little money. In other words, we were all working with a will and made our slender resources go a long way. We did more with a penny than the Austrian and German diplomatists could do with pounds. I doubt whether revolutionary propaganda abroad has ever been so cheaply carried on; nor does modesty prevent me from saying that few political campaigns have been so well thought out as ours was. Here is an account of the money I received from America for the cause:—
1914–1915 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. |
$37,871 |
1916 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. |
71,185 |
1917 (up to the end of April) .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. |
82,391 |
1918 (from May onwards) .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. |
488,488 |
| $674,885 |
While I was in Russia in 1917–1918 Dr. Beneš received about $800,000, so that the whole work cost less than $1,000,000. The subscriptions from America did not increase notably until after the United States had entered the war. Almost all of them came from Czechs. During the war the Slovaks gave little, though they sent $200,000, including some amounts from my American acquaintances, after I had become President. This money, and the balance of the Czech Revolutionary Fund, I spent, as President, in charitable gifts and subscriptions of which public account has been rendered.
The Work in England.
I stayed more than eighteen months in London—from the end of September 1915 to the end of April 1917. Now, as before the war, I enjoyed the hospitality of that mighty City, more populous than the whole of Bohemia. In such a wilderness of people a man disappears unobserved, and can throw himself entirely into his work. I lived in Hampstead, on the edge of the country, and went into town on the top of an omnibus, making up for the loss of time by watching life in the streets. If it rained or snowed I went by underground. Taxis or a motor I could not afford.
Beneš stayed in Paris and, like Štefánik, went now and then to Italy, so that we were officially represented in the chief Allied countries (with the exception of Russia) and were able, besides, to negotiate in London and Paris with the Italian and other Ambassadors.
Once settled in London, I took up the work that had been
