The American declaration referred to above was made public by Secretary
Lansing on May 29 in these words:
The Secretary of State desires to announce that the proceedings
of the Congress of Oppressed Races of Austria-Hungary, which was
held in Rome in April, have been followed with great interest by
the Government of the United States, and that the nationalistic
aspirations of the Czecho-Slovacs and the Jugoslavs for freedom
have the earnest sympathy of this Government.
Secretary Lansing's declaration was greeted with enthusiasm by
Jugoslavs in both Europe and America. Premier Pashitch of Serbia a few
days later communicated to the American Chargé d'Affaires at Corfu
his profound appreciation of the action of the United States. Another
result was a formal offer of military service by Jugoslavs residing
in this country. The offer was made to the Senate Foreign Affairs
Committee on June 5 by Don Niko Grskovich and John J. Grgurevich,
acting as spokesmen for their fellow-Slavs. They explained that the
Slovenians, Croats, and other South Slavs in the United States were
intensely hostile to the German-Austrian cause, and were eager to cast
their lot with the Allies, but because they were technically subjects
of the Austrian Crown they occupied the status of enemy aliens and were
unable to join the army.
"If Congress will enact a law taking this stigma from our people 50,000
enlistments in the American Army will be the immediate result," Mr.
Grskovich told the committee. "Ultimately, nearly 500,000 of our people
will be found fighting under the American flag."