Page:Edvard Beneš – Bohemia's case for independence.pdf/106

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been validated.
92
BOHEMIA'S CASE FOR INDEPENDENCE

Russia, Switzerland, and Rumania. Almost all these articles were made or grown in Bohemia.

On the other hand, Germany exploits Austria-Hungary, and takes without remorse articles necessary for her economic development: for instance, from the Czech countries great quantities of coal, wood manufactures, and agricultural products like eggs, butter, cheese, grains, etc., are exported to Germany.

Germany supplied France, England, Italy, and Russia with goods imported from Bohemia, which could easily be delivered without German intervention, if the direct trade routes between Bohemia and the Allied countries were not systematically blocked by Germany.

The Czechs are also the principal clients of the Austrian import trade. With the exception of the Viennese, the buyers of Paris goods are the Czechs, and articles of the latest fashion are always to be found in the shops of Prague. Two-thirds of the exports from France to Austria, as well as wine and fruits from Italy, are destined for Bohemia. Economically, therefore, the Czech countries are of considerable importance and by no means to be neglected.

But the Czecho-Slovaks call the attention of the Allied Powers to these facts for other reasons. Germany wants to bring the whole of Central Europe under her political and economic hege-