The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 1928. A NATIONAL HERO.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 March 1928, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 1928. A NATIONAL HERO.

Outsiuk a small circle of journalists, diplomats an<l students of history, says a contemporary, the name of l)r Masaryk, President of tlio Czecho-Slovak Republic, is still almost unknown to the world at largo. Yet Mr Wickham Steed, one of the best-informed publicists of the day, has .said : “Years hence, when the people are able to see the war in perspective, j am inclined to believe that Marsarvk will stand out as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, figure in it.” The ground for Y this remarkable eulogy is that this man, by his dauntless courage, his tireless energy, and his political wisdom was chiefly responsible for the foundation of the State which he now ' rules. The story of his achievement y is told in his “Making of a State,” one “ of the most important contributions to | political history in recent years, and g the editor and translator, Mr Wickham Hi Steed, and the publishers, Messrs Allen | and Unwin, deserve thanks for its issue ] in English. The hook itself is the best | possible testimony to the remarkable <|ualities and the enually remarkable j| triumphs of Marsayk. lie was the son ol a Slovak coachman, and raised hini- ! self by talent and industry to the posij tion of Professor in the University of j Prague, and long before the war his ! work in history and philosophy had l>e- | come known to the leaders of European j thought and culture. Even more remarkable was his political activity and ! the courage with which he fought for the freedom of his kinsfolk. Northern and South Slavs alike, against the tyranny of Austria. He was more than (U years old when the war broke out. hut lie realised at once what was at stake for his own people and for the world, and he plunged without hesitation into a crusade which carried him through Europe. Asia, and America, and concluded with his return to England in 1918 to receive military honors “as the head of an Allied and belligerent State.” The complete recital of Masaryk’s wonderful story would carry us far beyond all reasonable limits of 1 space. Distrusting Russia profoundly. ‘ recognising that the freedom of the ' Czechoslovaks must depend upon the 1 victory of the Western Powers, he de- r termined personally to carry his pro- ; paganda to Britain, France and Ame- ! rica, to prepare the way for the final 1 emergence of the free and independent ' States that must arise when the dis- * memberment of Austria-Hungary was t an accomplished fact. He had to per- 15 suade the Allies not only that the 1 Czecho-Slovaks had a just claim to 1 freedom, hut that they were willing a and able to fight for it; and for this h purpose he set himself to raise a t Czeoho-Slovak force which would count for something when the time came for the Allies to strike their final blow b for victory. By the end of the war h he had put 50,000 men into the field, and most of these, betrayed by the f, Russians, had fought their way across p Siberia to the Pacific, and fere fait: 4

ing to be transported through America to Europe when peace came. And so “the vngrnt Professor” who had tied for his life in disguise from Austria, and had for four years wandered over the world on liis self-imposed task of building up for his people an independent native State, achieved his purpose. The story in its bare, details is almost incredible, and his tinal triumph i- described by Mr Wickham Steed as “miraculous” But. like all the greatest miracles recorded in human annuls. it was a victori of lolly faith and litoral conviction over material ob-taclc.s and perils. Nothing is more remarkable in Masaryk's writings and his character than the intensity of his religious feeling that the lofty level of moral dignity that lie was aide to maintain.