The attention of the public of the Allied countries was first attracted to the national aspirations of the Czecho Slovaks when, after the Russian dis integration following the Revolution (March, 1917), the Czech and Slovak contingents which had deserted on the eastern front suddenly emerged as the only remaining cohesive force in the Russian Army. They formed the back bone of the July offensive, which repre sented the last effort of the Kerensky Government to carry on the Russian operations against the Central Empires, but were not strong enough to make a success of this vast effort. Later, after the downfall of Kerensky's moderate Socialist Government, the Czecho-Slovaks refused to join the Bolsheviki and re ceived permission from the latter to make their way to western Europe through Siberia. Regretting this promise, the Bolsheviki endeavored to disarm the Czesho-Slovaks en route, whereupon the latter, asserting themselves, turned upon the Bolsheviki and succeeded in driving them out of a greater part of Siberia. and thus formed the backbone of the subsequent intervention of the Allies in Russia.
The brilliant exploit of the Czecho Slovaks in Siberia attracted world-wide attention to them, and led to official recognition of their movement for inde pendence by the Allies and the United States. On Dec. 10, 1917, Premier Clemenceau of France authorized the formation of a distinct Czecho-Slovak army in France, to co-operate with the Allies on the western front. On April 23, 1918, the Italian Government for mally recognized the belligerency of the Czecho-Slovak nation; British recogni tion followed, on Aug. 3, 1918, that of the United States was announced on Sept. 2, 1918, and that of Japan on Sept. 9, 1918. But already on May 29, 1918, Secretary Lansing, representing the United States, announced officially that "the national aspirations of the Czecho Slovaks and Jugoslays for freedom have the earnest sympathy of the United States." In the following June the United States Government officially per mitted the Czecho-Slovak representatives in this country to recruit men for a Slavic legion.
Early in April, 1918, after the dis integration of the Austro-Hungarian Empire was well under way, popular demonstrations for independence took place in Prague. So widespread were these disorders that a state of siege was proclaimed by the Austrian authorities and many of the popular leaders were executed. On Oct. 21, 1918, the inde pendence of the Czecho-Slovak peoples was officially proclaimed by the National Council; a general uprising took place in Prague and the city passed almost bloodlessly out of the nerveless hands of its Austrian rulers. On Oct. 28, a week later, a provisional government was or ganized and installed in Prague. On Nov. 2, 1918, the leaders of the revolu tion met in Geneva, Switzerland, and drafted a system of organic laws for the new republic, which included equal suf frage for the sexes and referendum vot ing for all important legislation. On
Nov. 10 a provisional National As sembly met in Prague and elected the first President of the Republic, the honor falling to the prominent Czech scholar and historian, Thomas Garrigue Masa ryk, who was then in the United States on a diplomatic mission. On Dec. 22, 1918, the new President was officially in augurated into office in Prague, together with his Cabinet, the Prime Minister of which was Dr. Karl Kramarz, with the prominent revolutionary leader, Voita Benes, as Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The new government was based on con stitutional provisions as liberal as those of the most liberal governments of the world, being largely modeled after the principles of the Constitution of the United States. These included the com plete freedom of religious worship, free dom of the press, speech, petition, the right of assembly, the separation of state and church; universal suffrage, includ ing women, the national representation of minorities and proportional represen tation. The new National Assembly, which was to remain in power until proper popular elections could be held, was composed of 260 members. The following parties were represented: Agrarians, the peasants' party, 54; So cial Democrats, 50; Slovaks, 50; State Right Democrats, a moderate Liberal party, 44; Socialists, 28; Clericals, 28; and Progressives, representing a liberal middle class element, 6.
The newly organized government of the Czecho-Slovak Republic had tre mendous difficulties to face from the very moment it took up its task of adminis tration. First of all Austria had been the heaviest sufferer from the war, eco nomically considered. Supplies of food stuffs were almost completely depleted, not only in Czecho-Slovakia, but in the neighboring countries as well. The de terioration of the railroads and their rolling stock had reached a point where they had almost ceased to operate, nor did the new state have any opening to the sea. Of railroad lines there were 13,000 kilometers in the countries, includ ing a main line running through Prague from northern Europe down to the Balkans and Constantinople. Thus, the possibilities of future development of transportation were given. Further more, the territory of the Republic held within it excellent resources. Before the war its cotton output had been 85 per cent. of that of the whole Austrian Em pire; its wool production had been 95 per cent. of the total; its metal pro duction 70 per cent., and 50 per cent. of motor transport vehicles in the Austrian Empire had been manufactured in Bo hemia. Thus the plants for production were there, and had only to be worked, as soon as the raw materials could be procured.