BOHEMIA AND THE CZECHS 



187 



of Bohemian parentage is exemplified by 

 the "Federation of Komensky (Come- 

 nius) Educational Clubs," with its many 

 branches, and by the fact that the Bohe- 

 mian language is now taught at the Uni- 

 versity of Nebraska and several other in- 

 stitutions of higher learning. 



The true Bohemian here and elsewhere, 

 as can easily be understood, has nothing 

 but the bitterest feelings toward Austria, 

 the stranger and usurper, who, since the 

 war started, is once more in the full 

 swing of his persecutions. The Czech 

 sympathies are wholly with Belgium, 

 Russia, Serbia, France, and Great Brit- 

 ain. And what is true of the Czechs is 

 also true of the Slovaks, who suffer even 

 more under Magyar oppression. 



The Czechs and Slovaks in Austria- 

 Hungary fight only under compulsion ; 

 their unwilling regiments were deci- 

 mated ; their political and national leaders 

 fill the Austrian and Hungarian prisons. 

 Thousands of Bohemian and Slovak vol- 

 unteers are fighting enthusiastically under 

 the banners of France and Great Britain, 

 and there are whole regiments of them 

 attached to the Russian army. 



Here in the United States the very word 

 of Austria sounds strange and unnatural 

 to the Bohemian. They have found here 

 their permanent home, and while hoping 

 and even working for the eventual free- 

 dom of Bohemia, and proud of their de- 

 scent from the Czech people, they are, 

 citizens or not yet citizens, all loyal 

 Americans. 



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