[Sidenote: The Czechs are finely disciplined.]
I found these finely disciplined fellows next morning sitting in the
doorways of their freight cars. Some were playing on violins they had
whittled out in the prison camps. The future of their cross country
jaunt to the Pacific worried them not at all. They had fought their way
out of the Ukraine, where German elements had tried to stop them. As
former citizens of the Central Powers, they were quite happy in the
chance to fight again for what their ancestors of five centuries before
had stood. Bolsheviks there were among them. But a Czech Bolshevik
differs from a Russian in that he shaves and thinks before he acts.
Never have I seen more sharp salutes or stricter discipline, and these
men were in Russia where discipline was a curiosity. A Czech is so
anxious to accomplish that he is willing to discipline himself. When a
Czech marches, he marches irresistibly. In theory, he may be a
Socialist. In action, he is a patriot.
[Sidenote: Teaching English to Czech officers.]
I found my place on the expedition as teacher of English to a group of
Czech officers and members of the National Assembly. My class wanted
English in order to be able to understand President Wilson's speeches as
they traveled across the United States, for they rank the President with
their own national leader, Masaryk. The Czech is literate in several
languages, and if he wants another he gives a week-end to it. In my
class were university graduates, artisans, engineers and musicians.
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