Berlin, Sept. 13. public and its first President. enable a younger man with greater natural vigour to carry on his work.
When he retired, the Prime him "Masaryk the Deliverer." was lowered and Dr. Eduard Benes, the then Foreign Minister, took over the post which Masaryk had years.
Thomas Garrigue Masaryk was born on March 7, 1850, at Hudonin in Slovakia, at that time part of the old Austro-Hungarian empire. The son of a coachman employed on the Imperial Estates, he was educated at the Czech school of Cejkovice and at the German Realschule at Hustopee.
His Zeal for Learning First, he became a locksmith apprentice in Vienna. But he ran away because a comrade stole his few books and sold them.
Apprenticed to a blacksmith, he pined for more education till his former teacher finally persuaded his parents to permit their son to become. a teacher, He went to study vienna and graduated with honours. In 1881. his thesis—"Suicide as a Pathological Phenomena of Modern Civilization"—in which he discussed the question of whether Christ had, by his refusal io exercise divine powers to free himself from persecution, committed suicide or not, caused quite a sensation.
Activities in Prague He then transferred to Prague to make more money for his family. There were two children, one of whom later became Czechoslovak Minister in London.
In Prague, he speedily became a leading spirit in literary and political circles and was the guiding light of three periodicals, "Cas" (Our Time), "Nase Doba" (Our Epoch) and "Anthenaeum."
He also became a member and instructors of the Sokols, a gymnastic organization whose members were later to pour out their lifeblood in their fight for freedom on the battlefields of Russia, France and Italy It was Masaryk's influence that endeavoured to substitute the scienti-fle method for the romanticism which dominated Czech thought at this time. For him, politics was a scienti-fie ideal, not a romantic toy.
Libera! Leadership He led the revolt against Teutonic idealism, bereft of a grasp on the practical affairs of life, and also against the Tolstoyan Slav philosophy of non-resistance to evil He demanded a new scheme of things in which spiritual and religious influences would ce-ordinate with intelligence and politics as an integral whole.
Masaryk later became Liberal leader and their representative in Parliament in 1891. Failing to make any headway against Austria's "stubbornness," as he called it, two years later he resigned to undertake the "moral and mental regeneration" of the Czechoslovak people and to educate them to their rebirth as a nation, In 1900, Masüryk's friends founded a party based on his ideas, They led themselves the Progressives but were soon nicknamed the Realists. Seven years later Masaryk was re turned as their candidate to the Austrian Reichsrat. He instantly and repeatedly attacked the Government for its subservience, to German domination and for its aggressive policy in the Balkans, more especially in the case of Bosnia-Herzegov ina.
Soon after this, the Great War broke out and the man who had condemned the old emp corrupt, militarist, preterition: and senseless relic of mediaeval imes," was compelled to avoid pro prion War-time Propaganda Untiringly, in. Switzerland, France, England, Italy, Russia, and the United States he canvassed the cause of Czechoslovak independence. He helped to found the propaganda periodicals "The New Europe" (London), "Ceskoslovenska Samostan: (Savoy), and "La Nation Tcheque' (Paris). Such Englishmen as Wickham Steed, R. W. Seton-Watson and Ronald Burrows helped him.
"The Czechoslovak National Council was formed in 1915 with Masaryk Chairman and Benes, the future Foreign Minister, as Secretary At this time Masaryk joined the staff of Kings College, London, at the invitation of the Principal, Ronald Burrows. Here, he collaborated with Wickham Steed in countering the German-Magyar propaganda. All the rest of his life he made graceful references to the hospitality he r ceived as an exile in Great Britain.
Eventually, in 1917, he went to Russia, where he at last persuaded the authorities to authorize the for-motion of independent Czechoslovak armies from among the Czechoslovak prisoners of war to keep in the fight against Austrian and German. With success came also Bolshevism and the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk.
Czech Heroism in War The Bolsheviks. at Trotsky's orders, attempted to disarm the legions. To the astonishment and admiration of the world, the Czechoslovaks, less than 90,000 strong, held their own at the battle of Zborov on July 2, 1917, The railway communications were seized and occupied up to Irkutsk. In the ensuing fighting the Bolshe-vis, and consequently the Germans, were deprived of Siberian raw nititerials and other essential war-waging products. Masaryk, having arranged for transfer of some of the Czechoslovak troops to France, sailed for the United States.
There, his adept diplomacy led to the famous Lansing Declaration of May 27, 1918, in which America declared that the freeing of the Czechs and Slovaks from Habsburg rule was one of her war aims. The other en-toute Powers had all subscribed to this declaration by June 3 of the same year.
On November 14, Masaryk was recalled from America and proclaimed President of the new Czechoslovak was the life of Masaryk, virtual creator of the Czechoslovak Re-He was 85 when ill health. compelled him to resign-from the Presidency in December, 1935, to Minister issued a decree naming The flag over the Presidency occupied for so many Republic, In December, four years io a day after leaving Bohemia, he again set foot on the soil of his native land, free from foreign domination for the first time in nearly 300 years.
The joy of his re-election on May 7, 1920, was marred by the death of his wife on May 23. He was re-elected for a further term of ren years on May 1, 1927, and again in May 1934.
But by that time his health had begun to fail and he was 84. On Dee. 14 the following year he resigned and went to live at Lany Castle, a few miles outside pf, Prague.
The monotony of his life was broken by the periodical visits of his son, Jan Masaryk, then Czechoslovak Minister in London, to Lany. From time to time rumour went forth that President Masaryk the old man was on the point of death Masaryk's usual answer te this was to take a drive through the streets f Prague in his car.
Remarkable Culture Remarkable for his all-embracing culture, his critical sense, foresight, energy and fearlessness, he more than once braved the anger of his people when he dared to challen popular prejudi At one time he proved two old manuscripts, known as the Hradec Kralove and Zelina, Manuscripts, which claimed to demonstrate the existence of an old Czech Aiterary culture, to be pious forgeries.
He also risked anti-semite hatred when he defended the Jew Hilsner in the ritual murder case while he braved court and diplomatic disfavour in the Agram High Treason who endured much criticism as a result, the excellent treatment of the minorities in the Republic was largely due. His aim had been, according to his own words, "the dissolution of Austria and the isolation of Germany to force her to be content with her proper national domination."
Having attained his immediate ends, he did not pursue them to the point of fanaticism. Nor would he yield, though he promised that the minorities of the State would have "full national rights and enjoy equal rights of citizenship."
The veteran President was famous for the elegance of his dress in town, a wide hat, white waistcoat and dark suit of impeccable cut. In the country, he usually wore Jodpurs—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.