American flag, that Masaryk wrote the Bohemian declaration of independence. At that time his people were under the Hapsburg heel, and there was talk of giving the Bohemians “autonomy” in exchange for their surrender of liberty. The Hapsburg dynasty had endured for ages. There was no indication of the magnificent onslaught that Italy was preparing, much less any assurance of its triumph. Yet Masaryk felt and declared that Bohemia was and of right ought to be free and independent. His declaration has taken its place with the immortal expressions of man’s determination to be free.
Neither Washington nor Masaryk could have made a nation if its men had not been worthy of liberty. There is considerable resemblance between the Czecho-Slovak army and the Americans who fought under Washington. Both forces were distinguished by simplicity, strong self-reliance, ingenuity in emergencies, good humor and dauntless courage. They were men of medium height, rather slight than stocky, quick in speech and perception, instinctive in their teamwork, inured to hardship and intensely patriotic. Yet there was strong idealism in their souls and a pathetic tenderness in their personal and family ties.
The anabasis of the Czecho-Slovak forces in Russia is an illustration of the happy ingenuity and resourcefulness of that nation. The exploits of the army that went around the world will be recounted whenever classic examples of endurance and audacity are cited. The best that an American can say of that campaign is that it was conducted as Americans would have conducted it. Many of the lads who became veterans in those adventures were, indeed, former immigrants to America, who had felt the vigor of the American spirit. They were directed by Masaryk from Washington, and he drew confidence and audacity direct from the American fountain.
The free republic of Bohemia goes into the twentieth century with exultant heart. It has hard problems, but it is free to solve them by itself, in behalf of its own people, without the interference of the accursed race that so long blighted Europe. Every American rejoices in the freedom of the Czechs and Slovaks, and wishes them happiness and prosperity. May the founder of their republic be spared to complete his wonderful work.
MASARYK’S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATED IN WASHINGTON.
The capital of the United States in which Masaryk received notification of his election to the presidency of the Czechoslovak Republic sixteen months ago was the scene of an elaborate celebration of his seventieth birthday on March 7. The Czechoslovak legation of which the president’s son, John G. Masaryk, is at present in charge, gave a reception in the ballroom of the New, Willard Hotel in which several hundred guests participated. Mr. Masaryk was assisted by Col. V. S. Hurban, military attaché of the legation, and Mrs. Olga Hurban, by Mrs. Henry M. Ferguson, sister of President Masaryk’s wife, and by Mrs. Michael Gallagher and Miss Ferguson, also related to the family. The special feature of the reception was the appearance of Emma Destinnova who sang Czech and Slovak folk songs, accompanied at piano by Mr. Masaryk.
Among the distinguished guests were Miss Margaret Wilson, daughter of President Wilson, French ambassador J. J. Jusserand, dean of the Washington diplomatic corps, Spanish ambassador Riano, Italian ambassador Baron Avezzano, Belgian and Argentine ambassadors, Jugoslav and Swiss ministers, secretary of the British embassy, the papal delegate Archbishop Bonzano, Admiral Rousseau, Czechoslovak Consul General Kopecký and many other diplomats and official personages. According to Washington papers the reception was one of the most brilliant affairs of a brilliant season.
LOS ANGELES TAKES NOTICE OF CZECHOSLOVAKS.
Mrs. Clara V. Winlow, author of several books dealing with the Czechoslovaks, has been placed in charge of Foreign Extension Work of the Public Library of Los Angeles. The object of her work is to bring about a broad and friendly understanding and sympathy between the American and foreign groups in the city. Her program includes talks at foreign societies in foreign languages, and addresses in English on the art, literature and music of foreign countries; exhibits showing something of the wonderful folk art inheritance that foreigners bring to this country will be a feature of her work.
Her first accomplishment in this line is the exhibit of sixty etchings of a Czech artist of New York, J. C. Vondrouš, loaned by Dr. Henry J. John who is temporarily in California. While these etchings were on exhibit, Dr. John gave a talk to a large audience in the library auditorium on the problems confronting the foreign born on coming to this country. A collection of Czech and Slovak books will be added to the Los Angeles library’s collections of foreign literature.
FOUR CZECH DOCTORS STUDYING IN AMERICA.
The Rockefeller Foundation for Medical Research has granted fellowships to four Czechoslovak physicians to enable them to study American methods of public health administration. All of them had medical experience during the war and one of them was wounded in the discharge of his duties.
Dr. Zdeněk Bernard, 29 years old, received his doctor’s degree at the University of Prague in
