FAMOUS GENERAL KILLED.

Taihape Daily Times, 10 July 1919, Page 6

FAMOUS GENERAL KILLED.

CZECHO-SLOVAK LEADER. A ROMANTIC WAR FIGURE. . Dzep regret is felt in Paris at the news of th_e tragic death of General Stefanik, the famous C2:echo—Slovak airman and commander, who has been rkilled in an aeroplane accident near ”P'res~:bVurg, writes a French corresfipondent_ He Wag flying from Italy to Prague with se_vcral~-Italian officers. For some unknown reason the machine suddenly fell from a height of 1300 ft. and all the occupants Were killed. General Stefanik, by birth a Slovak left Austria-Hungary as a young man to study astronomy in Paris”, Where he Worked for several yegrrs in an obIservatory. He was gifted with extraordinarily keen sight, and he applied himself to the investigation of the upper currents of the atmosphere, and Weh-H1 flying became possible he qualified a pilot in order to verify his “theoretical Conélusions_ 0:: the outbreak of thewar he join-

ed the‘ French Air Service, and disingtiishcd himself by his skill-and ir.tl‘o— j a fight ~with a Gcrrrar airman and “ underwent a swore cperation from V Whlch he had scarcely recoverd ‘When lle—voluntee:-ed for gcrvice on the . Servian front. At the time of the ‘retreat cf the Servi-—-n Army he flew carryingjwith him as passenger an-

landing at Avlona ‘(hey discovered ‘that less than a-qum-tr-zr of a gallon of petrol remained lip; fl eir tank.

In 191-? General Sfefanik volunteered for propaganda gervice on 'the Italian front, and was engaged in drop--ping leaflets 1111::-1‘zg‘fhe Czech regi--1.011135 of the ‘Austrian Army, when he discovered a la:-go '(-oncentrzition of A;u.s‘tro-Irl‘ullga:-tax: rtwisions in Trenaim: in readinese fmr the offensive of May 1916.1-Ie returned to Italian headquarters and informed Geneml Cadorna who was thus enabled to albeit tardily, measures flmt finaiiy ;-hcclied the offensive.

Gmieral Sterfallik then dc-voted himself with Pz'ofosso';- Masai-_v1~: and M. B-mes, to the oi'ga_nlsatioll of the 80‘azemiaii National Council and of the C-°'cr;ho-Slovak forces in Russia 1111?‘. Fl-ance. In Russia he and P_;'ofessO=.' 3las'al-yk formec‘-. we Czecho—’Slovak divisions which_j;lfiyed so ‘ dramatic it Part in Siberia and afterwards cooperated with the forces of the Omsk Government. ‘ ‘

Last year, on returning to Europe, he took a prominent part on preparing the Rome congress of Austr-o-Hum garian subject» races, and Helped to reorgzinise the ‘ anti-Ausfrian propaganda on the Italian front. Later he returned to Siberia with General Janin, the French Commander in Chief of vhe Czecho-Slovak Army.

During_the last few months Gen. oral Stefanik, has been active in pre. paring the" military reorganisatlon o-’ the Czecho—Slovak Republic, and was on his way to continue this” work, at Przigue when the fatal accident bcfe] him_ By his death the Czecho-Slovak cause susfains an irreparable loss. He was in every respecf a. gentle knight. Whese record and example will bean inspiration to future generationse of his fellow-countrymen. "

The shades of night were falling fast, The sky with clouds was overcast, As I homewuamd urged my way, I made a brief but wise dc-lay; V I turned into 3. chenlist’s store For Wlmt I’d often bought befol'e—For coughs and colds the best be sure A bottle of Vfoods’ Great Pepperlllhlf Cure. ’ 26