Page:The Czechoslovak Review, vol3, 1919.djvu/40



The first plebiscite to settle the fate of a small, liberated nation of Central Europe has just been successfully completed. It was carried out in the United States and was concerned with the determination of the political status of the Uhro-Rusins. By a majority of more than two-thirds the plebiscite favored the inclusion of this people in the Czechoslovak republic.

The voting took place in the parishes and beneficial lodges of the Uhro-Rusin immigrants in the United States. Practically all of these people are adherents of the Greek Catholic Church; there are 52 parishes with 19,010 families, all subject to the jurisdiction of the Rt. Rev. Gabriel Martyak, administrator of the Uhro-Rusin Greek Catholic Church in America. Most of them are also members of two death and sick benefit societies, one of which is known as the Greek Catholic Union with 42,681 members paying dues and 6106 other members in the Sokol branch of the Union; the other organization is known as the United Societies of the Greek Catholic Religion and numbers 4477 members.

During the month of December a vote was taken in all the parishes and the local lodges of the two benefit societies to determine the question of the future political allegiance of the Uhro-Rusinians of Hungary. Each parish was allowed one vote to every fifty families and each lodge one vote to every fifty members. There was no campaigning and no money was spent by any faction; but the issues were fully and clearly explained in the various Uhro-Rusin newspapers. It should be remarked that scarcely 10 per cent of the Uhro-Rusins in this country are naturalized and that the people in the Old Country who are still under Magyar rule have as yet had no opportunity to express their wishes.

The result of the plebiscite is as follows:

The result of the plebiscite with ballots will be taken to Paris and Uhro-Rusinia immediately by a delegation consisting of Julius G. Gardoš, president of the Uhro-Rusins National Council, and Gregory I. Zsatkovich, a lawyer of Pittsburgh. A report summarizing the result of the vote has already been cabled to Dr. Edward Beneš, Czechoslovak Foreign Minister.

After four years of work for Czechoslovak in dependence in America Joseph Tvrzický sailed from New York on December 10 to go to Prague for the purpose of establishing there a regular press service for Czech and Slovak newspapers of the United States.

Tvrzický was one of the principal moving spirits in the organization of the Bohemian National Alliance of America. On the very day on which the Austrian ultimatum to Serbia expired he arranged a meeting of protest in Chicago, and since that day has given all his wonderful energy and journalistic and political ability to the task of lining up the Czechoslovak people in America for independent Bohemia. He was secretary of the Central Committee of the Bohemian National Alliance for three years; during the last year the was in charge of the Czech press bureau at Washington.

He was accompanied to Prague by Mr. Donald Breed, a newspaper man who will serve an American syndicate as Prague correspondent.

To Prof. Masaryk and to Deputy Kramář belong the lion’s share of the credit for the present glory of Bohemia. Neither recognized defeat. When the clouds were the darkest their hopes were the brightest. Each was spurred with but one thought or ambition—liberty and freedom for Bohemia and her peoples.

We must not forget the noble warriors who sacrificed their all, even their very lives, for Bohemia, for her people and for civilization. Without their aid all would have been in vain, all for naught. Without their active co-operation no statement of principles, or the very principles themselves, would be of no avail or effect. Their sacrifices, their heroism and their valiant conduct made freedom and liberty possible for Bohemia. We honor them, we glorify them in the words, slightly altered, of Hume,

The nation of Comenius is now an active factor, and a useful one, in the world’s daily life. Those of us of Czech or Slovak birth or descent offer it our hearty well wishes and blessings. Hopes shall brighten the days to come while memories will gild the past. Success is assured. The nation goes forth lustily singing the Hussite Battle Hymn, and guided by the words of Pelisek’s noble character of Comenius, they must succeed;

E. F. Prantner.

''Beginning with this issue, single copies of the Czechoslovak Review will be sold at 15 cents each, and the subscription per year will be $1.50. This step is necessary in order that the Review might be enlarged and made an illustrated monthly magazine, worthy of the people after which it is named.''