Page:The Bohemian Review, vol1, 1917.djvu/138

  part of Galicia into the re-united, independent Poland would leave the Little Russian districts of Austria-Hungary almost cut off from the main body of the empire. Now the four million Ukrainians of Austria have been the leaven by which the big mass of more than thirty million Little Russians in the southern governments of Russia have been brought to the consciousness that they are a distinct nationality. From the new, democratic Russia comes the report that the provisional government has recognized the separate position of the Ukraine in the Russian commonwealth; it seems almost certain that to the nations of Europe, even if not to the number of independent states, will now be added the Ukrainian nation numbering approximately as many members as the French nation. Would the peace of Europe be secure, if four million people, the most advanced part of the Little Russian nation, remained in Eastern Galicia, Bukovina and Northeastern Hungary under German and Magyar rule, while from thirty to thirty-five million of their brothers enjoyed full national freedom right across artificial boundary lines?

Of the varied races of Austria-Hungary Czechoslovaks and Magyars alone are contained entirely within the monarchy. In numbers they are about equal, but while Bohemians and Slovaks are subject races with few rights, Magyars rule the Hungarian half of the empire absolutely and in the affairs that are common to Austria and Hungary their influence far exceeds even that of the Germans. This fact determines their attitude toward the state in which they live. To the Czechoslovaks the Dual Empire is a jail in which their national life is being strangled to death, while to the Magyars it is a means to make the home of their race coterminous with Hungary and even expand it into the Balkans at the expense of the Slavs and Roumanians. Bohemian and Slovak democracy demands the break-up of Austria-Hungary in order that their nation may live in a free state; Magyar oligarchy works for the preservation of the empire in order to maintain their rule over alien races. The just solution is one that conforms to the principle of nationality supported both by the European Allies and by America. Give the Czechoslovaks their own national state and let the Magyars have a state of their own, if they want it, covering those districts of Hungary that are inhabited by Magyars.

It is interesting to note that the very people who brought on the war now talk about the principle of nationality. The Vienna Armee-Zeitung, organ of the military fire-eaters who forced the Serbian ultimatum in July, 1914, has been discussing recently the proposal of peace without annexations, as it is interpreted by the powers at Vienna. Serbia must be excepted from its operation, says the Armeezeitung, for these reasons: Austria did not make war on Serbia as a matter of aggression, but of defense, and is entitled to guarantees that the attack (sic) should not be repeated. These guarantees are needed also in the interest of the principle of nationalities, in order that members of the same race, Serbians and Montenegrins, might be united under the same rule, the sceptre of the Hapsburgs. If the military situation were more favorable to the Central Empires, no doubt the same argument would be applied to Roumania and the Roumanian nation would be united” by the annexation of the free kingdom to the hybrid Hapsburg monarchy.

The militarists of Vienna forget that a nation wants to be not united only, but free, and that love of liberty is one of the strongest motives of human action. The most fruitful cause of wars will be abolished, when there will be no ruling races and no oppressed races.

The process of making Europe a family of nations must be carried on to completion. Let each people that possesses a national consciousness and sufficient enlightenment constitute an independent unit of that New Europe which will emerge from the smoke of the cannon after the final defeat of the Germans. J.F.S.

It may seem to a short view that British interests are not concerned with what happens in Bohemia or in the countries now under the Turk, but as a matter of fact any part of the world where an iniquitous and oppressive system is left standing will be a centre of unrest which at any moment may be communicated to the whole world. Now, while the order of Europe is temporarily broken up, there is a unique opportunity to clear away many old abuses which have caused trouble in the past, and will, if they are left, go on causing trouble in the future. Now we have an opportunity to make a clean job of it all over Europe and the Nearer East which may not recur.

Edwyn Bevan, The Method in the Madness, p. 298.