CHAPTER III
IN ROUSSEAU’S BIRTHPLACE
(Geneva. January—September 1915)
IN Rome I had still been getting my bearings. Now, in Switzerland, systematic work was to begin. Bordering on friendly and hostile countries, and especially on Austria, Switzerland suited my purpose well. Thence it was fairly easy to communicate with Prague. Political refugees from many countries sought asylum on Swiss soil and I could meet and confer with them. Enemy newspapers and the whole range of German and Austrian publications, political and military, were available; and, naturally, also our own press—a great advantage since it enabled us to follow the course of things at home and throughout Austria. This was invaluable in our fight against Austrian and Magyar propaganda. At Geneva and Zurich all the necessary books, reviews and maps were to be had; and I needed quantities of them for my friends as well as for myself. Later on, in London and even in America, I got what I wanted from Switzerland. For purposes of precise political observation, I was accustomed to supplement the reading of daily newspapers by the study of political and historical literature. In fact, I have always kept in touch with the literatures of the principal countries so as to comprehend their political development in the light of their material and mental life. At Geneva I soon collected quite a respectable war library.
In Switzerland, moreover, there were colonies of Czechs, whereas in Italy there had been none. We had to tell them of the situation at home, to bring together those scattered in various Swiss towns and to organize them systematically for joint action. At Geneva we soon found vigorous helpers and, among them, Dr. Sychrava who took over a heavy journalistic task all the heavier because no contributions came from Prague and he was almost single-handed. In addition, he superintended communications with Prague. From Count Lützow, the well-known Czech nobleman who was then living at Montreux, I held aloof so as not to compromise him. But he knew what I was doing and agreed with it, as mutual friends afterwards told me in England. Especially did he agree with my Russian policy.
