Page:The Czechoslovak Review, vol3, 1919.djvu/244

 plements which could be gathered together; had eaten or destroyed all grain seed which could have been used for the next year’s crops; and before all this of course had drafted the entire effective manhood of the nation into the hated Austrian army. It is in this emergency that Czechoslovakia finds itself, and it is in this emergency that she appeals to her neighbors to assist in the rebuilding of her home and the restocking of her larder.

It is not only the president and leaders of Czechoslovakia who look to America, but throughout the nation the visitor at the present time is impressed with the gratitude of the people towards America. It is safe to say that there are more American flags in Prague, the capitol of Czechoslovakia, than there are in Washington. In all of the stores are hung the pictures of President Masaryk and President Wilson. The chief railroad station of the city which was formerly known as “Francis Joseph Station” is now called “Wilson Station.”

The American Mission after its investigation came to the conclusion and so reported to Mr. Hoover, who is everywhere proclaimed with President Wilson as the savior of the nation, that the Czechoslovak people were a nation which challenged our attention, commanded our respect and deserved our utmost support.

This is not a commercial story, or it would be very easy and pleasurable to tell of the ceramic industry, of the objets d’art industry and metal work, of the glassware, garnet jewelry, bead-work, laces and embroideries, in which these people excel. No commercial authority has any fear for the industrial or commercial future of the country as soon as the present terrible emergency has been safely got over.

One needs but to mention Kubelík, Kocián, Hermann, Destin and Cavan to conjure up a vision of the musical artistry of Czechoslovakia. One needs only to mention Dvořák, Smetana and perhaps Friml amongst the composers who are rapidly supplanting the heavy Teutonic music that has been forced upon our senses over the last thirty years to realize that the musical perfection of Czechoslovakia is firmly intrenched. No one can sit in the magnificent Opera House on the banks of the Vltava River in Prague and read the inscription over the stage “From a Nation to Itself” and fail to feel the inspiration of this place. It is in this Opera House which was builded by the small subscriptions of the common people, that the spirit of the “warriors of right” has been kept alive. The Austrians never permitted public gatherings to discuss political affairs, but in the language of music the Bohemians met and communed and kept alive their magnificent traditions. It was the one language which Austrian secret service with all its efficiency could not understand.

One has only to hear a rendition of “Má Vlast” or “Libuše” to kowknow [sic] that in dealing with the Czechoslovak people we are dealing with a people who possess the saving grace of Soul—a soul which 300 years of unspeakable oppression has been unable to kill.

Dr. Alice G. Masaryk in her official capacity as president of the Czechoslovak Red Cross has appointed Mrs. Charles Motak of 1342 Second avenue, New York, as her personal representative in America. Mrs. Motak will at all times be prepared to receive requests for information or offers of assistance in regard to the relief work covered by the Alice Masaryk Fund, as well as other Czechoslovak Red Cross activities in this country.

The very important relief work has at last been put on a sound business basis and the treasurers who will now handle the money and receive and acknowledge subscriptions to the Fund are both well known and universally trusted friends of Czechoslovakia. These treasurers have been appointed with Dr. Alice G. Masaryk’s approval and are:

Mr. Thomas Čapek, President, Bank of Europe, New York City.

Mr. Michael Bosak, President, Bosak State Bank, Scranton, Pa.

Delegates from 65 Protestant churches, using the Czechoslovak language, met in Chicago on June 25 and 26. Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists, Congregational and Reformed churches were represented. An organization was formed under the name “Czechoslovak Evangelical Union of America” which will devote its energies at the present time especially to the support of war orphans;; [sic]it will also favor all efforts for deeper religious life among the liberated people. It was announced that the Presbyterians were sending Joseph Křenek of Silver Lake, Minn., as fraternal delegate to the Evangelical Church of the Brethren, and that the Baptists were sending as their delegate Václav Králíček of Chicago. Václav Vaněk of Chicago was elected first president of Evangelical Union.