited from the above named provinces and the reports over the progress of pan-Slav and anti-military agitations make it unfortunately clear that means heretofore suggested will no longer suffice. The defeat of the 21st Landwehr Division of Prague during the first offensive in Serbia, during which a surprisingly great number of men were captured by the enemy, is partly to be explained by the lack of patriotticpatriotic [sic] feeling on the part of the men For the garrison of Cracow we originally selected the 95th Landsturm Brigade of Prague and then the 4th and 11th Landsturm Territorial Brigade of Prague and Jičín. The conduct of the first named unit during the operations of the army group of General von Kummer and the behaviour of the other formations in the fortress compelled the chief army command to send them away, especially in view of the report of the commander of the fortress that he was doubtful about successful defense with such troops. The 95th Brigade is at best available only for service in the interior. Clear lack of morale accounts also for the poor showing of the 6th Landsturm Territorial Brigade during the crossing at Semendria, where this brigade during its first contact with the enemy lost great numbers of unwounded prisoners in spite of slight Serbian opposition. Events that occurred near Jaroslav in the early hours of October 29th seem to indicate that several companies of the 36th Infantry Regiment of Mladá Boleslav and the 30th Regiment of Králové Hradec surrendered to the enemy without any real fighting; and this suspicion is strengthened by the fact that several days later Russian reports spoke of expressions hostile to the monarchy and to the war on the part of 1500 Czech soldiers who had been recently captured by the Russians. Otherwise the 9th Army Corps gave little reason for complaints until recently. Through the introduction of strong detachments of newly raised soldiers whose sentiments could not be sufficiently influenced during their brief military training it seems that the spirit of the troops suffered so much that great numbers of men ran away to the enemy at every opportunity; the corps commander is of the opinion that the only remedy is to infuse into his command large numbers of German or Magyar soldiers. In nearly all the army corps which draw their men from Czech districts events happened which indicate that the men cannot be relied upon

Even though as yet there are no well founded reports of evil intentions on the part of individuals or units, nevertheless the occurrence of so many regrettable incidents in troops composed of Czechs points to a common reason and makes it clear that their present bad conduct is due to the propaganda hostile to the state which for years had ben carried on under the eyes of the authorities We must figure today with the presence of sentiments friendly to Russia in many circles of the Czech people  The continued existence of conditions above described, especially in the Kingdom of Bohemia, endangers the successful outcome of the war and the continued existence of the monarchy  Filled with serious worry over the future development of operations on both battlefronts in case the army is further exposed to the inner political difficulties, I pray Your Majesty that in the interest of sound conditions in Bohemia you will eliminate the present ill fitted administration and would appoint a high general for governor of the Kingdom giving him special powers

May your majesty be graciously pleased to see to it that strong steps be immediately taken regardless of position and influence, that compromised officials of all grades be firmly deposed, that clergymen hostile to the state be turned over to criminal courts, that men who spread reports and editors who do not remember their duty be dealt with by military law, that corporations which misuse their autonomy lose it, that all political societies without exception be broken up and all secret meetings prevented, and that the population be warned of the reasons for these strict measures.”

When Italy declared war on Austria, the Austrian Army command, or rather Archduke Frederick, addressed the emperor once more on May 21, 1915, urging the necessity for a more severe regime in Bohemia:

“While it was difficult during the past months of the war to handle effectively treasonable movements in the Kingdom of Bohemia, now one must be prepared for most serious events due to the growing difficulty of the situation. Privations and exceptional measures are likely to stir up the unpatriotic population, already excited by conscienceless demagogues, to most dangerous deeds, especially as the state authorities have manifested all along regrettable weakness and the few troops remaining in the country are in no way sufficient to deprive an insurrection of all chances of success. In order that the military operations should not be further endangered by events in the interior whereby the fight of the monarchy for existence would be most unfavorably affected, it is imperative to initiate a most