DR. T. MASARYK DEAD

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22198, 15 September 1937, Page 9

DR. T. MASARYK DEAD

Former President Of Czechoslovakia SERVICES FOR NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE (Received September 14, 10.30 p.m.) PRAGUE, September 14. The death has occurred of Dr. Thomas Masaryk, former president of Czechoslovakia. Thongs Masaryk was born at Hrdonin m Southern Moravia, in March 1850. The son of a coachman and a cook, he rose to fame by sheer hard work. Becoming tutor to the son of a Brun police official, he went with the lamily to Vienna. There for a time he worked as a blacksmith. He then retlulled’ to teaching, at the same time qualifying for admission to Vienna University by private study. The fees he paid out of his scanty earnings. After a course of philosophy at Vienna, where he graduated in 187(3, and at Leipzig, he became a lecturer at Vienna, from which ho went to Prague in 1882 as professor of philosophy. He also took up literature, journalism, and politics writing for periodicals at home and abroad and starling the “Athenaeum.” In 1884 ho was appointed editor of the Czech encyclonaedia. The magazine “Cas,” to which lie contributed, became the organ of the Realist Party, which he founded. In 1890 the Realists united with the Young Czechs and Masaryk was elected in 1891 to the Reichsral and in 1892 to the Diet to represent them, lie resigned from both in 1893 because of differences with the Young Czech leader Gregr. In 1900 he founded the Czech People’s Party which amalgamated several groups t)f nationalists. At the same time lit? was writing works_ on philosophy, logic, aesthetics, psychology. sociology, and political history notab’v that of the Czechs, his aim oe

ing to reawaken the national inspirations of his compatriots. In 1907 he was again elected to the Reichsrat. The great task of Masaryk's life awaited him rn the outbreak of the Great War. After vain efforts to bring about a solution of the nationality problem in the Dual Monarchy by way of federalisation he went abroad in December, 1914. and began an interminable odyssey en behalf of Cze'm independence. At times he was in danger of his life. He visited the Entente countries. England, Russia, and '.he United States, and helped to organise the Czech Legion in Russia. For uvc years he lectured at King's College London, wheal he inaugurated the Slavonic School \vith an address on the problems of small nations. After strenuous efforts he secured the recognition by the Entente Powers of the nation formed out of the Czechs and the Slovaks by the Pittsburgh Agreement as an allied belligerent Power. It \va? solely by virtue of this achievement that'it was possible on the collapse of the Dual Monarchy for Czechoslovakia to take her place among !he States. Election to Presidency At a banquet in New York in No vember. 1918. he received a telegram frcm his country announcing his election as its first President. He quietlyput it in his pocket without a worJ to his neighbours at the table. His entrv into the former royal castle of Hradschin at Prague, on December 21 1918, was the occasion of a great rational fete and his message to the National Assembly was received wi'-h jubilation. He was re-elected to -lv? Presidency in 1920. 1927, and 1934. this being rendered possible by a special exception in the constitution made in favour of Masaryk. The contrast between what took place at the 1920 election when the German Nationalists left the Chamber amid loud protests and in 1927 when the Gcr man parties Rave their full support to Masaryk proved how his policy of reconciling the different nationalities had already succeeded. He spent £20,000 of the gilt voted him by Parliament to mark his eightieth birthday in purchasing radium for the free treatment of cancer patients. During his presidency he accumulated a library of 90.000 books which he devired to the nation on his death. Thev will be housed in the Masaryk Institute, which is associated with a research institution, and with the Masarvk Museum. Masaryk regarded Fascism as an ephemeral phenomenon, but, although a man of peace, he held that democ--?cy must defend itself when attacked He was a great admirer and champion of Anglo-Saxon ideals. His industry was enormous. A collected edition of his works runs into 40 thick volumes In 1878 Masaryk had married the American. Charlotte Garrigue who died in 1923 and whose surname he used as his middle name. They had four children. Herbert, an artist, died in 1914. Alice, a Ph.D.. teacher, member of the National Assembly and president of the Czech Red Cross, was, during the war. sent to prison for hig'» treason. Jan was an official in America and is now Czechoslovak Minister in London. Olga, who helped her father in his work during the war, is married in Switzerland.