Page:The Bohemian Review, vol2, 1918.djvu/99

 vited in the name of the Italian people the oppressed nations of Austria-Hungary to meet at Rome in order to agree upon common action there against the common oppressor.

The delegations that gathered at Rome on April 8 were composed of the leaders of the various Slav and Latin nationalities engaged in rebellion against the Hapsburgs. The Italians, of course, as one of the subjugated nationalities of Austria, had a strong delegation, composed of a number of senators and deputies. The Czechoslovaks were represented by Col. Štefanik, Dr. Beneš, Gabriš, Hlaváček, Osuský, Papirnik, Sychrava and Lieut. Seba. Professor Masaryk was at the time sailing across the Pacific on his way to. the United States, but the vice-president and secretary of the Czechoslovak National Council of Paris spoke in the name of the revolutionary Bohemian government. The Jugoslav delegation included Mr. Trumbich, president of the Jugoslav Committee of London with several of his co-workers, and a large delegation from the Serbian Skupština (parliament). The Polish delegation spoke in the name of the Polish Council of Paris, which like the Czechoslovak National Council enjoys the recognition of the Allies and disposes of an army. The Roumanian delegation included a senator of the kingdom and several professors. In addition to these spokesmen of the oppressed nationalities there were present for France M. Franklin-Bouillon, former minister and chairman of the foreign affairs committee of the French chamber, M. Albert Thomas, former minister of munitions and the powerful labor leader, and MM. Fournol and de Quirelle. For England there were present Wickham Steed, for eign editor of the London Times, and R. W. Seton-Watson, whose writings on Ausstro-Hungarian problems carry great weight in America as well as in England. Senator Ruffini was selected for president of the Congress.

For a week Rome and all Italy centered their attention on the Congress. The majority of senators and deputies, authors and journalists innumerable and most public men attended the sessions. The labors of the gathering were directed at four points: the construction of a common platform, anti-Austrian propaganda, the question of prisoners of war and civil residents of Allied lands, who are members of the oppressed races of Austro-Hungary, and finally a united organization of all these races and the preparation of the next Congress at Paris.

The platform approved unanimously by all the nationalities participating reads as follows:

“Representatives of nationalities subject completely or partly to the domination of Austria-Hungary, Italians, Poles, Roumanians, Czechoslovaks and Jugoslavs, declare that they agree upon the following principles for their common action.

1. Each of these peoples proclaims its right to the establishment of its nationality and national unity or to its completion, and to the attainment of full political and economic independence.

2. Each of these peoples recognizes in the Austro-Hungarian monarchy an instrument of German domination and a fundamental obstacle to the realization of its aspirations and its rights.

3. The Congress therefore recognizes the necessity of a common struggle against common oppressors in order that each people may attain its complete liberation and its complete national union in its own free state.“

The second part of the resolutions consisted in a statement of principles on the basis of which an agreement was reached between the Italians and the Jugoslavs. Its substance is that both agree to settle their differences by aplication of the principle of nationality and the right of each nation to self-determination and that the rights of racial minorities shall be protected.

It may be added that of all the races represented at the Rome Congress the reception extended to the Czechoslovaks was most flattering. Premier Orlando in his speech referred in terms of highest praise to Col. Štefanik and the eagerness of the Czechoslovak prisoners of war to fight against Austria, and the speech of Dr. Beneš on behalf of the Bohemians was received with storms of applause.

The deliberations of the Congress of Oppressed Austro-Hungarian Nationalities made known the desires of the people most directly interested as to the disposition of the Hapsburg monarchy. The governments of the Allied countries gave their official sanction to the program reached in Rome. Premier Orlando in addressing the Congress assured the delegates of the sym-