THE AUSTRIAN SLAVS AND SELF-DETERMINATION
The German victory in Italy, followed by the betrayal of Russia and her Allies by the Bolshevik leaders, has freed the governments of Vienna and Budapest from all immediate military danger, and at once their spokesmen are beginning to revert from the fairspoken democratic phrases of the past nine months to the reactionary sentiments which come more naturally to them. Already the Joint Foreign Minister, Count Czernin, the Austrian Premier, Dr. von Seidler, and the Hungarian statesmen, Counts Tisza and Andrassy, have publicly repudiated the doctrine of self-determination as in any sense applicable to the Dual Monarchy. We shall have more to say when the full text of these speeches reaches us. In the meantime it is worth quoting the following communique issued as early as December 1st by the Czech, Southern Slav and Ukrainian Parliamentary Clubs at Vienna:
“The peace offer of the present Russian Government rests not only on the principle of No annexations or contributions’, but also on the principle of the right of self-determination of all nations—a fact suppressed by our government. We therefore point out that the basis upon which the Austrian Government, according to the Premier’s statement, is ready to enter into peace negotiations, stands on this essential point in direct conflict with the conditions of the peace manifesto of the present Russian Government to all belligerent peoples; for the offer preassumes guarantees for national self-determination, whereas the Austrian Premier’s statement, made in agreement with the Foreign Minister, seems by its silence directly to exclude this self-determination. In view of this conflict on the most important point in the offer of armistice, we find that the negotiations already begun cannot lead to peace, and we should have to hold the government fully responsible for this. From our standpoint we repeat that, in accordance with our declarations of May 30, 1917, we still adhere unreservedly to the demand of self-determination.”
BOHEMIAN REVIEW ENTERS UPON SECOND YEAR
Much has happened, since the first issue of the Bohemian Review came out. A year ago the United States was still neutral, and though thoughtful men foresaw the necessity of our active participation, few imagined that January, 1918, would see hundreds of thousands of American boys under arms in France. We are at war both with Germany and its vassal, Austria-Hungary. Peace it not yet in sight, in fact it seems to be as far away as it was a year ago; but this much is certain that the most powerful voice in the settlement of affairs, after the guns shall have been silenced, will be the voice of the United States.
If there were reasons a year ago to call into being this little review that it might advocate the claims of Bohemia to freedom, there are many more reasons today to keep it alive and to widen its usefulness. We said in the first issue: “To earn the sympathy and good will of America for the struggles of Czechs and Slovaks toward freedom will be the main purpose of the Bohemian Review.” How vastly more important to the Czechs and Slovaks is the sympathy and good will of America now that this premiere republic of the world has staked its all on the defeat of the Central Empires. And how difficult it is to gain over the United States. Not because the American people are indifferent to the struggles of a brave nation for freedom, but because this country is so big, because the causes which claim the attention of the people are so many, and because this little monthly has so far reached only a few of the influential citizens whose sympathies and active help we want to enlist.
You can help in this work. Renew your own subscription so that the necessary expenses of publication may be defrayed. And then subscribe the Review for someone who ought to read it. Your local newspaper editor ought to have it; very likely he will reprint occasionally some news item or argument which will inform thousands of his readers what the Bohemians are doing for the cause of the Allies and for their own liberation. The Bohemian Review ought to be in your public library and in the university library, where it would be seen by many. It ought to be sent to men of influence in your town that they may know who the Czechs and Slovaks are and learn to distinguish them from Austrians and Hungarians. At this time, when our unnaturalized people are classed as alien enemies, it is more than ever desirable that local authorities all over the United States should be informed of the absolute loyalty of Czechoslovaks to the cause of America.
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