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progressive party deserves to be recorded. The party was never imposing in numbers, but it counted among its adherents at one time or another some of the greatest Czech statesmen. Its beginnings may be traced to 1883, and Masaryk should be called its founder. It was then known as the realist party. Its influence began to be felt in 1886, when the weekly “Čas” was established. In 1891 it entered into a coalition with the Young Czech party and participated in its sweeping election victory; Masaryk, Kramář and Kaizl were sent to Vienna parliament. But two years later came a dissolution of the alliance; Kramář and Kaizl went over to the Young Czechs, Masaryk resigned from parliament and did not re-enter it till 1907. At that time the party had only two deputies in parliament, but its influence far exceeded its numerical strength. During the latter part of the war, in 1917, the leaders of the party, Dr. Herben, Dr. Šámal, head of the Maffia, and poet Machar combined with the former Young Czech party, now the national democrats. The others made an alliance with the Czechoslovak socialists, and at a conference on January 6, 1920, voted to join this party formally. This step will mean an important addition to the intellectual leadership of the national socialists. Masaryk himself, of course, has not been identified with any party since the time, when he left the country during the early days of the war to conduct the independence campaign abroad. In Slovakia the old national party fused with the new and lusty farmers’ party. Among current events of general interest should be noted the conviction of former bureau chief Karel Jirák of attempt to bribe foreign minister Beneš. Jirák was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment and loss of franchise; the jail sentence was suspended, but he was compelled to pay the offered bribe of twenty million crowns for the benefit of Prague charitable institutions.

An unusual event, the significance of which it is difficult to estimate at this time, took place on January 8, when an assembly of the so-called Reformist clergy voted by 140 against 65 to secede from the Roman Catholic Church. Rumblings of rebellion had been heard for a year. Last January a referendum was taken among the priests as to a number of reforms, chief of which were voluntary celibacy of the clergy, introduction of the language of the people into the services of the Church and greater democracy in Church government. Delegations were sent to Rome for concessions in these matters, but the extent of concessions promised did not satisfy the Reformists. They were further incensed by the appointment of Dr. Kordáč to be archbishop of Prague; he was looked upon as an extreme conservative. Many priests did not wait, but contracted marriage; one of the Reformist clergymen married 105 priests. At the meeting on January 8 the serious step was taken to establish a separate church, to be known as the Czechoslovak Church. As was to be expected, the Catholic Church met the schism with determination and the Holy See excommunicated the schismatics. There is a great deal of sympathy in the press for the Reformists, but also much scepticism as to what they will accomplish. The editorials point out that the schism took place over questions of a formal character, principally marriage of clergy and Czech language in services; a religious movement needs a deeper religious impulse to obtain and maintain a hold on the people.

War is responsible for much moral deterioration, in Czechoslovakia as elsewhere. Perhaps with the Czechoslovaks war should get even a larger share of blame than in other countries, because during the war it was the patriotic thing for a good Czech to cheat the government—simulate sickness so as to avoid military service, hide his grain so that it would not be requisitioned for the Austrian army, loaf on the job in the munition factory. Four years of bad habits cannot be readily eradicated; there much profiteering, selfishness, suspicion of is today in the Czechoslovak Republic of the existing conditions. But there is also public officials, wholesale condemnation strong effort to overcome the moral defects which the war produced. The leading organization is the Republican League for Moral Regeneration of the Nation which was recently addressed by President Masaryk in a remarkable letter. The president says among other things: “I cannot address a special appeal to the people, as so many friends suggested. Democracy implies not merely political self-government, but moral also; and democracy means self-help. Besides I am kept from taking this