1936 On the Continent

dwelling in the very focus of Europe is keenly sensitive to everything that happens there. Thus, the first attempts at religious reformation were started six hundred years ago in the territory of present-day Czechoslovakia. A young professor of Prague University brought from England the books of the preacher Wycliffe, whose doctrine was discussed and spread here. Here, too, arose the mighty preacher and reformer Jan Hus, who was later burnt by order of the Pope, and as a result of his influence thousands of people were prompted by the desire to defend their right to worship according to their own wishes. The prosperity and comfort which they had been enjoying was at once forgotten, and the people, especially the simple peasants, laid down their farm implements and, taking up arms against the hosts of the Pope and the RomanEmperor, successfully vindicated the principle of free conscience and free religion. The wars abated and were again renewed. In the interval between them, five hundred years ago, the Czech king Jii made public the first scheme for perpetual peace in Europe, involving the establishment of a League of Nations, the purpose of which was to settle all disputes by peaceable means. Nevertheless, the wars continued for many years until the whole nation was exhausted by them and easily fell a prey to the Catholic rulers of Austria. In consequence, the leaders of the Czech nobility and of the educated classes generally were either executed or driven out of the country. Among them was Komensky whom you may know better under his Latin name Comenius, the founder of the science of teaching. The nation, stripped of its best men, became impoverished and was gradually enslaved.
Under Austrian Rule
    Next comes the third act: a period lasting for nearly three hundred years, during which the nation, which once ranked so high, was oppressed by its Austrian rulers. Even during the War period of the Hussite Reformation culture flourished, the muses were not idle, many books were printed, the country abounded in teachers, and the Church of the Czech Brethren spread education amongst all classes. But under Austrian rule the native culture was persecuted, all demands for liberty were suppressed, the people had Catholicism forced upon them and the peasant who had once been free was presented as a serf to the victorious generals. The German language penetrated into all the towns, offices and schools, so that for more than two hundred years the Czech language was heard only in the villages or among the servants and the poor people coming from the country. It was despised by the educated as the language of outcasts. As for the Slovak branch of the nation, which was under Magyar sway, its plight was even worse, and it had a narrow escape from losing its language completely.
    But in the next act we come to the period when a few men of genius, who sprang from the poor and oppressed classes, began to restore to the people their native language. They began to write and publish books in it, and although they had no other support than the humblest classes of thepeople, their work made headway. In the course of a century, during which, luckily enough, the first signs of political liberty also made their appearance in Europe, the whole nation returned to its native language and hence also to its national consciousness. From the scanty resources at its disposal it now began to establish the foundations of its national life. By the end of the nineteenth century this process had reached such an advanced stage and its effects were so obvious that the Austrian Government had to reckon with it as an important factor in its complex political manœuvres.
The Last Act
    And now for the last act. The Great War broke out. As a matter of course, all Czechs and Slovaks living in Austro-Hungarian territory were thrust into the Austro-Hungarian army. This was a tragic predicament for the nation whose anxious wish it was to see the Allies victorious over the Central Powers. And so those members of the nation who were living abroad or who managed to escape from the Austrian Army entered the armies of Great Britain, France, Russia, America, Italy and Serbia, and fought side by side with the Allies against Austria. The Czechoslovak Legions who were organised by the man who afterwards became the first President of the Republic, had the reputation of being fine soldiers. In Siberia, where, after peace had been made with the Soviets, they had the task of