trend of events at home. This gave us an opportunity of exerting a considerable influence upon the development of political affairs both at home and in the Allied countries.
3. From its very beginnings the “Maffia” sent abroad valuable reports on political, economic, and military affairs in Austria-Hungary, which often proved of service to the Allies in military operations, in political action, and in economic or financial measures. This served our cause by enabling us to gain the sympathies of various Allied official circles, and thus the “Maffia” had a great practical significance.
There has never been a revolution without espionage and conspiracy. It was a good thing that our revolution possessed this aspect also. And even if our “Maffia” was not perfect in every detail, it shows at any rate that the whole of our revolutionary movement was an effective improvisation emanating from the soul of the Czech people and directed by individuals who had contrived to be at their places in good time, ready at any moment to sacrifice everything.
