Page:Edvard Beneš – Bohemia's case for independence.pdf/136

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BOHEMIA'S CASE FOR INDEPENDENCE

civil wars in the interior, and the working by every possible means for the formation of a Czech State, independent of Austria-Hungary. The propaganda has been conducted, on the one hand, by Czechs residing abroad and those who escaped there after the outbreak of war (among whom are to be specially mentioned the Deputies Masaryk and Durich, and the former editor of Národní Listy, Pavlů, who as ensign deserted to the enemy’s ranks), and on the other hand by foreigners who before the war had occupied themselves with the so-called Czech question in a sense hostile to the Monarchy, but who, after the outbreak of war, proved themselves to be decided enemies of our Empire (Denis, Leger, Cheradame, Count Bobrinski, General Volodimorov, and others).

"Their means of propaganda were: the publication of newspapers which almost exclusively promulgated the idea of severance from the Empire (La Nation tchèque, L'Indépendance tchecoslovaque , Cechoslovak, Cechoslovan); the publication of declarations and manifestoes, of programmes and newspaper articles in other foreign papers; the foundation of societies and propaganda committees for the attainment of the above-mentioned object; the holding of meetings and congresses (in Prague,1908 and 1912; in Petrograd, 1909, and others); and finally, the organisation and equipment of Czech volunteer legions in Russia, France, and