Page:The Czechoslovak Review, vol4, 1920.pdf/34

least a Palestinian home for the Jews. Undoubtedly, too, the leading men among German Zionists were honest in their adherence to the cause of the Central Empires during the war in the interest of their own cause; and besides they were convinced that the Germans would be victorious.

What was taking place in the meantime in the minds of the great majority of the Czech nation and of those Slovaks who had a developed national consciousness and remained faithful to their nation? That is impossible to describe; it can only be likened to the terror which gripped the Romans under the rule of their insane emperors.

The entire Czechoslovak and Jugoslav nations were under military control. Every word uttered by a Slav could be used as pretext for a charge of high treason. No one could be sure that he would not be in jail before the day was over. Conscripts were sent to the front like cattle to the slaughter house. Non-participation in enforced loyalty demonstrations was prosecuted as criminal. Czechs of Prague clinched their fists and kept watch over their tongues, while the German minority made “patriotic” cemonstrations in the streets, and in these demonstrations the German-Jewish youth took a prominent part.

Indignation was intensified by the fact that silence had to be preserved. A German Jew denounced a well-known Czech lawyer for his harmless remark about soldiers departing for the front, and the anger of the silent Czech people was boiling over. A rumor was spread of thousands of denunciations made by Jews against the Czechs, and although it was untrue it was believed in throughout the war.

The whole German press of the Hapsburg Empire raged against the Slavs, but the Czech public cherished particular hatred against the German-Jewish press. All Germans and Magyars, their educated and semi-educated classes, and the workingmen as well, raged against the Czechoslovak nation, but nothing worked up Czech public opinion so much as the behavior of the various Benedicts and Kisches who led the German-Jewish press. Shortly before the overthrow of Austrian rule accusations were widely spread that thousands of Jews asked permission to assume Czech names and that they chose mostly names of famous men of the nation.

How are we to explain this peculiar anti-Jewish hatred? Apparently the psychological foundation of it lay in the following reasoning: Only two or three generations ago, you, Jews, were enslaved, and now so many of you side with the oppressors! Then again the people saw only the acts of the Austrian-minded Jews and ignored thousands of other Czech Jews who suffered under Austrian police rule equally with the entire Czech nation. Whatever the reason, Cezch anti-semitism was kindled, fed on unjust sweeping charges and awaited the day of vengeance.

Came the revolution, and anti-semitism heretofore kept under cover by the pressure of the Austrian rule now dominated public sentiment.

It cannot be said that riots that took place in some cities of the Czechoslovak Republic were exclusively due to the hatred of the Jews. Hunger and occasional manifestations of Bolshevism were contributing causes, for some Christian stores were plundered as well. But some of the newspapers began to publish as a regular feature anti-semitic charges in a_highly objectionable form. Among the loudest Jew-baiters were some journalists and writers who under the Austrian regime were particularly careful to keep their mouths shut.

Anti-Jewish sentiment among the masses of the people was increasing during the first few months after the revolution. But this was not so among leaders who realized their responsibilities. Our president remained faithful to his noble record as an apostle of humanity. In his first presidential message he laid emphasis on friendly co-operation of all citizens regardless of religious and racial differences. The cabinet followed his example; it is enough to point out that in the ministry are two members of Jewish descent and that several prominent Jewish experts were given important posts under the government.

But anti-semitic press could not be prevented from troubling public opinion, for freedom of press is guaranteed under the republic. Fortunately already there are signs that the influence of this anti-Jewish agitation is growing less.

The average Czech gets soon tired of reiterated charges that are too general in