My mind was made up, for good—Austria must be opposed in grim earnest, to the death. This the world-situation demanded.
The only question was how to begin and what tactics to adopt. At home, neither armed revolution nor even thorough-going opposition was possible. Of this I was quickly persuaded. Outbreaks might have been fomented here and there, but I would have nothing to do with that sort of thing. It would probably be just what people in Vienna, particularly the Archduke Frederick, would like. After careful consideration it was clear that we should have to leave the country and organize abroad our fight against Austria.
While still at Prague, I tried to get into touch with friends in the Entente countries. To this end Mr. Voska, whom I had known in America and who had come to Bohemia on a visit before the war, served me well. As soon as I was sure of his discretion, I arranged with him the raising of a big fund by our fellow-countrymen in the United States for the purpose of assisting the victims of Austrian persecution at home. Then we discussed politics. As a citizen of neutral America he could enter all belligerent countries; therefore I asked him to go home by way of England and to take messages and letters to my friends in London. He assented, and started at the end of August. Several other American citizens went with him so as to allay suspicion. He took verbal messages; what was written were mainly figures and jottings. The messages referred to the persecution of our people and also of the Southern Slav leaders, to the financial position of Austria-Hungary and, finally, to military matters. They were delivered immediately upon Mr. Voska’s arrival in London on September 2, 1914, to Mr. Wickham Steed, then Foreign Editor of “The Times,” who conveyed them the same day to the quarters for which they were intended, including the Russian Embassy. I asked Mr. Steed also to have a hint sent to Russia not to impede our soldiers from passing over to the Russian lines and to receive them well, for the Russians looked upon Czech soldiers simply as “Austrians” and treated them accordingly. Mr. Steed did this through the Russian Ambassador, Count Benckendorff; and, for his own part, sent me word that our soldiers should make themselves known to the Russians by singing the song “Hej Slované.”
Mr. Voska carried out his mission well. He organized,
