miles long against all German and bolshevik attacks. Owing no doubt chiefly to these military efforts, Great Britain, first among the Allies, decided to recognise us officially and unreservedly as an Allied and belligerent nation as early as August 8 th, 1918, granting at the same time our National Council powers of a de facto Goverment. This was a deed of great generosity and wise statesmanship, and there is no doubt that it contributed more than anything else to the political bankruptcy of Austria. It was a deed which the Czecho-Slovaks will never forget.
IV. Now that the Czecho-Slovaks have at last regained their lost liberty, the task of strengthening mutual friendly relations between our Republic and Great Britain most seriously occupy the minds of all friends of the Slavo-British rapprochement. It is true that we have a great deal yet to learn from the British, from their wonderful spirit of organisation, calm perseverance and long political experience. But no doubt the British people on their part can also profit from a better study of our life and ways. In Bohemia the English will find an opportunity of studying the Slav, both from his weak and strong points, since the Czechs combine the qualities of the dreamy East with those of the practical West. In Bohemia the English could learn the spirit of a small self-sufficient and stubborn nation, forced to live intensively and to fight for its living against more powerful neighbours. They could learn the strength which this nation draws from its idealism, its love of art, music and literature, and they could then better appreciate the positive qualities which the Slav can boast of. For after all, it is only on ground of such mutual understanding that the real brotherhood of nations can be built. The British and Slav character differ from each other, yet it is just because of this difference that they learn from each other.
We can say without exaggeration that every Czecho-Slovak has nothing but the most sincere sympathy and respect for Great Britain, and the Britain, and the British civilisation. English literature is read extensively in Bohemia, English plays from Shakespeare to Bernard Shaw are frequently performed at our theatre in Prague, and our people take keen interest in every British movement or enterprise. There is no doubt that on the other hand British people will manifest their sympathies shown to us during the war also now, by taking greater interest in our literature, art, politics, trade and industries.
A great deal unfortunately remains to be done by us in the way of information. At present there is not even a good grammar for English people to learn Czech. There are historical books about Bohemia, notably Count Lutzow’s sketch, and Mr. Paul Selver has
