On the other hand, the Austro-Hungarian delegate declared,
in the name of the Quadruple Alliance, that the question
of the self-determination of those nations which have not
hitherto enjoyed political independence should be solved in a
constitutional manner within the existing State. In view of
this declaration we deem it our duty to declare, in the name
of the Czecho-Slovak Nation, that this point of view of the
Austro-Hungarian representative is not our point of view. On
the contrary, we have in all our declarations and proposals
opposed this solution, because we know, from our own numberless
bitter experiences, that it means nothing but the negation of
the principle of self-determination. We indignantly express our
regret that our nation was deprived of its political independence
and of the right of self-determination, and that by means of
artificial electoral statutes we were left to the mercy of the
German minority and of the Government of the centralized German
bureaucracy.
Our brother Slovaks became the victims of Magyar brutality and of
unspeakable violence in a State which, notwithstanding all its
apparent constitutional liberties, remains the darkest corner of
Europe, and in which the non-Magyars, who form the majority of
the population, are ruthlessly oppressed by the ruling minority,
extirpated, denationalized from childhood, unrepresented in
Parliament and civil service, deprived of public schools, as well
as of all private educational institutions.
The Constitution, to which the Austro-Hungarian representative
refers, falsified even the justice of the general suffrage by
an artificial creation of an over-representation of the German
minority in the Reichsrat, and its utter uselessness for the
liberty of nations was clearly demonstrated during the three
years of unscrupulous military absolutism during this war. Every
reference to this Constitution, therefore, means, in reality,
only a repudiation of the right of self-determination for the
non-German nations of Austria who are at the mercy of the Germans;
and it means an especially cruel insult and injury to the
non-Magyar nations in Hungary, where the Constitution is nothing
but a means of shameful domination by the oligarchy of a few
Magyar aristocratic families, as was again proved by the recent
electoral reform proposal.
[Illustration: Austria-Hungary Sketch Map Showing Slavic Populations in
Threatened Revolt]
THE SLAVS IN ALL PARTS OF AUSTRIA-HUNGARY, SINCE THE SIGNING OF THE
BREST-LITOVSK TREATY, HAVE DEVELOPED AN ORGANIZED OPPOSITION TO THE
RULE OF THE GERMAN MINORITY AT VIENNA. IN THE NORTHWEST THE CZECHS
OF BOHEMIA AND THE SLOVAKS OF MORAVIA, CONSTITUTING THE CZECHOSLOVAK
MOVEMENT, HAVE TAKEN PART IN SERIOUS RIOTS AT PRAGUE AND ELSEWHERE
ON BEHALF OF INDEPENDENCE. THE POLES AND RUTHENIANS OF GALICIA AND
BUKOWINA ARE SUPPORTING THEM POLITICALLY. IN THE SOUTHWEST THE
SLOVENES, CROATS, AND SERBIANS HAVE DEVELOPED A STRONG JUGOSLAV
MOVEMENT, DEMANDING THE CREATION OF A NEW STATE HEADED BY THE KING OF
SERBIA. THIS MOVEMENT RECENTLY GAINED THE SUPPORT OF THE ITALIANS BOTH
IN AUSTRIA-HUNGARY AND IN ITALY.