pect the Czechs are wiser than
Poles, Russians, and Serbs. But the fact remains that the Slavs do not
readily co-operate, and as nations have little of the modern sense for
"team-work."

Take the case of Poland, Czecho-Slovakia's obstreporous northern
neighbour. Both have been raised from the dead at the same time, and
are brothers in resurrection. Both have great capacity to help one
another. But one finds an almost complete detachment, as if the
frontier line were an ocean.

"We send goods into Poland--and the Polish Government sequesters them,"
say the Czechs. "We load our trains with stuff for them, and then our
trains never come back. Many whole trains have disappeared in Poland,
and we get no satisfaction."

A new type of crime--train-stealing! "No," says Dr. Benes; "we must
wait patiently till it occurs to the Poles that a close brotherly
relationship between the two countries is better than suspicion and
jealousy."

"Why do you not take the step yourself?"

"It would be suspected of having some hidden motive, or we should be
thought to be in terrible need of Poland's help," said Bohemia's
minister.

As regards the interior troubles of Czecho-Slovakia, much is made of
the Slovak separatist movement, and the Germans exploit the supposed
racial animosities of the two Slav tribes. The Slovaks also obtain
some sympathy from our "Save the children" missionaries, who naturally
prefer unspoiled peasants to educated foreigners of any kind. If the
Slovak hates the Czech he hates the Magyar also, but whether he hates
or not he is not very important in Europe, and is bound to find himself
in a subordinate national position. The enmity of the German elements
is more menacing, and it is not to be denied that the new State holds a
million or so people who, by the accident of habitat, have to be called
Czecho-Slovaks, though they are no more Czecho-Slovaks than Lot and his
wife.

I met among others Dr. Isidor Muller, first assistant at the University
of Vienna, but living at Carlovivari (Carlsbad), and naturally enough
unable to speak Czech and unacquainted with Czechs, but written down as
Czecho-Slovak now. Still, it has its advantages. He told me that he
was once being rudely treated by a French officer who took him for a
Boche. The Frenchman was disinclined to shake hands.

"But I am a Czecho-Slovak," said Dr. Muller, inspirationally.

"Oh!" The Frenchman's face lighted up. He extended his hand. "