The Czechoslovak Review/Volume 2/Our cause is marching on

OUR CAUSE IS MARCHING ON

 

The Government of the United States has followed the example of its Allies, France, Italy and England, and has declared unequivocally for complete independence of the Czechoslovaks. Secretary Lansing gave out on June 28th the following statement:

“Since the issuance by the Government on May 29th of the statement regarding the nationalistic aspirations for freedom of the Czechoslovaks and Jugoslavs, German and Austrian officials and sympathizers have sought to misinterpret and distort its manifest interpretation. In order that there may be no misunderstanding concerning the meaning of the statement, the Secretary of State has today further announced the position of the United States Government to be that all branches of the Slav race should be completely freed from German and Austrian rule.”

The British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Arthur J. Balfour, addressed a letter to Dr. Edwad Beneš, General Secrectary of the Czechoslovak National Council, dated June 5th, in which he says:

“His Majesty’s Government, who have every possible sympathy with the Czechoslovak movement, will be glad to give the same recognition to this movement as has been granted by the Governments of France and Italy, that is to say, to recognize the Czechoslovak National Council as the supreme organ of the Czechoslovak movement in Allied countries, and to recognize the Czechoslovak army| as an organized unit operating in the Allied cause, and to attach therto a British liaison officer as soon as the need for this may arise.

His Majesty’s Government will at the same time be prepared to accord to the National Council political rights concerning the civil affairs of Czechoslovaks similar to those already accorded to the Polish National Committee.”

The next step which we hope will soon be taken should be the official recognition of the Czechoslovak National Council by the American Government.