“Russia and Europe” attracted attention in proportion as the Russian situation became acute. Many had read the German edition of it and, during the war, it was translated into English though the translation only appeared in 1919 under the title “The Spirit of Russia.” The stand I had made in 1899 on behalf of the Jewish tramp, Leopold Hilsner, who had been falsely accused of ritual murder, was also accounted to me for righteousness. And, as my political authority increased, I was able to strengthen the spirit of concord and steadfastness among our colonies. In war-time, as the Romans knew, efforts must be concentrated; and, in our case, the distances between our colonies and between the Allied countries made concentration indispensable. There was not the slightest rivalry about the leadership. Beneš and Štefánik were loyal, true and devoted friends. We all said the same thing, we all had the same aim. In the Southern Slav and the Polish camps there were, on the contrary, sharp differences. A sort of dictatorship grew up spontaneously in our midst though its character was Parliamentary; and, as the Dürich and sundry minor cases showed, firm decisions had sometimes to be taken.
Towards the end of 1916, thanks to our work, people began to be interested in the Czechs and Slovaks, to know something of them and to talk about them. When I was “interviewed,” a newspaper placard announced the fact. Vienna, too, helped us mightily. The Austrian news we proved to be false. The persecution of our people at home carried conviction that we were rebels in earnest. Martyrdom, and especially blood, win sympathies. The imprisonment, trial and condemnation of Dr. Kramář and Dr. Rašin brought grist to our mill, while the arrest of my daughter Alice was of great service to us in England and America. People argued that when even women were imprisoned the movement must be serious. Throughout America, women petitioned the President to intervene and appealed directly to the American Ambassador in Vienna. These movements in America and in England made our rebellion better known.
Counter-propaganda against Austrian, Magyar and German propaganda was, with us, a specialty and, as we knew the circumstances thoroughly, we soon made our mark. From the summer of 1916 onwards, the American Slovak, Dr. Osuský, who knew Magyar and Hungarian affairs well, did excellent service. We could see through the enemy announcements and interpret them; and, in addition to our own news from home, which we turned to good purpose, we read between the
