Czecho-Slovak national revival, English literature, notably the works of Milton and Byron have also played an important part in it. Today the best works in English literature are translated into Czech and read extensively. Needless to say that our that young Republic will have a great deal yet to learn from a country so advanced politically and industrially as England, and if before the war we have been unable to study England so thoroughly as we would have liked, the changes brought about by this war which gave our nation the long cherished liberty, make it imperative for us to solicit British friendship and help so that both the countries should know, understand and trust each other.
II. It is true that before the war the number of our friends in Great Britain who took real interest in the Czecho-Slovaks was very limited. There were those who were interested in the Czech »Sokol« movement, others who knew our football teams, and others again who studied and admired Bohemia from a purely touristic point of view. But the political aspect of the Czecho-Slovak question was really thoroughly studied and understood only by a few, and of them two especially deserve to be mentioned: — Dr. R. W. Seton Watson (Scotus Viator), author of the famous »Racial Problems in Hungary« and Mr. Henry Wickham Steed, formerly the Vienna correspondent of the »Times« and author of the »Habsburg Monarchy«.
The war has of course affected the proverbial indifference of the English public towards international affairs, due to the happy sea-girt position of Great Britain. The Czecho-Slovak question became an international question and public interest became aroused at the courage and endurance displayed by a small nation right in the heart of Europe.
It must not be imagined however, that the scope of the Czechoslovak question was at once realised in its full bearing by the public, There was many a prejudice to be overcome arising out of the traditional friendship of England with Austria, and there was a great deal of spade-work to be done in the way of pure information owing to the general ignorance about the mere existence of our nation, due chiefly to our own failure to acquaint foreign opinion with the fundamental aspects of our national life, before the war, while the Germans and Magyars have lost no opportunity to advertise themselves and to poison public opinion against us. So strong were the sympathies for Austria in certain circles in England that many politicians believed almost to the very end of the war that our independence was impossible and that Austria could be detached from Germany, to the advantage of the Allies.
On the whole, however, the British Press has, with few exceptions, shown remarkable understanding of our question, and both the daily
