| Show CZECHS IN ITALY MUST WIN OR DIE fighting against austria their capture means nothing but execution WONT LEAVE THEIR DEAD all fallen comrades carried from the field these valorous warriors felece their own officers and eliminate weak and unfit special correspondence 0 italian amerl can news bureau italian r ont the slav soldiers in the italian army elect their oa superiors by the most rigid tests and thus they are representative of the manhood of their nationalities the italian soldiery and people hae taken kindly to them the first of the proofs of valor they gave are admirable although limited to modest operations in exploring and raiding whether by themselves or with italian troops these czech arriving from beyond the ocean have kept up the fire of patriotism and the ardor to fight and have fought well the repatriates of the czecho slovak army hae been saluted already with brotherly lo 10 e by the population in the zone of war especially by the ancient inhabitants of the veneto who have the most recent and liveliest recollection of oppression and the convulsive struggle for redemption the w omen of verona offered them a battle flag in the bohemian colors sur mounted by a lion the soldiers recognized the sanctity of the gift and swore an oath that they would die for that emblem of liberty the espres slon was not rhetorical and the oath superfluous are killed if captured the fate that these new warriors for the ideals rf a far off and oppressed country Is shown by the in flexible military rules of the austrian empire they are all subjects of the emperor carl and as such death Is the only thing in store for them if captured their word Is tor that reason neither alive nor dead must they fall into the hands of the enemy even the dead must be snatched from the oppressor each one has sworn to carry oft to the italian lines the body of a compatriot killed in action recently during a reconnaissance a bohemian fell close to the enemy lines braving a hot flie the explorers hurried to carry him off fearing that ip a night sortie the austrians Aust rians might get the body these soldiers of death know ahn it an operation falls of success they must kill themselves to the ignominious death inflicted by the enemy they prefer suicide whether through death by the enemy or through their own hands they have consecrated their lives to the distant fatherland from which they have come to fight in the greatest cradle of all liberty and all deals italy eliminate weak and unfit rome the ancient lighthouse of chiv allty and of liberty has substituted these new companions in arms for those of russia these warriors for the freedom of their country have found in the ranks of our own combatants fraternity and sturdy faith this fraternity more than common ideals tor the redemption of their respective countries Is cemented by the know ledge and vision of the real difficulties and the resolution and firmness of purpose of the new combatants from their own ranks on a spontaneous vote they have eliminated all about whose military vigor or enthusiasm there could be any doubt so that the recruits represent the flower of the soldiery of the oppressed nationalities drawn from the same country speaking the same tongue in the dally intimacy of their new military life they have sub lecter each other to voluntary but in flexible tests the results are confided only to their officers titus does not please me be would nat make a good corporal we do not want him they say thus out of the ancient military system of austria springs elements of criticism which exclude the w eak and unfit the officers must heed these verdicts which like all collective judgments arise from n full consensus of the judges elect own officers the examination of tho political opinion Is not less exacting for being carried out by fellow soldiers A chech recruit who shohe his mother tongue well was challenged by his campat ciori he speaks our language well but his heartis not czech they said it was learned that during protracted bus liess transactions in vienna he had lost alio fierceness and the intrepidity of the bohemian character through dall contact with the austrian author atles tills control has been fraught with excellent results those who have eur ivea the tests of the assembled judges have furnished the best war material and proved themselves dependable in military and moral affairs the officers are also elected by the soldiers who trust their leaders with blind faith and give them the most rigid obedience and discipline such discipline the new soldiers of liberty are taught by their remembrance of imperial oppression to hold essential to the triumph of their cause cheap teaspoons are being made from compressed cotton fiber |
