New-York tribune., 1917-12-26
The Slavic Question
Many More Small Nations No.
Necessary Resdjustment


Sir: In discussing the question Of N.
Ukrainian fight for liberty. and ineidentaIl,
The problem OF small nations generally. ",
Frank Bohn illustrates the difRcuItie. that all
those ore laboring under who ere both un.
der the inference ef prscopcsiysd thsorir
and not as we'll informed concerning Eura.
pean problems as would be dcsirsble. n.
latter part Of this statement ls not mad.
N any spirit OF criticism, becaus. Il IL no.
easy even for men Of Mr. Bohn's eruditon
20 become familiar with all ths ramihestior,
Of the problem Of small nstionalitiss, hut I,
b, nointed out 20 show how dangerou, IL Z,
20 be as positive in ones opinions az Mr.
Bohn seems TO be. Thus Mr.. Bohn observe,
that il is Of little importance that there VA,
merely a Ruthenisn faculty at Polish mi
versity in Galicia instead OF there being /.
real Ruthenian university. Nr. steehishiu.
in describing this matter, is right, as ks,
pen 10 know, myself, and any one who real,
knows Austro- Hungarian conditions will tel
Mr. Bohn that such distinctions are Of real
importance. and that they well illustrate tie
situation in Austria Hungary.
When Hr. 2ohn attempts 70 compare tss
problem Of small nations, or rather the
smaller nations. in Europe with conditions Ia
America as they prevailed at the time Of tie
makers Of our Constitution, he adopts CON.
parison which is as lame as all comparisons
proverbially are. America was new coun-
try at the time OF the adoption % the Cons.i.
tuition. We were nation in th. mskirr.
while all these smaller nationslities have
history Of hundreds Of years Of culture and
are living in their old historical homes, as
we'll as fighting for rights Of which they v.r.
deprived. This Of itself is sufficient To dis.
pose Of any such comparison a, M Bohn has
attempted.
No One Wants IS Nations
When Mr.. Bohn indicates the possibility Of
giving Europe twenty-five more autonomous
nations, I am sorry TO say that he INDUCES
in an exaggeration which under given cireum-
stances might become dangerous. No on.
speaks Of giving Europe twenty-five more ra-
tions. Thus, il you will break up Austria
Hungary. as she inevitably must be dismen-
bered, you will merely reconstruct Czecho-
sloyak state, and there will come into being
a united Poland, Hungary being independent
at the present time. The fragments Of races
inhabiting Austria-Hungary and having al
ready their national state, such as tn. Ital-
ians and the Jugoslavs, would simply be
Joined 10 their parent stock. This certainly
does not mean q large number Of new states.
good deal the same can be said Of Russia,
especially when We consider that the major
ity Of the Ukrainisns, II am well informed,
desire TO form part of federal Russian re-
public.
Undoubtedly unconsciously, but never,he-
less very evidently, Mr.. Bohn is aetuated By
German theories as TO the necessity OF large
states and large economic entities. He for.
gets that, while we are speaking Of irdepen.
dence for the smaller nationalities, we are At
the same time seeking method Of interns-
tional control, as Mr. William Hard 50 well
indicates in the last number Of The Metro
politan Magazine" Once such a method Of
international control is established. and once
these old grievances are done away with,
there will be few causes for war, even II We
grant that large number OF new s.ssss
would be created.
Speaking for the Czecho-Slovaks, as think
may at this juncture, Mr.. Bohn must not
forget that the Czeeho-Sloyaks also seek
unity, as do the Italians, Rumanians snd
Jugoslavs; that at the present time branch
Of this nation is oppressed By the govern
ment Of Hungary, and the other branch By
the viennese government The principle Of
nationality, which Mr.. Bohn certainly Will
not dispute, at least liz its large phases,
means not only liberty, but it means unity
as well.