Page:America in the Struggle for Czechoslovak Independence (1926).pdf/86

RV 82

Or, if the various dissatisfied and exploited races in the Austro-Hungarian Empire should be given their independence—if the Bohemians, Moravians and Slovaks should be united into an independent Czech state, if the Poles of Austria should be united with their brethren of Prussia and Russia in an independent Poland, if the Serbo-Croats and Slovenes of Austria should be united with Serbia and Montennegro in a strong Jugo-Slav state, if the Roumanians of Transylvania, Bukowina and the Banat should be united with Roumania, if the Ruthenians of Galicia should be united with their brethren in Russia, or if some other just solution should be found for the problem of this people, and if Italia Irredenta should be restored to Italy—the danger of a German-made “Mitteleuropa,” to be used as a stepping-stone to boundless Germanic conquests, would be effectively and forever crushed.

Extremely interesting, from an historical, political, as well as legal, point of view, is Chapter Seven (7) on the “Rights of Bohemia to be considered as an independent and sovereign state merely united to Austria through the accident of having a common sovereign.” After a careful examination of various historical, diplomatic and legal documents, commencing with the Golden Bull of 1356, Dr. Putney summarizes his views in the following words:

The union between Bohemia and Austria being