CZECHOSLOVAK INDEPENDENCE
otherwise would have been out of the question. Similar welcomes, though on not quite so large a scale, since Chicago’s Czech population is the largest in the country, were organized in New York, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Baltimore.
As for propaganda and political activity, Dr. Masaryk continued along the lines already laid out by American Czechs and addressed numerous organizations of importance. Finally, in the first half of June, 1918, he was received by Mr. Wilson, an occurrence which in itself was politically significant, for until almost the last day there was some doubt as to the possibility of this reception because as yet the Czechoslovak movement had not been recognized officially by America, and Mr. Wilson was unwilling to commit himself definitely to territorial changes or rearrangements. It was understood that shortly before that he had refused to receive a delegation of Alsatians and Lorrainers.
This conference was the only one between Mr. Wilson and Dr. Masaryk held prior to the Armistice. When they next met, for the second and last time, Dr. Masaryk came to bid the American President good-bye, himself the President of the Czechoslovak Republic.
The next contact of a personal nature of Czech
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