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207522025
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White House Press Release
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doc
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document
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1
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id
207522025
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document
title
White House Press Release
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collections
President's Secretary's Files (Truman Administration)
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207522025
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25
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1952-10-25
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10
year
1952
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72675c5c9486d45b
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IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OCTOBER 25, 1952
The President has sent the following letter to Dr. Petr
Zenkl, President, Executive Committee, Council of Free Czechoslovakia,
Washington, D. C.:
October 24, 1952
Dear Dr. Zenkl:
You have asked on behalf of the Council of Free Czecho-
slovakia that October twenty-eighth of this year, the traditional
Independence Day of Czechoslovakia, be remembered with words of
encouragement to the suffering millions in your homeland who are
faithful disciples of democracy.
The American Government and people note that this thirty-
fourth anniversary of independence, formerly a national holiday,
will pass unrecognized by the Government of Czechoslovakia for the
first time since the Republic's founding. Even before such a depar-
ture the communists sought to subvert the day's meaning by attrib-
uting the success of the Czechoslovak independence movement of 1918
to the Soviet October Revolution of the preceding year. This patent
deceit, so typical of the communist falsification of history, could
not have impressed the great majority of the people of Czechoslovakia
who are fully conscious of the close collaboration of Woodrow Wilson
and Thomas G. Masaryk, the founder of the Republic, and the role
played by the Allied Powers in its establishment.
The dark night of communist enslavement, bringing the loss
of freedom, civil rights and human dignity, the corruption of the
cultural heritage of the Czechs and Slovaks, and the repression of
religious life, now unhappily covers your land. Yet this anniversary
continues to symbolize the historic devotion of the people OI Czecho-
slovakia to democratic and humanist ideals and the mutual bonds of
friendship between them and the people of the United States. The
twenty-eighth of October this year will be revered, however silently,
by the forces of democracy inside Czechoslovakia who look forward to
the day when their free institutions will be restored and the night-
mare of communist dictatorship and exploitation be lifted from their
land.
Outside, in the free world, this day will be commemorated
with even more meaning than in the past, not only for its historic
importance, but in token of the deep concern and sympathy with
which the Government and people of the United States and all free
countries look upon the present plight of the people of tzechoslovakia,
With other nations we are now in the midst of a great effort to build
the common strength of all in the face of the Soviet menace. We are
seeing to it that the people of Czechoslovakia are made aware of
this joint effort and purpose, so that they may take heart and remain
firm in these trying times, assured that the cause of truth and free-
dom will prevail.
Very sincerely yours,
ARCHIVES AND. F
"BATIONAL
RECORDS
SERVICE*
HARRY S. TRUMAN