Page:The Czechoslovak Review, vol4, 1920.pdf/254

The last of the Czechoslovak troops evacuated Siberia on May 15th and boarded transports a few days later. Thus “Finis” to the last chapter of a modern “Anabasis” is written.

Marshal Foch is to visit Prague in the near future. He is to be followed, in a very short time by President Deschanell.

The strike of German River Transportation Workers is causing untold hardship in the republic. Sadly needed food stuffs are held in transit between Hamburg and Dresden. One thousand car loads of flour are marooned near Dresden, 2,200 car loads of grain and flour are somewhere between Hamburg and Dresden, and, 8,800 car loads of cereals are in Hamburg. In the strike Czechoslovakia has no interest, it is purely a German internal affair. The leaders of the strikers were invited to Prague by the government for a conference in an attempt to relieve the situation. From late accounts nothing has been accomplished. In the role of an innocent bystender Czechoslovakia must suffer.

Conversations, pursuant to the Treaty of Peace, held in Prague between representatives of Austria and Czechoslovakia regarding rights of citizenship and the protection of minorities indicate that an accord has been reached. Protocols are being framed based on the findings of the commission to be submitted to the respective governments for ratification. The next sittings will be held in Vienna, when additional subjects will be considered.

The Sokol (Falcon) meet opened June 5th with appropriate ceremonies. Months were spent in careful preparations to make this tournament a success. Numberless foreign visitors are expected. Prague is in gala attire for the occasion. The number of contestants will be large, the competitions thrilling, close and exciting.

The one hundreth aniversary of the birth of Josef Mánes, a leading Bohemian painter, was observed throughout the republic with appropriate ceremonies on May 14.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Edward Beneš, transmitted a note to M. Tchicherin advising him that a Czechoslovak commission, with proper instructions and full powers, will be sent out to meet a similar body to be named by him (Tchicherin) to agree upon establishing peaceful relations with Russia.

Slovaks dwelling in the eastern portion of Slovakia have signed a memorial protesting against “foreign defamers, and we advise them (Magyars) that they give us (Slovaks) peace. We are content with our brethren, the Czechs, we desire to learn from them. In the first place we want to work. But those who desire for return of that which existed before the war let them beware, for the Eastern Slovak people will arouse their wrath.”

Land Reform in Slovakia received the attention of the President of the Land Board who visited Bratislava to confer with the Slovak officials in charge of local affairs. It is expected that soon the parcels coming within the scope of the law will be available for small settlers. This unquestionably will be a boom for Czechoslovakia and will raise the morale of the Slovaks.

The Magyars complain that about half a million of their compatriots were assigned to the new Czechoslovak State, but on the other hand Magyar official statistics over 400,000 Slovaks they suppress the fact that even according to the were left in the Magyar State. Thus in the district of Nové Hrady there were, in 1919, 91,699 Slovaks of whom only 60,000 were incorporated into the Czechoslovak State, while over 30,000 of them were left to the Magyars. In the district of Pest-Pilis the Magyars counted, in 1910, 187,079 Slovaks, all of whom remained in the Magyar State. In the districts between the Danube and Tisza 13,633 Slovaks were left to the Magyars. On the right bank of the Danube, in the district opposite to Bratislava and Komárno, there are 56,771 Slovaks, who again were left to the Magyars. On the left bank of the River Tisza, especially in the district of Bekes, the Magyar official statistics of 1910 counted 86,802 Slovaks, in the district of Sabole 20,082 and in other district over 10,000, all of whom have remained in the Magyar State. Thus, in the above-mentioned districts there are, according to the Magyar official statistics, 404,367 Slovaks who are still under the Magyar rule and amply compensate the Magyars for their minorities incorporated in Czechoslovakia.