States. On Dec. 10, 1917, Premier Clemenceau of France authorized the formation of a distinct Czecho-Slovak army in France, to co-operate with the Allies on the western front. On April 23, 1918, the Italian Government formally recognized the belligerency of the Czecho-Slovak nation; British recognition followed, on Aug. 3, 1918, that of the United States was announced on Sept. 2, 1918, and that of Japan on Sept. 9, 1918. But already on May 29, 1918, Secretary Lansing, representing the United States, announced officially that "the national aspirations of the Czecho-Slovaks and Jugoslavs for freedom have the earnest sympathy of the United States." In the following June the United States Government officially permitted the Czecho-Slovak representatives in this country to recruit men for a Slavic legion.
Early in April, 1918, after the disintegration of the Austro-Hungarian Empire was well under way, popular demonstrations for independence took place in Prague. So widespread were these disorders that a state of siege was proclaimed by the Austrian authorities and many of the popular leaders were executed. On Oct. 21, 1918, the independence of the Czecho-Slovak peoples was officially proclaimed by the National Council; a general uprising took place in Prague and the city passed almost bloodlessly out of the nerveless hands of its Austrian rulers. On Oct. 28, a week later, a provisional government was organized and installed in Prague. On Nov. 2, 1918, the leaders of the revolution met in Geneva, Switzerland, and drafted a system of organic laws for the new republic, which included equal suffrage for the sexes and referendum voting for all important legislation. On Nov. 10 a provisional National Assembly met in Prague and elected the first President of the Republic, the honor falling to the prominent Czech scholar and historian, Thomas Garrigue Masaryk, who was then in the United States on a diplomatic mission. On Dec. 22, 1918, the new President was officially inaugurated into office in Prague, together with his Cabinet, the Prime Minister of which was Dr. Karl Kramarz, with the prominent revolutionary leader, Voita Benes, as Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The new government was based on constitutional provisions as liberal as those of the most liberal governments of the world, being largely modeled after the principles of the Constitution of the United States. These included the complete freedom of religious worship, freedom of the press, speech, petition, the right of assembly, the separation of state and church; universal suffrage, including women, the national representation of minorities and proportional representation. The new National Assembly, which was to remain in power until proper popular elections could be held, was composed of 260 members. The following parties were represented: Agrarians, the peasants' party, 54; Social Democrats, 50; Slovaks, 50; State-Right Democrats, a moderate Liberal party, 44; Socialists, 28; Clericals, 28; and Progressives, representing a liberal middle class element, 6.
The newly organized government of the Czecho-Slovak Republic had tremendous difficulties to face from the very moment it took up its task of administration. First of all Austria had been the heaviest sufferer from the war, economically considered. Supplies of foodstuffs were almost completely depleted, not only in Czecho-Slovakia, but in the neighboring countries as well. The deterioration of the railroads and their rolling stock had reached a point where they had almost ceased to operate, nor did the new state have any opening to the sea. Of railroad lines there were 13,000 kilometers in the countries, including a main line running through Prague from northern Europe down to the Balkans and Constantinople. Thus, the possibilities of future development of transportation were given. Furthermore, the territory of the Republic held within it excellent resources. Before the war its cotton output had been 85 per cent. of that of the whole Austrian Empire; its wool production had been 95 per cent. of the total; its metal production 70 per cent., and 50 per cent. of motor transport vehicles in the Austrian Empire had been manufactured in Bohemia. Thus the plants for production were there, and had only to be worked, as soon as the raw materials could be procured.
As in all countries which had suffered severely, there was in Czecho-Slovakia a strong radical sentiment among the working classes. In the neighboring state of Hungary this finally culminated in the ascent into power of a purely Bolshevist government. This same element was a powerful tendency toward disintegration in Czecho-Slovakia as well, but there it was fought more successfully. On Jan. 11, 1919, an attempt was made by the Bolsheviki, or Communists, to assassinate the Premier, Dr. Kramarz, largely on account of his declaration of policy in favor of retaining the big landed estates intact. The attempt failed, and aroused strong popular sentiment against the minor Communist elements, but nevertheless
