Olga Masaryková

“ Instead of the German moto “Kirche, kueche, kinder,” the men of Bohemia allow their women free activity in all branches of political, social and educational life, and the Czech University of Prague preceded the German University in admitting women to academic degrees.
Equal rights for women in the Czechoslovak lands are denied today only by the Austrian authorities, by the anachronisms of the AustrianConstitution, and by the dislike of the bureaucracy.
Woman has been active in the textile, but ton-making, and weaving industries. In the country, the women work in the fields with the men ”

“ When an organization was founded in Bohemia for the physical training of men in accordance with the ancient classical examples, it was soon extended to women. The “Sokols”, the famous athletic organization which originated in Bohemia, and later spread to all other Slav nations, was founded in 1861. In the United States, the first Sokol society was established at St. Louis in 1865. As early as 1869 was found ed the first gymnastic society of Czech women and girls, and the first president of it was Žofie Podlipská. This society became a part of the great Sokol organization. ”

“ It quarters upon these poor women refugees from districts occupied by enemy forces or wounded Magyar and German soldiers. In some places the government takes the children away from the mother, under the pre text that she cannot support them, and puts them in charge of unknown Magyar and German families so that they may be lost, both to their mother and to their nation. The Austrian government has also with drawn the textbooks from the Czech public schools, and replaced them by new ones containing historic and other lies, in order to Germanize the new generation. ”

“ The number of interned women is beyond calculation, many of whom succumbed to the horrors of the prison.
It may be safely said that the Czechoslovak women are even more radical than the men. They take part in all political manifestations, and the last known public act was the approval of the political program of the Czech deputies, demanding full independence, which they adopted. ”

“ She was not merely a great author, but also a mentor of her people, awakening in them a better knowledge and appreciation of the qualities of the peasants, and thus laying a secure foundation for their political life. ”

“ During the long period of oppression, inaugurated by the Hapsburgs and lasting years, the Czech women, under the in fluence of foreign customs, lost their position of equality with men. But when the Czech nation awakened to new life, after the French Revolution, the women again had thier share of the work in creating a national culture. ”

“ The Sokols have every year thousands of lectures, every local society has a large library, and many social gatherings are held under their auspices. In all the work of this national body, women take an equal part with the men. ”

“ Other women authors who came after her in point of time were not merely strong literary personalities, but exerted n in fluence upon the social and political life of the Czech nation. Two well-known novelists, Karolina Světlá, and her sister, Žofie Podlipská, in addition to their literary work took part in the wider national life, which of course in their days, when reaction and persecutions were supreme, had to limit itself to the education of young girls and to the strenghtening of national conscious ness by work in the literary and social spheres. ”

“ The Sokols were, down to the outbreak of the war, the most powerful of the Czech organizations, and they were greatly feared by the Austrian Government. At their last meet in Prague, in 1912, there participated 13,000 men, 6,000 women, 5,800 children, and 3,000 competed for athletic prizes. From America alone, where there are 20,000 Sokols, over 1,000 men and women went to Prague to take part in the meet. ”

“ Thousands of them are exposed to persecutions of the government which confiscates the small property of a woman whose husband fell in the Austrian Army, and whose son is fightig in the Czechoslovak Army. ”

“ Their art and appreciation of colors are very largely superior to those of men. Since the war their tasks have in creased. Men up to 50 years of age were called into the army. The woman has to cultivate the fields, while her husband is gone, or perhaps in the Czechoslovak Army, and she has to learn his business. ”

“ This is also the means of punishing our nation for upholding the cause and principles of the Allies.
During the Hussite wars, women fought alongside the men. In the revolution of 1848, girls fought like their men. In June there were great riots in Pilsen, organized by Czech women. Five children were killed and many women wounded. From the very first day of the war, women appealed to their husbands and sons not to shoot at the Serbians and Russians, but rather to surrender. ”

“ The aim is to enable women to take their part legally and practically, in social and legislative reforms. Since the war this club has started first aid courses and others to prepare women for their tasks. ”