The Czechoslovak Review/Volume 2/Progress of campaign in America

PROGRESS OF CAMPAIGN IN AMERICA

 

Since the arrival of Professor Masaryk in the United States the Czechoslovak cause has made a tremendous progress. Masaryk has spent most of his time in Washington, in conferences with the American statesmen and the Allied diplomats. On June 19th he was received by the President and talked with him for 45 minutes. Though official recognition by the American Government has not yet been granted to the Czechoslovak National Council, Masaryk is treated by everyone, including the highest government officials as the head of the revolutionary Government of Bohemia. In addition to that he is the commander-in-chief of the Czechoslovak troops in Russia and Siberia, the only disciplined force to be found between the Pacific and the German lines.

Prof. Masaryk’s daughter, Miss Olga Masaryk, arrived in the United States after a stay of nearly four years in London. During the past year she has been practically in charge of the Czechoslovak independence campaign in England. Since she has come to this country to be with her father, she has given to the newspapers a number of interviews that set out in a novel and convincing way the claims of Bohemia to complete freedom. Miss Masaryk is, like her father, a great scholar and a noble character.

Since the work in the United States has grown far beyond mere financing of the work carried on in Europe, some personal changes were deemed necessary, in order that the campaign here might be efficiently carried on. Mr. Chas. Pergler, who established the office of the Czechcoslovak National Council in Washington has been commissioned by Professor Masaryk to act as the American representative of the Czechoslovak National Council of Paris. That made it advisable that another man should take charge of the Washington bureau, and Dr. J . F. Smetanka was appointed its director. Mr. G. H. Mika was placed in charge of the Slav Press Bureau which has been moved to New York and re-named the Czechoslovak Press Bureau.