New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-22
Austria and Peace

basis of the territorial SITUATION VI A'Af'
urovided no demands were made on her
for the payment Of indemnity. This would
mean the evacuation of Serbia, Montene-
Gro and Northern Albania; Of Rumania,
and Of Russian territory between Galicia
and the Marshes Of the Pinsk. In word,
thirtv-three months after her great ad-
venture against Serbia Austria is pre-
nared. despite enormous sacrifices, TO re-
turn 10 the condition Immediately proceed
ing the war.
No such proposal would be heard at the
present time in any Allied capital. For
whatever the present purpose in the mat
ter of Germany, the decision OF the Allles
in the matter of Austria-irrevocable in
so far as the present conditions are con-
cerned-is that Austria shall be dismem-
bered-if dismembered is an appropriate
word to use for the separation from Aus
tria of the peoples belonging to other races
who are held in subsection and in slavery
bv Austrian and Hungarian minorities In
the Dual Monarchy.
present time divide men of Allied coun-
sells. Among many Allied statesmen there
is conviction that Austria should be sup
pressed; that the Italian, Serbo-Croatlan'
Rumanian, Polish and Ukrainian peoples
should be united to other countries, and
that the Slavs Of Bohemia, Moravia and
Northern Hungary should be united in an
independent Bohemia. This would leave
ne German-spesking Austrians and the
iunearians the territories in which they
ase now the majority fraction.
The second proposal, less frequently dis
cussed now than earlier in the war, is that
Bosnia, Herzegovina and Southern Dali
malta, where the population is wholly Ser
bian, should be joined to Serbia; that Is
tria, with Trieste and the Southern Tyrol,
including Botzen, should be annexed by
Italy. since their population is largely Ital-
ian; that Pennsylvania and Bukowina
should 60 TO Rumania, since their popula-
ton is Rumanian in large measure; that
Western Galicia, which contains five
million Poles, should be joined to new
Poland; and that the other Slavs Of Cali
cia should be joined TO Russia, thus re-
uniting the Ukrainians.
By this latter programme Austria
would lose some sixteen millions Of people
mainly Slav, and be reduced to a popula-
ton OF thirty-hve millions and an area
equal 70 about threefourths of France or
Germany. She would cease to be first
class power, and even as an ally Of Ger
many would be deprived of the services OF
several millions Of Latin and Slav troops
u No American can question the justice
Of the latter proposal. 1t is a thing alb
II horrent to all American ideas and ideals
that millions of Serbians should be sub
jected TO the tyranny of Austria, or that
millions Of Rumanians should be con-
demned TO permanent slavery of the most
shameful kind, such as Hungary has prac-
f tised in Pennsylvania. The recreation of
Poland is a project which needs no de-
fence. Nor can there be any debate over
the justice of returning to Italy Trieste
and the Trentino, and in the case of the
Trentino giving Italy at last security
within her own territories and closing the
gate by which all the great invasions have
come down from the north to the Italian
Plain.
The proposal TO abolish Austria rests
upon the growing realization that Austria
far more completely than Belgium has
been conquered by Germany; since Ger
many with Austrian consent now exer-
cises complete authority over Austrian
policy. This is indicated anew by Aus
trials break Of relations with the United
States following our declaration of war
upon Germany. By this conquest Of Aus
tria Germany has in fact built up an en-
pire greater than Napoleon's in Central
Europe. and in addition to some twenty
three millions Of Hungarian and Austrian
Germans. who are consenting allies Of
Germany, has laid her hands upon more
than twenty-five millions Of Slavs and Ru-
manians as servants Of her will, and from
these has drawn millions Of soldiers to
fight her battles.
Should Austria break away from Ger
many and make separate peace now. it is
inconeeivable that the Allies would offer
her any terms which did not include the
liberation Of the Poles, the Serbs, the Ru-
manisns and the Italians within her boun-
diaries. Were it clear that Austria had
broken away from Germany, it is conceiv-
able that the Allies would not undertake
% destroy the Hapsburg empire utterly.
The question Of Austria is the question
of the war. which must appeal strongly to
Americans. II is the question Of the right
Of small peoples and Of weaker races to