The Czechoslovak Review/Volume 2/What the Czechs in America Feel

What the Czechs in America Feel.

The event of that fateful July day in 1914, which suddenly changed nearly all of Europe into a mass of consuming fire, shocked profoundly the large Czech and Slovak population of America. These people, unable longer to endure the inhuman Austrian tyranny, had turned away in mighty numbers from their native land. That land, to be sure, was the richest soil of the Empire; but it was so sapped by greedy misrule that existence had come to mean only want and limitation. They came to America. Here they quickly learned to share in the enjoyment of democracy’s liberty and in the advantage of unlimited opportunities for the satisfying of all human needs. They usually developed into the best of America’s immigrant citizens. They came to stay, but, naturally enough, there came to them many moments of fond recollections of the old home. As it was, however, they seemed to be tinged always by an anxious pity for those who were deprived of the opportunity and privilege of
Dr Ludvik J. Fisher, President of the Bohemian
National Alliance in His Rank of Major. tasting the better life under our starry flag. And thus every such thought enhanced in their hearts the longing to see their native land as free as the land of their adoption. The Czechs, remembering the freedom that once was theirs, never really ceased to hope that a day would dawn when that Empire, so intolerable to the modern mind, should collapse; and when they should win again the independence which in the light of history and in the fair eyes of justice was undeniably theirs.

It was but natural, therefore, that when the awful catastrophe of the world war was precipitated the Czechs both at home and elsewhere, notably those in America, became quickly aware that their hour had struck. They knew at once that then, if ever, dawned at last the day when they could definitely hope to settle accounts with their oppressors, and shake off the shackles that for three centuries had been cutting deeply into their flesh. Though the Czechs had no more anticipation of the outbreak of hostilities than had the rest of the world, there was one thing that they felt immediately, that right was on the side of the entente allies, and that the ideals that were written on their banner, and to which America gave later such glorious expres sion, were identical with their own. They too stood for the greater freedom of every man, for the high est humanitarianism, and for pure democracy. Naturally, then, all their sympathies belonged at once to the side which drew the sword in defense of raped Belgium and which resolved to crush and destroy that dread Prussian militarism.

With most extreme eagerness the Czechoslovaks in America began to watch the demeanor of their nation “back home”. It seemed for a long time that in Bohemia all was quiet. But it was not a natural calm, for Austria had transformed the little king dom into one large territory of imprisonment: gal lows were reared upon which were made to die those who would neither deny nor forsake their real at titude, who could not betray their love to the exe cutioners. Austria was silencing the Czechs by means of imprisonment and death, in order that the world might never know of the seething unrest and rebellion that existed. But when the nation itself was thus silenced the Czech soldier who stood unwillingly on the firing line in the Carpathians and the Balkans heralded forth the feelings and convictions of his people, by refusing to shed the blood of his Slavic brethren for an unworthy cause. Entire Czechoslovak regiments surrendered freely, refusing to back up Austria’s aims against their own kin; and having gone to the other side picked up their weapons to avenge the tragic centuries of wrong and injury perpetrated upon their race.

To the Czechoslovaks in America this outcry of the revolting soldier was a signal for a general movement against hated Austria. At last a way seemed open for action that had much promise of success; and with this new hope and call to action the Czechoslovak consciousness awoke anew. Our people asked what they could do, and promptly began to respond to the need for financing the revolution. Once their beloved leader, Prof. Masaryk, reached safety and freedom to assume leadership of the movement, they avowed the cause as rightly their own, and conscientiously began to supply the necessary funds, declaring proudly that they would finance a Czechoslovak revolution with Czechoslovak money.

In order that the funds might be secured it was necessary, first of all, to organize the American
Dr. Fisher with Officers of the 21st Regiment at the Entrance to a
Communication Trench. Czechs into a single disciplined unit. This unity of organzation was not achieved at once. At the beginning small associations appeared in different cities and these developed only gradually into one immense whole, namely, the Bohemian National Alliance of America. The president of this general organization is Dr. Ludvik J. Fisher, who from the very beginning stood at the head of the liberating movement, and who with a staff of earnest workers labors untiringly for the great cause. The Alliance has at present over 250 branches in the United States, and has won for itself the admiration and respect of leading American fellow-citizens. And this ought to be said, that it not only labors for the financing of the Czechoslovak movement for independence, but also zealously seeks every op portunity to prove and interpret our love and loy alty to America, as witness the official reports of the Liberty Loans, the American Red Cross Society, etc.

When finally a Czechoslovak army was created on the soil of France and the call was extended even to the Czechs and Slovaks in America who were free from duty here, Dr. Fisher was the first to offer his services. He was immediately entrusted with the task of organizing the medical department for the new forces. After having served in that capacity on both the Italian and the French fronts he has received the rank of Major and has been sent on a special mission back to America. He will remain for a short time only. It is his conviction that his place is among his brethren who are fighting for the independence of their beloved nation. His heart is now there and he means to remain with the Czechoslovak fighters until that cause is won, to which he has devoted for years the strength and powers of his being. “And then”, to quote his own words, he will “come back happy to America”, and for the rest of his life will “seek to render devoted and grateful service to that country to which our nation owes so much.”