pacifying him, and when Masaryk sent him a telegram of recommendation to Izvolsky, Štefánik was placated and resumed his work. On June 23rd he discussed the matter with Izvolsky and Sebastopulo, from whom he secured at least the promise that they would support him in his mission to Russia.
On the same day Dürich, with his escort, left for Russia. Before his departure I paid him another visit, and on behalf of the nation and of the whole of the revolutionary movement I again asked him either not to go at all, as we were not in complete agreement in this matter, or at least to remember that at all costs he must work in uniformity with us in Paris. But in particular I urged him not to take his escort, Crkal, and Lieutenant Štafl.(18) He tried to prove to me that I ought not to be opposed to his mission and his course of action, and that after Štefánik had given his sanction I should not insist upon my dissent. At the same time he declared that he took full responsibility before the nation for everything that he was doing and was about to do.(19)
Štefánik himself was unable to take the necessary steps for arranging his journey to Russia. He asked me, as General Secretary of the National Council, to attend to the whole matter, and to make the necessary arrangements both with the French and with the Russians. He was of the opinion that if the preparations were made by the Czechoslovak National Council, there would be a better chance to secure the consent of French and Russian official circles. His chief fear was that his journey to Russia might be regarded as his own personal undertaking, and he therefore asked for Masaryk’s intervention also.
At that period Štefánik, seeing the departure of Dürich, and being alarmed as to what he might do in Russia, was in a state of feverish activity. He was impatient to know whether, as a French subject and a soldier, he would obtain sanction from the Government for his journey. He thought that if he were entrusted with the projected political mission it would be a great success for us, as the French Government would thus express its agreement, in principle, with the organization of our army in France, and at the same time would assist us to take the necessary steps in Russia. What he feared was that Dürich might have too long a start, and in the meanwhile would do harm in Russia.
On June 25, 1916, in accordance with my agreement with
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