The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-19

Roumanians in Hungary bring It forward
against the Magyars, while, In pursuance
OF its dictates, the Poles Of Galicia have
already secured an installment Of home
rule. Following the impulse OF ethnic
affinitles the German elements are attracted
toward Germany and the Slav elements
toward Russia, and both OF those neigh
boring nations are supposed to regard with
satisfaction the attraction exerted by
community OF race.
The merit OF the article published by M.
CHARLES BENoIsT consists in his demon
stration that the process OF sympathetic
grayitation can never be thoroughly carried
out owing to geographical distractions
The lines OF race cleavage In Austria
Hungary do not run true. Thus the from
tier OF greater Germany would, II 1t were
to take In the main blocks OF German popu-
lation, have either to include Bohemia, cut
ting off the Czech inhabitants Of that king
dom from the Slavs Of Silesia and Moravia,
or else to curve around II, leaving Bohemia
as q wedge between German territories.
Nor Is this all. There Is a considerable
body OF Germans descended from Saxon
colonists OF the thirteenth century. who
dwell in Pennsylvania, on the eastern side
OF Hungary. II, on the other hand, we sup
pose that Russia were to absorb the Slav
subjects OF the Hapsburg ruler In the north
ern provinces Of Austria Hungary there
would still remain an outlying Slav con-
tlngent In Croatia and its vicinity, between
which and Russian territory the Germans
and the Magyars would be interposed.
Admit, again, that all tho Slavs in Hungary
were. In one way or another, permitted to
crafty their ethnic afllnities, and that all
the Roumanians now governed from Buda-
pest were annexed to Roumania, there
would still remain an unattached, ,unas-
simulated body OF some ten million Magyars
| who would be likely to give their neighbors
great deal OF trouble.
Another fact to which NJ. BENoIsT directs
| attention Is that Germany would not be
| satisfied with rigorous application OF
the principle OF nationalities, although this
would give her nine or ten millions OF
Germans who arc now subjects OF the
Hapsburg Kaiser. Having acquired some
eighty thousand square miles OF addi-
tional territory, stretching far to the
within sight OF tho sea, she would
desire access to the Adriatic. This she
| could not gain, unless she took Trieste,
which would involve the absorption Of an
Italian and Slavonic province. Thus the
| principle OF nationalities would be violated
| In Istria, as IL has been in Schleswig on
the plea OF difference to the higher law OF
national growth and selfdefence. We need
| not say that, should Germany rob Italy OF
| Trieste, without which Italian unity would
remain forever incomplete. the maihten-
ance OF the Triple Alliance would become
difficult, II not impossible. Would II pay
Germany to acquire the Adriatic seaport at
tho cost OF exciting unquenohable enmity
| In ltaly2 Is IL certain, moreover. that tho
German Government which. as it Ia. finds
1t hard to pass bills in the Relchstag
against the wishes OF the Catholic party
| OF the Centre, can seriously desire
the addition OF some ten million new
Catholic subjects, who would be likely
to upset the religious and political equili-
brium OF the Empire? The combination In
| the Reichstag OF the States, formerly
| Austrian, with Bavaria and the Rhenish
provinces OF Prussia would tend to restore
that very preponderance OF Catholic Austria
In Germany which was supposed to DO
annihilated at Sadowa. Neither can wo
take for granted that Russia would be
pleased to witness an impartial applica-
ton OF the principle OF nationaities to the
Hapsburg realm, for the addition Of the
Roumanians OF Hungary to Roumania
would make that State 80 powerful that
It might be able TO block Russlas advance
toward Constantinople.
| From oil these considerations, the con.
cluslon reached by n. BENoIsr is that the
continued existence OF Austria Is lndis.
pensable to the tranquility Of Europe.
Composed as she is, he says, "of five or
six peoples or fractions OF peoples. without
any inter-consistence, she Is the ideal OF q
buffer State. Too weak to cause uneasiness
yet strong enough to resist aggression,
she is at once pledge and a condition OF
European peace"