though I went to the Universities of Chicago and Harvard. To the President of Chicago University I have already referred; and in Cambridge (Mass.) I must recall especially President Elliot who, as ever, took a truly scientific interest in the political problems of Europe. Among the historians I remember Professor Coolidge; Professor Wiener, the Slavonic Scholar who has long been well known; while President Butler of Columbia University supported me with his goodwill and his understanding of world affairs. The French philosopher, Bergson, and the French author, Chéradame whom I had known in Paris, were among the prominent Europeans whom I met.
In America, as elsewhere, the Jews stood by me; and particularly in America my former defence of Hilsner, the Austrian Jew who had been falsely accused of ritual murder in 1899, did me a good turn. As early as 1907 the New York Jews had given me a gigantic reception. Now I had many personal meetings with representatives of Orthodox Jewry as well as with Zionists. Among the latter I must mention Mr. Brandeis, a Judge of the Supreme Court, who came originally from Bohemia and enjoyed President Wilson’s confidence. In New York Mr. Mack was a leading Zionist and I met Nahum Sokoloff, the influential Zionist leader. In America, as in Europe, Jewish influence is strong in the press, and it was good that it was not against us. Even those who did not agree with my policy were reserved and impartial.
Especially did I make a point of cultivating the pacifists and the pro-Germans. In their camp were some of my former acquaintances, and I was therefore the more eager to vindicate our national cause in their eyes—an important matter, because pacifism was widespread and inadvertently supported the Germans, in America as everywhere. On account of the high percentage of Americans who had either been born in Germany or of German parents in America, German influence was, directly and indirectly, a very serious factor. And, last not least, I sought out the men I knew in financial circles, not so much in the official world where President Wilson’s son-in-law, Mr. McAdoo, was Secretary of the Treasury, as among bankers and in the Bankers’ Club of New York.
To ex-President Roosevelt, whose goodwill Štefánik had gained for us, I must make special reference. Before the war I had opposed and had written against him; but, during the war, he took a decided anti-German stand and, in speeches and statements, came out strongly for the Czechs. I met him only once, on Lafayette Day in New York, where I heard him
