The Austrian Government recently sent a note to the Government of the United States demanding an embargo on the export of armaments. This demand, which is not justified either by international law or by the past or present practice of the Austrian and German Government, was followed by a communique to the effect that the Austrian Government, by way of backing up its demand, threatens to mobilize American-Austrians and American-Hungarians, of whom there are some six millions in the United States, and thus prevent the manufacture of armaments.

The time has come when it becomes necessary for the former subjects of the Austro-Hungarian Government to proclaim unanimously that they are definitely opposed to the Austrian demand for an embargo on armaments and ammunition, and that the threat to mobilize them is the lowest kind of arrogance, cheekiness, and impertinence.

The Ceske Narodni Sdruzeni (Bohemian National Alliance) feels that it is 2entitled to speak in behalf of all American citizens of Bohemian or other Slavic descent, and, speaking in their behalf, it declares itself very definitely against an embargo on the export of ammunition and armaments. Americans of Bohemian origin are of the opinion that such an embargo would be a highly un-neutral act, and that it would be absolutely unjustified also from the moral point of view, because it would be an act of unfriendliness toward governments and nations waging war against the aggressiveness of the German and Austrian Governments.

No doubt the Austro-Hungarian authorities and officials are losing sight of the fact that there is no Austrian nationality. The Bohemians in the old country, unfortunately, are still under the iron heel of the Austro-Hungarian absolutism, but they do not sympathize with the Government in this war, and the Americans of Bohemian origin are very happy that they have severed all connections with that government. What is more, the Bohemian newspapers in America are at present publishing a proclamation by the Ceske Narodni Sdruzeni urging all Bohemians residing in the United States to become citizens of the 3United States as soon as possible, and thus repudiate what, according to their opinion, is the odium of being Austro-Hungarian subjects.

If, then, the Austro-Hungarian authorities talk about a mobilization of their former subjects living in the United States, they knowingly disregard the fact that the majority of Austria-Hungary's population are in complete disagreement with the purposes of the German and Austrian Governments. The Germans in Austria and the Magyars in Hungary are mere minorities of the population of those countries, and are the only ones who desire an Austro-Hungarian victory, but they do not desire it for the sake and advantage of Austria-Hungary. The Germans in Austria desire it because they are Germans, while the Magyars, present allies of the German Kaiser, desire a victory for their own private interests, that is, to continue in suppressing, oppressing, and exploiting the other nationalities living in Hungary. But neither the Germans nor the Magyars in Austria-Hungary feel any attachment to the country or love for its incompetent and corrupt rulers.

The history of Austria during the last four centuries is nothing but a tale of 4injustice and woe for non-German and non-Magyar nationalities. The hands of the Hapsburgs are just freshly stained with the blood of Bohemian martyrs who were put to death simply because they had enough courage and backbone to refuse to fight for a government which is worse, in some respects, than even the worst Turkish rule ever was. It is a known fact that many Bohemian regiments in the Austrian army have been decimated and disbanded because the Bohemians did not wish to fight for the interests of the Hohenzollerns and Hapsburgs.

The Bohemians who are settled in America and United States citizens of Bohemian origin have been strictly maintaining, and are in favor of, neutrality, although they sympathize fully with the Allies, who are fighting for democracy and the rights of small nations. But they feel that they would not be doing their duty as men and citizens, if they now failed to voice a protest against the machinations of Teuton partisans in America, or if they failed to proclaim very definitely that, since the Austro-Hungarian authorities talk about the mobilization of Austrians and Hungarians in America, these authorities must exclude the American citizens of Bohemian origin, and Bohemians who are settled in America, 5from their calculations. They must exclude Italians, though they may be Austrian subjects, and also all Slavs who, together with the Bohemians, had to suffer under the tyrannical Austrian Government.

In the interest of truth, and because the Bohemians honestly desire that this country may stay in peace with the whole world, we now caution the German and the Austrian Governments, and their hirelings and partisans, that these intrigues will have just the opposite effect they wish to achieve, and may very easily lead to an open break with the Government of the United States.

As has been said before, the Bohemians are desirous of remaining neutral in the days to come. But the German and Austrian Governments must realize that, in case the laws of neutrality and the moral obligations binding the citizens of the United States should be abolished, the Bohemian, Slavic, and Italian inhabitants of America will voluntarily enlist by the thousands in the armies of the Allies, in order to participate in the struggle against a world domination as has been planned by the Berlin and Vienna Governments. Also, if it 6should come to war between Germany and the United States, the former Austrian subjects will march in thousands under The Star-Spangled Banner and will offer the United States Government more than a few regiments of well-trained men: men who will gladly give their lives for human rights, for the cause of justice and liberty, and for the cause of independence, in the same way as the Bohemians in Europe have given thousands of their best sons to France and Russia.

The Bohemians have always been a democratic, liberty-loving people. We are well aware of our duties toward this country. We wish to abide strictly by her laws. We would never do anything that would make it more difficult for our President successfully to follow his policy of keeping this country out of war. But should war come we shall do our duty in defending America's prestige before the world, and prove that nobody in the United States treats Austria's threats and intrigues with more scorn than former Austrian subjects.

Finally, we wish to say that we do not issue this proclamation as "hyphenated Americans". We do not know any Bohemian-Americans. We are Americans of 7Bohemian origin, who are just as proud of that origin as the descendants of pilgrims who came over on the Mayflower are of theirs. We are entirely in accord with those who wish to see America prosper in peace and we shall never be unwilling to support, with all means at our command, those who are entitled to speak and act on behalf of the United States.

In this proclamation we have given reasons why we reject with the utmost contempt any claims of Austro-Hungarian officials for support, assistance, or help by former subjects of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy here in America.

Given in Chicago, Aug. 6, 1915.

(Signed) The Ceske Narodni Sdruzeni.