The Daily News. FRIDAY, AUGUST 16, 1918. THE CZECHO-SLOVAKS.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 August 1918, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, AUGUST 16, 1918. THE CZECHO-SLOVAKS.

One of the important and larteaching developments of the war is the recognition by Britain of the unity of the three Czechoslovak armies as an Allied belligerent, signifying that the Czechoslovaks are regarded as an Allied nation, and that their National Council is an embryo government, with supreme power and authority over its armies. It is nearly

four centuries since the Czechs of Bohemia were first allied with Austria. -The alliance, though voluntary, was an unfortunate makeshift, brought about by the necessity for checking the westward advance of the Turk, but as the alliance was with the House of Hapsburg, whose powers in Bohemia were very limited, there did not, at the time the alliance was made, appear to be any danger of future trouble. The inevitable happened. The House of Hapsburg j had no liking for restricted power, '' so by degrees the privileges enjoyed by the Czeeho-Slovaks were abrogated, and Austria soon became far more dangerous, as an ally than as a foe. In less than a century the Czechs organised a revolt, but were decisively defeated in 1620, when it may be said that Czech independence as

a nation came to an end, while more than two-thirds of their lands were confiscated and bestowed on Austrian Court favorites, and the people were ordered either to give up their religion and language or to clear out from the country. The effect of this oppression was that within a short period the population of Bohemia fell from four millions to less than three-quarters of a million. For almost two centuries subsequently the Czech nation was practically [ out of existence, the language be- | ing only spoken by the peasants, but the spirit of nationality was j kept alive, ready to take 'shape j when the favorable moment ar- | lived, and towards the eud of the ji eighteenth century the resuseitation process commenced. When the rcviihilionary disturbances of !■ 1848 look plan' (lie CVcho-Slovak re nation was once more to be i'omid k the cause of freedom I and (!; mom'acy. About iwenlv r _ years hiler (he ('■/_, ch-i-Slovak-; nc v.'cre divided ivio t\vo ijorrmn.". H.i Mid |he Oerm-'lli'iile; !!|ic;>.: -,.;,,, ;:-.idily :>>;pa;ed bv /■ }<:U.:-.\ -, v ;,;j„

ing left undone by the Hapsburgs ia the direction of exterminating the Czeeho-Slovaks. This Germanising policy—or Pan-Germanism —is the mainspring of Germany's world domination policy; hence the necessity, from her point of view, of reducing nations to tribes or vassals under the Teutonic yoke. It is interesting to recall that at one time Bohemia was one of _ Europe's greatest kingdoms, While Austria was but an obscure duchy, and it will be ironv of fate if, through the Teutonic effort at world domination launched by the Kaiser, with the aid of Austria, the Czeeho-Slovaks again hecome, as seems likely to be the case, a powerful nation, taking part m the dictation of terms of peace to Austria, and once more becoming a dominant power over Austria. They have long since had enough of Austria's terrorising and tyranny, so that wlea forced to fight for Austria against her foes they took the first oppority'of crossing over to the enemy and fighting against the GermanMagyar coalition, it being estimated that in the course of the war upwards of 350,000 Czechoslovaks voluntarily entered the ranks of the Allies on the Russian, Roumanian, Balkan and Italian fronts. In 1917 a Czechoslovak army was organised in France, men flocking thereto from all parts of the world with a fervent patriotism that showed they meant business. A similar army is being formed in Italy, and lastly comes the great national movement in Russia. They fully recognise thatthey will get no quarter from their former tyrants, just as they realise that the Allies are fighting for the cause of freedom and justice. The recognition of the Czeeho-Slovaks as a nation is both timely and wise. It is a step that will help to hasten the conclusion of the war.