Page:The Czechoslovak Review, vol4, 1920.pdf/41

 ming invasion of white guards. I assure you that when the time comes, these conspirators will not catch us by surprise, but rather will themselves be surprised and unpleasantly awakened from their dreams. The Magyar noblemen do not seem to realize that domination over enslaved nations in Central Europe is gone for good. We shall see to it that their reliance on chance and possible foreign complications shall be proved vain.

The internal situation in Slovakia has been very good in the last few months. It has been demonstrated that reasons for whatever dissatisfaction existed were economic and not political. Better regulation of requisitions and food distribution removed the motives which disturbed the minds of the people. In the military administration, too, an improvement was brought about by the assignment of officers from our legions to Slovak regiments; these officers conduct themselves as brothers toward the men under their command and pay attention to their just complaints. In order to liberate the soldiers from the hostile atmosphere of Magyar culture in which they were brought up, lectures are given in all the larger garrisons on Slovak history, literature, our fight for freedom; our soldiers are made acquainted with the cultural life of our Czech brothers to bridge the gulf which the separation of a thousand years made between us and the Czech nation.

Officials scattered in Slovakia as a result of the campaign in press and of instructions from their superiors pay more attention to the political, social and religious circumstances of the Slovak people, try to understand them and to act in harmony with the local environment. Here also we reach the conclusion that the principal reason for dissatisfaction with Czech officials was their ignorance of the Slovak soul,, [sic]Slovak mentality and life. The better we get acquainted, the less there will be of misunderstanding and disharmony between Slovaks and Czechs. Therefore I ask with great earnestness that Czechs coming to Slovakia should first try to acquire all possible information, about the people they will have to deal with, then establish personal contact with both the educated people and the masses in the particular city or village in which they may be stationed.” It is especially desirable that all Czech officials and state employees should employ the Slovak form of speech as much as possible, for then the most obvious barrier between brothers is broken down and better co-operation will result.

As a result of foreign agitation a few newspapers published on Slovak soil began in spite of censorship a campaign aimed against the Czechoslovak Republic and against our Czech brothers. The editors received first an admonition, and where that was not effective the newspapers were suppressed. But on the whole Magyar and German press pays constantly more attention to the internal affairs of our state, its political, economic and cultural interests. Thus their readers are brought in closer touch with the interests of the republic; the tension ds relaxing, and our citizens of foreign speech bring their aims within the limit of the existing order and become a useful element of the state.

Municipal and national elections are approaching; they will be held on the basis of universal franchise with representation for minorities, and political parties are showing more activity. A serious problem for Slovakia is the formation of a block of parties with positive program which would paralyze the work of subversive elements supported from beyond our boundaries. I hope that the statesmanship of Slovak leaders will shortly solve this problem to the benefit of the parties concerned and for the good of our nation and the republic. It is evident, of course, that we count on Magyar and German citizens who are willing to co-operate in the upbuilding of our republic and securing peaceful development of all the races living in Slovakia. Our Magyar and German fellow-citizens must see that all of us in Slovakia have common interests and that an uderstandingunderstanding [sic] is necessary for the sake of economic welfare, good administration and cultural growth. On this basis we are willing to extend our hand to all who wish to work honorably with us.

The Jews in Slovakia are now seeking close relations with the Slovak circles. We welcome this in the interest both of the Jews and of the state; we want the Jewry to abandon its isolation and thus overcome distrust and suspicion. The Jews must change the role which they formerly played among the Slovaks; they should demonstrate by deeds their loyalty to the country and our nation. They can either join such parties as seem nearest to them, or they can form their own party which must, however, so conduct itself as to exclude all suspicion of hostility to the state. Jewish intellect, Jewish enterprise and capital cannot easily be spared by any state, and least of all by our state which is building its institutions from the foundation and welcomes every sincere co-worker.

Big capital, whether industrial or agricultural or banking, needs to be told emphatically that it must use its advantages in a democratic spirit. It will be very foolish, if it waits for something to happen, for foreign complications. Let it rather get busy to create new values, so that willingness to work should be encouraged and unemployment decrease.

The excitement over the so-called religious question has in the recent months cooled down. There has been lately no report of religious sentiments wantonly hurt. It seems to me that even in the past a very few occurrences were artificially given undue publicity, magnified hysterically so as to stir up the people. From the time the “Slovák” and “Ludové Noviny” were sup-