had volunteered for military service. Political activities were handled exclusively by Masaryk, and after he left for Russia and America they were transferred to the secretariat in Paris, where I personally dealt with them. At this period our work received very generous help from Olga Masaryk.
From the spring of 1917 I extended the Press Bureau so as to make it a branch of the general propaganda department of the National Council. As the National Council in Paris increased its influence and sphere of its activities, the colony in London readily adapted itself to the new requirements. The office of the National Council gradually developed into a regular official department, which in the spring of 1918 became the direct exponent of the Government then coming into existence. After consultation with members of the colony, I supplied the London Press Bureau with new statutes in May 1918. The effect of this was to divide it into a propaganda and a consular section respectively. The former was entrusted to V. Nosek, who showed great proficiency in propaganda work, while the consular section was placed under the charge of Pochobradský, hitherto president of the colony. The office of the National Council became the headquarters of the secretariat in Paris, and when on October 14th an interim Government was established there, it automatically became a Legation. Excellent work was done in the colony for several years by Sykora, Kopecký, Professor Baudiš, Pochobradský, and others, the office of the National Council being carried on by Nosek and Aleš Brož. Matters connected with volunteers for the army were managed by Kopecký and Sykora.
The progress of our organization in Italy was analogous to our proceedings in France and England. On the declaration of war by Italy the greater part of our fellow-countrymen were interned, and it was only in course of time that various influences succeeded in liberating them. It was not long before a number of colonists and prisoners of war reported themselves to Masaryk and to us in Paris, offering to join the liberation movement or to enter the army. When the prisoners of war began to increase in numbers, they organized themselves in their camps, and later on placed themselves at the disposal of the National Council. I shall say more about this later.
In January 1917 I proceeded to Italy and set up a Press Bureau in Rome as a branch of the Paris secretariat of the National Council. This office in Rome kept closely in touch
