FROM PRAGUE

Czecho-slovakia is the watchdog of the new peace in Central Europe. She is the strongest new power, and is
manifestly the best governed State which has arisen out of the ruins of the old. The new Bohemia (for
Czecho-Slovakia is truly Bohemia) is a much more credible resurrection than the new Poland. One London
daily refused to believe in the existence of Czecho-Slovakia for a long while. "Unless I see it," said the editor,
"I will not be convinced." But Czecho-Slovakia is quite convincing--and is much less of a Frankenstein than
Jugo-slavia. The Czechs are no doubt obscurely placed in Europe, but the traveller when he gets to their
country--not the "seacoast of Bohemia"--will find that they make good showing.

Prague is a fine old city on the rolling Moldau--what a fine name, suggestive of rolling boulders down from
the hills! Ancient Prague has this river for its moat. It rises on heights from old bridges to the royal palace and
cathedral of the old kings of Bohemia. The new city has yet to be built. It will be on the level ground below,
where there is to-day an agglomeration of shops and hotels as yet unworthy of the capital of a great new State.
Here up above is all that is worth while, though seen from the battlements, the new below, especially on a
cloudy day with lowering skies, is a very fine view. Here lie the old kings of Bohemia--one of them
apparently "Good King Wenceslas." Here at a little distance are the mysterious walls with sentries posted at
the gates--walls curiously and accidentally associated in the minds of thousands of children with Longfellow's
lines:
I have read in some old, marvellous tale That a midnight host of spectres pale Beleaguered the walls of
Prague.
Not a good place in which to lose yourself at night--outside these walls--as a party of us found on our first
expedition there.
In the royal palace and offices are now accommodated the various ministeries of the new republic. Up in this
purer air live also the President, M. Masaryk, and some of the diplomatic representatives of foreign powers. It
is no doubt rare in this lazy age to find a new State administered and governed from the top of a crag, a steep
climb on foot. But Czecho-Slovakia and Prague are governed from a mountain, and have the mountain point
of view, which is the view of youth and vision.
The new State has some thirteen millions of inhabitants, and the majority of the people speak both Czech and
German. German is naturally discouraged as being anti-national, and it is now only used in emergencies. All
names of places have been Slavonized. Even Carlsbad and Marienbad are now Carlovivari and Mariansky
Laznie. Where names of places have to be printed both in German and in Czech--German goes into small
letters and Czech into large. After the armistice was declared in 1918, it only took a few hundred Czechs to
overthrow the Austrian power and proclaim a new national republic. It was a bloodless revolution.
France and England were benevolently disposed toward a Czech republic, but America, thanks to the
influence of the Slavophile millionaire, Charles Crane, with Wilson, and to the personal prestige of Masaryk,
did most to confirm and strengthen Czecho-Slovakia. Gratitude to America is expressed everywhere, and
Prague, in 1921, is perhaps the one capital in the world where Wilson's name and fame are still undimmed. Is
not Wilson's face in bas-relief on the wall of the main station, "Gare Wilson," supported, curiously enough, by
the admiring figures of two Bacchantes wreathed in the vine? It counts more to be an American in Prague than
to be English. Crane's son is Minister for the United States; Crane's daughter-in-law, as painted by Mucha, is
engraved on the new hundred-crown note. American relief-work and Mr. Hoover enjoy great prestige, and altogether there is for the time being the atmosphere of an enduring friendship.
The Czechs adopted a Parliamentary system, but finding that "one man one vote" brought to power new
revolutionary elements, the system was quickly defunctionized. The administration is now appointed by the
President, and he, having been elected by acclamation, "President for life," is in the nature of elective autocrat.
However, after Masaryk, the term is to be limited to seven years, and a president may not serve two terms.
The largest parties in the Parliament are the "Germans" and the "Social Democrats," each of which has
seventy-two deputies and about forty senators. The National Democrats, who might be called the Masaryk
party, are in the minority of nineteen deputies and ten senators. This party, nevertheless, is likely to maintain
and hold the intellectual leadership of the nation. Czecho-Slovakia is not a peasant State like Bulgaria and
Jugo-Slavia, but ex-Austrian bourgeois, with a large proportion of educated people.
It is a thick-set, burly, rather obstinate people, with imperturbable eyes. It is difficult to persuade one of the
Czechs to do a thing against his will, or to compromise between his opinion and yours. Much more difficult to
persuade than a Russian. And they are not as obedient as the Germans, or as amenable to splitting a difference
as the British. It has been said they are Russian translated into German. Not polite or charming, but
matter-of-fact, and a trifle on the rude side. There is in them a good deal of moderateness of gift, but they
seem far more practical than the rest of the Slavs, and more virile. They have been Germanized and dullened
by Austria, but in many respects they are more capable than the Germans. They seem to be the most capable
people in their part of the world.
I met Dr. Benes, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, deputy-President in Masaryk's absence. It was on his
initiative that the Little Alliance of Czecho-Slovakia and Jugo-Slavia was founded, with the support of Italy
and eventually including Roumania. Whilst this was nominally to prevent the return of the Hapsburgs or the
reuniting of Austria and Hungary, it has also had another function--that of drawing together all the States
deriving territory from the break up of Austria--even uniting Italy and Serbia, up till recently preoccupied with
mortal enmity over the Dalmatic. It is a great service to unity to have this group of powers with a common
understanding, and will perhaps be more highly appreciated in the future than it is now.
Dr. Benes is a spare, pinched-faced man of the people, not a typical Czech in appearance, a nervous type, of
probably tireless energy. Not one of those that "sleep o' nights." He had, however, an agreeable smile of
acquiescence when complimented on his work for unity. "I do not believe in the war after the war," said he.
"All the nations that composed Austria-Hungary were exasperated, and have been in a bad mental state greatly
aggravated by the war. We want to get rid of the war-mind. With that in view we are developing a policy
which should make for stability in Central Europe. The most dangerous word used in propaganda against us in
'Balkanization'--as if to suggest that all these regions had become unstable and liable to Balkan quarrels. But,
in truth, in three years we have made great progress towards a settled state of affairs.
"Germany will fall. If she agrees to pay she will fall, and equally if the sanctions are applied she will fall. She
will not go so low as Austria because she is a much stronger national organism, but her export trade will be
ruined, and the mark will become almost of no value. The application of the export duty on German goods is
not popular, but we are applying it. It will raise the cost of living, and be a great inconvenience to many
businesses which depend on Germany, but on the other hand some of our younger industries may be helped
by such a measure of protection----"
Regarding the Little Alliance Dr. Benes was clearly enthusiastic, but he could not see it developing into a
customs-union. "We shall have treaties regarding tariffs according to our mutual needs." He hoped the
Alliance might develop to take in Poland, but at present Poland was in a difficult frame of mind, very readily
jealous and not generally benevolent.
The Slavs are vociferous believers in unity. They invented the word "pan-humanity." It is the most vital idea
in Russia. But is it not strange that the peoples who are the strongest believers in human unity are the most quarrelsome amongst themselves. The greatest weakness of the Slav nations lies in national vanity, egoism,
and lack of solidarity. They have not the sense for discipline obtaining among Latins and Teutons. Perhaps in
this respect the Czechs are wiser than Poles, Russians, and Serbs. But the fact remains that the Slavs do not
readily co-operate, and as nations have little of the modern sense for "team-work."
Take the case of Poland, Czecho-Slovakia's obstreporous northern neighbour. Both have been raised from the
dead at the same time, and are brothers in resurrection. Both have great capacity to help one another. But one
finds an almost complete detachment, as if the frontier line were an ocean.
"We send goods into Poland--and the Polish Government sequesters them," say the Czechs. "We load our
trains with stuff for them, and then our trains never come back. Many whole trains have disappeared in
Poland, and we get no satisfaction."
A new type of crime--train-stealing! "No," says Dr. Benes; "we must wait patiently till it occurs to the Poles
that a close brotherly relationship between the two countries is better than suspicion and jealousy."
"Why do you not take the step yourself?"
"It would be suspected of having some hidden motive, or we should be thought to be in terrible need of
Poland's help," said Bohemia's minister.
As regards the interior troubles of Czecho-Slovakia, much is made of the Slovak separatist movement, and the
Germans exploit the supposed racial animosities of the two Slav tribes. The Slovaks also obtain some
sympathy from our "Save the children" missionaries, who naturally prefer unspoiled peasants to educated
foreigners of any kind. If the Slovak hates the Czech he hates the Magyar also, but whether he hates or not he
is not very important in Europe, and is bound to find himself in a subordinate national position. The enmity of
the German elements is more menacing, and it is not to be denied that the new State holds a million or so
people who, by the accident of habitat, have to be called Czecho-Slovaks, though they are no more
Czecho-Slovaks than Lot and his wife.
I met among others Dr. Isidor Muller, first assistant at the University of Vienna, but living at Carlovivari
(Carlsbad), and naturally enough unable to speak Czech and unacquainted with Czechs, but written down as
Czecho-Slovak now. Still, it has its advantages. He told me that he was once being rudely treated by a French
officer who took him for a Boche. The Frenchman was disinclined to shake hands.
"But I am a Czecho-Slovak," said Dr. Muller, inspirationally.
"Oh!" The Frenchman's face lighted up. He extended his hand. "We are brothers and allies."
Still some German Czecho-Slovaks think they will ultimately overthrow the new State and get into the saddle
again. And they make a solid and dangerous political bloc. Benes said they were much more amenable than a
year ago, but in the Parliament House--an adapted concert-hall--I saw all the carpenters at work in a litter of
shavings and broken wood. "The German benches," said the editor of the "Narodni Listi," who was showing
me round the institutions of Prague.
Czecho-Slovakia holds now, besides her natural constituent races, a considerable number of Russian exiles,
and these have their Russian daily paper at Prague and a number of local Russian enterprises. With the
calming down of Soviet Russia, some of these Russians would naturally return home, but a few have taken
root and will remain. It is not an uncongenial soil for the average Russian. Then the Government has agreed to
take ten thousand of General Wrangel's soldiers, and will endeavour to settle them on the land. There are
already too many non-Slavonic elements in Czecho-Slovakia, and Russians will help to neutralize some of the
Magyar and German influences. At least, such is the hope. As a step in this direction, there has developed also an important Church movement. A large portion of the Roman Catholic clergy have split from Rome and
founded a Czech National Church. They have left the Pope, and have in return been excommunicated.
Apparently excommunication has not a great terror, however. National Catholicism without an infallible Pope
is not far removed from Greek Catholicism and even Anglicanism. Austria and Hungary are Roman Catholic,
but Czecho-Slovakia will remain either Protestant or National Catholic.
The abandonment of the German language is also a remarkable phenomenon. The common will is to abandon
it. Unfortunately, the Czech language is of limited use, but there is now a remarkable passion for learning
English, and there are thousands of students at the University classes. This boom is due to President Wilson.
The Russian language is also extensively known among the ex-soldiers who sojourned so many years as
prisoners or as legionaries in Russia. The French language having lost much of its value has not so many
students. The "Narodni Listi," which is the principal Czech newspaper in Prague, prints two columns in
French every day for the convenience of foreigners who do not understand Bohemian. This idea is being
extended, and a daily supplement in English is to be issued soon.
Two evenings spent at the theatre at Prague were curiously in contrast: one at the German National Theatre, to
hear "The Blue Mazurka," by Lehar, author of "The Merry Widow," and other less entertaining operettas. The
imposing building of the Deutsche Theatre was crammed with Germans who took pleasure in a characteristic
sentimental operetta. The other evening was at the Czech National Theatre to see a performance of
"Coriolanus," and was more interesting. The Czechs had great difficulties under the Austro-Hungarian regime
in obtaining a national theatre. The Imperial Government was not anxious to encourage Czech language and
literature, and therefore refused to grant the State subsidy on which national theatres usually depend. This,
however, did not deter the Czechs. It made them only the more determined to have a national theatre. It should
be remembered that drama has a much greater national importance in the continental countries of Europe than
it has in England or America. Excitement over such a matter might seem incredible to Anglo-Saxons, not so
to Slavs or to Germans. The proposed deprivation of the Czechs of a national stage stirred the people to the
depths, and it was not long before men and women were busy collecting the money to build and sustain a
Czech theatre at Prague. The funds were raised, and the place was built, and the Bohemian people inscribed
over the proscenium the challenging words: "Narod Sobe"--The people for itself.
"Coriolanus" was conceived of rather as a struggle with the proletariat. Hillar, the producer, has effectually
disenchanted the footlights by putting steps down to the audience in the position of the prompter's box. The
characters frequently make their entrances as it were from the body of the audience. This is especially striking
in the crowding up of the Roman Bolsheviks on to the stage in the opening scene--a remarkable piece of life
and action. However, though one naturally thought of the Bolsheviks, there was nothing of the guise of Lenin
or Liebknecht in the appearance of the popular tribunes, who, together with the rest of the citizens, were
reduced to the level of Dogberry, whilst the noble Coriolanus was perhaps exaggerated in his nobility and his
disdain. Menenius Agrippa was a Balfourian old fellow who told the story of the Belly and its members well.
What a story for Europe to learn now: it ought to be put in the reading-books of every tongue.
What struck me about the Czech performance of "Coriolanus" was the dignity of personality and height of
conception which the Slavs bring to the interpretation of Shakespeare. It was the same in Moscow in the old
days. Hamlet was more interestingly conceived and better performed than anywhere else in the world.
An interesting play reflecting in itself the world-drama, was lately produced at Prague under the title
"R.U.R.," or "Rasum's Universal Rabots." A scientist named Dr. Rasum succeeded in inventing a human
automaton, a human being except for the fact that it had no soul and no power of reproducing itself. They
were excellent for use in factories and in armies, and the firm of Rasum, Ltd., supplied them in hundreds and
thousands to companies and States. Eventually the Rabots, as they are called, combine and make war against
the real people with the souls, and they destroy Dr. Rasum and his factory, and even the plan and the secret
whereby the Rabots are made. They also destroy the real people, all but one, and a great sadness comes upon
the world as it is realized that man must die out. At the end of the play, however, a soul is born in one of the Rabots, and he is touched to love, and so he obtains the power to reproduce the species, and the human story
recommences. A striking idea for a drama, and capable of arousing much excitement in Labour's literary
circles. I heard that the rights had been bought for almost every country of Europe. In the drama, as in music
and art, the Slavs are always passing Teuton and Latin, backward though they may be in other matters.
Enough has been said to register the opinion that the new State of Bohemia is very promising, and that it is a
redeeming case in the welter of New Europe. As far as Prague is concerned it leaves behind its provincial
recent-past, recovers its ancient-past, and looks towards a great future. New buildings will arise worthy of a
capital, new administrative offices and a new Parliament House are to be built. Around the Parliament House
it is designed to place the cycle of Mucha's mystical paintings lately exhibited in New York. These traverse
the whole story of the Slavs, and especially that of the Czechs, but not, however, omitting the story of Russia,
from the baptism of Vladimir to the emancipation of the serfs. Czecho-Slovakia will raise the banner of a new
Pan-Slavism and Slav unity. The faith is kindled here that whilst many other nations are going mad,
Czecho-Slovakia may keep her head and be one of those who by her example and leadership will save Europe
from disruption and chaos.