Like the German Government in the matter of Alsace-Lorraine, the Austrian Government has endeavoured to mislead public opinion in foreign countries as to the state of mind of the Czechs by false information and to conceal the true military and political situation from the population at home.  Austria’s first problem at the outbreak of war—­a problem which has been worked out to the last detail—­was rapidly to move the soldiers of the subjugated races from their native lands.  Since the Bosnians, for example, are of the Serbian race, they were mobilised secretly in the middle of July and sent out of Bosnia.  I saw 30,000 moved through Trieste several days before war was declared on Serbia.  A German acquaintance, with great shipping interests, enthusiastically indiscreet at sight of them, exclaimed to the little group of which I was one:  “A wonderful system—­a wonderful system!  The Bosnians could not be trusted to fight the Serbs.  But we Germans can use them if they prove troublesome to Austria,” he continued excitedly.  “We can send them against the French.  We will tell them that if they do not shoot the French, we will shoot them.”  I thought this a rather curious conversation for July 25th, 1914.

Less than fortnight later I saw two Bohemian regiments arrive at Prasso, Transylvania, the province farthest removed from their homes, to be garrisoned in a region, the population of which is Rumanian, Hungarian and Saxon.  I was told later that the Rumanians who had left the garrisons at Prasso had gone to Bohemia.  As I observed these initial steps in the great smooth-running Austro-Hungarian military machine, I was impressed with the impossibility of revolution.  With the soldier element scientifically broken up and scattered all over the country, who could revolt—­the women and children?

The Slav soldiers of Austria-Hungary desert to Russia at every opportunity.  The fact that she now has upwards of 1,200,000 Austro-Hungarian prisoners is sufficient refutation of the sugar-coated propaganda describing how all the peoples who make up Austria-Hungary rushed loyally and enthusiastically to arms to the defence of their Emperor and common country.  This is perfectly true of the politically dominant races, the Germans and the Magyars, but the “enthusiasm” I witnessed among the subjugated races consisted chiefly of sad-faced soldiers and weeping women.

The Bohemians have given most trouble.  One German officer who was sent to Austria to help bolster up her army told me that he didn’t worry over the desertion of Bohemians singly and in small groups.  He expected that.  But he did take serious exception to the increasingly popular custom of whole battalions with their officers and equipment passing over to the Russian lines intact.