Page:The Czechoslovak Review, vol4, 1920.pdf/359

ism. It means that all the wisdom of science shall be applied to common life—not hoarded, but spent—it means for mothers, less fruitless sentimentality but more true esteem, and for children richer preparation for life. It means that the weak and the bad will diminish, not by punishment and repression of individuals but by the growing strength, the courageous moral and mental vigor of the race.

All this I saw writ so large and sure that I dared forget the present abominable confusion and poverty of Central Europe and believe that Czechoslovakia is strong enough to compel a peaceful, progressing democracy as the heritage of its children.

A break in the ranks of the Social Democratic Party seemed imminent. Within the organization there developed a small group which advocated methods communistic and anarchistic. In Prague, recently, a conference of the adherents of the so-called Right Wing was held. A resolution was unanimously adopted providing that steps should be taken to “safeguard the Republic” and to assure “its existence against attempts of the communistically anarchistic” efforts. The 248 delegates were a unit in accepting this declaration. Not long thereafter the leaders of the two factions (Right and Left Wings) got together behind closed doors and as a result of this exchange of ideas the breach appears to be healed. Hereafter they shall work in complete harmony.

Dr. Hotovetz, a member of the Cabinet in charge of the development of foreign commerce of the Czechoslovak Republic, recently met representatives of the Czechoslovak Manufacturers National Association in Prague and discussed very freely the policies to be pursued by the government in the up-building of foreign trade. Among other things, he said, “We cannot constantly purchase food stuffs in the West and transport them under the existing high transportation costs from America and other countries, when we have, within easy distance, the grain supplies in the Balkans and in Hungary. We must shape our foreign trade politics so that they will flow in such channels as will enable us to buy all our industrial raw materials in the East, where we must market our finished products”. This naturally means the end of purchasing raw materials in America, except for certain absolute essentials, because of the existing unfavorable exchange rates, the high transportation tariffs and the lack of market for Czechoslovak goods.

In a recent issue, Národní Politika observes that under the Teschen decision of the Council of Ambassadors, the city of Teschen is divided in two parts. The railway station and surrounding new sections are to remain with the Czechoslovak Republic while the old section with its public buildings, its barracks and business quarters goes to Poland. City water supply and gas works are in Czechoslovakia and the municipal electric plant in Poland. He who would undertake a shopping journey across the city must secure export and import permits, undergo a double severe customs inspection for, unfortunately, every tailor or baker lives in the Polish section. Manufacturing plants and larger industrial undertakings are grouped near the railroad, but the bulk of labor lives in Poland. Therefore it must cross the boundary line four times daily. Similar conditions prevail in the coal district. The mines are in Czechoslovakia and the miners live, in greater part, on Polish territory from which they travel daily to their work. It is feared that even though the railroad is under the control of the Czechoslovak Republic smugglers will reap a rich harvest because it is impossible to have any sort of strict control under the existing conditions.

The daily press reports that Czechoslovakia, Jugoslavia and Roumania have formed the “Little Entente”. One of the first things undertaken by this group of new nations in an attempt to adjust the dif-