Page:The Czechoslovak Review, vol4, 1920.pdf/138
velopment, as he himself expressed it in his first presidential message,—an organic development directed by a genuine effort at progress. Thus he is not satisfied merely with big isolated improvements; he is more concerned with achieving continuous endeavor and unrelaxing attention to details, in order that everything which is undertaken and accomplished may continuously become more effective and of better quality. Even every day life with all its trifling duties and requirements is to be animated by and devoted to some higher object. In this connection much can be achieved by education in the true sense of the word. Masaryk therefore strongly emphasizes the importance of the proper organization and equipment of schools and other educational establishments both in economic and social affairs, and he draws attention to the great significance of science in economic progress.
It is obvious then, that Masaryk is in favor of a process of evolution, of a gradual transition in economic and social matters. He admits revolution only very exceptionally as a last resource. But he points out that economic and social revolution can be successfully and permanently obviated only if society as a whole is animated by the spirit of true justice and humanity. He is therefore emphatically opposed to exploitation and class-rule, a fact which he repeated in his latest presidential message. In the course of a speech delivered in 1907 he said: “I recognize the existence of an economic diversity of classes, but I do not advocate implacable war between them; it is rather my desire to work for the organization of their joint labors so as to bring about prosperity for the nation and mankind as a whole.”
From what has been said, it is clear that Masaryk does not recognize economic materialism, as in fact, he rejects materialism in any form. Neither does he advocate class-war, nor absolute economic equality, but he aims at applying the principles of co-operation on a large scale to all activities of an economic and social character. During his career he has frequently had occasion to adopt a critical and polemical attitude, in particular towards the lack of understanding of the social question and of socialism in general. One of the most valuable services which he rendered to his country was to bring about an ever increasing development of sound views there concerning these matters. He had the courage to champion the cause of every reasonable demand on the part of labor, even in the face of considerable prejudice. And by his actions he has always shown how his principles are to be practicably and consistently carried out.
Masaryk’s critical attitude was indeed,—although many did not realize this,—only a means to achieving a positive activity. The final aim of all his endeavor has been to create a higher and nobler type of humanity among his fellow countrymen, a type of humanity genuinely conscientious and with complete spiritual and bodily harmony. For this constitutes his idea of what humanity should be. And a further consequence of this idea is that the nation as a whole should be an organism of the most perfect structure and of the finest development—a true nation of brothers. This is the object towards which economic and social organization and labor should be directed.
The Wends who to the number of about 200,000 inhabit a compact territory in Saxony and Prussia, acting on the basis of President Wilson’s principles signed by the Germans when the Armistice was concluded, also sent their representatives to Paris for the purpose of endeavoring at the Peace Conference to gain freedom and independence for their small nation, the final remnant of what was once a large Slavonic population in the basin of the Elbe. They regarded this as their final opportunity to protect themselves against complete Germanization and extermination. Their representative in Paris was Arnost Bart, the president of the Wendic National Council who has been at the head of the National Wendic movement ever since the revolutionary events in Germany. The hopes of the Wends which centred in the Peace Conference were not fulfilled. Finally the terms of the Peace Treaty involved only the cultural rights of national minorities under the protection of the League of Nations, and these extend also to the Wends.
But so far this protection has not protected. Bart, the leader of his small people, has just been sentenced at Leipzig to imprisonment in a fortress for three years.
The ostensible reason for his condemnation was the charge that he warned the Allies last April against Germany’s secret military preparations.