Page:The Czechoslovak Review, vol4, 1920.pdf/117

and Beneš held aloof and are watching the developments.

Budget for 1920 was approved by the National Assembly on January 29, after a debate of three days. This debate was preceded by a discussion of the budget in the proper committee of the Assembly lasting six weeks. All the parties voted for the budget, even the opposition. As is customary in European parliaments, the general budget debate is employed to bring up for discussion such political questions, as may be agitating the minds of the people. Dr. Kramář on behalf of national democrats criticized the government for being too ready to make concessions to the German citizens of the Republic. But the great majority of the Assembly favored the policy of conciliation, so that the German minority would feel themselves citizens whose rights to their own national culture and to the use of their language in the districts in which they live are respected by the Czechoslovak Republic.

The National Assembly is working hard and is sincerely anxious to close its labors quickly, but it is still sitting. In February the parliament debated the army law; there was considerable opposition to the two year compulsory service, but the logic of circumstances was too strong even for the social democrats. Then the discussion of the new constitution, as drafted by the committee on constitution, was thrown into the assembly. We hope to be able to print the constitution, or at least its outlines, in the next issue. Among constructive measures adopted by the National Assembly was the establishment of a legislative reference library which is to inform parliaments of the world of new Czechoslovak legislation by publishing an excerpt in French of all new laws, and is also to keep track of new legislation elsewhere. Masaryk’s Academy of Labor was incorporated; it is to be the central body of technical and engineering experts who will be divided into commissions in accordance with individual industries and work together to promote industrial efficiency. President Masaryk gave to the new organization one million crowns out of funds which were left in his hands from the thanksgiving offering of Czechs in America after the winning of independence. Another important measure passed by the National Assembly appropriated 300 milion crowns, spread over a number of years, to build monumental structures to house the parliament, the various ministries, universities in Prague and Brno, governmental buildings in Slovakia etc.

Prague is now a city of almost a million people. On February 6 the National Assembly passed a law consolidating with Prague 38 cities and villages which have grown up on the periphery of the old capital. All of them are connected with Prague by miles of built-up streets; the total area of Greater Prague will be 17,000 hectares (about 115 square miles). The population of the city on the basis of the 1910 census would be 675,000, but Prague has grown tremendously since it became the capital of a republic, so that the next census will find nearly a million inhabitants in Greater Prague. The law annexing the suburban towns to Prague held the attention of a special committee of the Assembly for nearly a year, so many conflicting interests had to be reconciled. The cities and towns that are now annexed were willing to join Prague, but innumerable details of administration, legislation and above all of finances had to be adjusted. Finally the bill as prepared in committee was passed unanimously. The capital city of Prague will be governed by a council of 100, elected by universal suffrage; this council elects the mayor whose title will be the “primator” and three deputies; also an executive body of 24. The first elections will be held within six months of the enactment of the law, and the entire plan will be in operation within one year. In order to put the finances of the city on a sound basis, the Assembly granted the city council the right to lay a special tax on building lots, on all vehicles, on street car tickets and on amusements. Greater Prague will be a city of unique interest to tourists; full of memorials of the Middle Ages, with century old castles, churches, houses and bridges, it has already many great examples of modern monumental architecture. The government will embellish its seat with splendid public buildings. Prague will be the most attractive city in Europe east of Paris. It will rapidly outdistance its old rivals, the capitals of Austria and Hungary.