The sun., 1918-09-20
FREEDOM FOR THE OP-
PRESSED NATIONALITIES
OF CENTRAL EUROPE.

The recent meeting at Carnegie
Hall in behalf Of the oppressed ma
tionalities of Central Europe was OF
very great Importance. In truth TINS
problem of Central Europe is the
capital problem, the essential prob
lem imposed by this war. Without It's
solution none of the other European
problems, neither the problem OF
Alsace-Lorraine nor that Of Russia
could be solved. Besides, we see for
the first time in the United states
the authorized representatives OF the
four large nationalities OF Central Eu-
rope: the Poles, the Czecho-Slovaks,
the Rumanians and the Jugo-Slavs.
The proof of the accord between these
nationalities has a tremendous sig
nificance both for the conduct or the
war and the establishment Of last
ing peace. This accord means that
the sixty million Slavs and Latins
living between the Baltic and the
present Macedonian front who are
actually included, in spite OF them
selves, within the limits Of Pan-Ger-
many, are determined to destroy this
formation Of Prussian Imperialism
war and after victory to become the
body Of free nations of Central
Europe.
There need be no fear that the crea-
ton of these new nations would divide
Central Europe into states too small
to live, as many people believe. We
may conceive that these people, being
conscious of their interests. will come
to understandings with each other In
order to form economic territories
large enough to correspond to modern
conditions, whereas inside these eco
nomic territories they would consti-
tute entirely independent states
politically.
These Polish. Czecho- Slovak. Jugo-
slav and Rumanian populations have,
beyond question, the absolute right to
a complete liberty. For twenty-five
years / have aided with an ever
greater feeling and an ever deepening
admiration the tenacious resistance
they have always been able to oppose
to every attempt to Germanize them.
These resistances are their best guar
antees to the Entente. The Allies
should therefore give entire assur-
auce, for the present and for the
future, to these peoples, who so many
times have given proof Of valor too
long unknown to the Occident.
The Entente has. Furthermore, an
| esca pable obligations to the oppressed
Of Central Europe. The war would
| end in the most horrible defeat for
democracy If it left the Poles, Czecho-
| Slovaks. the Rumanians and the
| Jugo- Savs in slavery. Moreover, the
Entente, by making the application to
these oppressed nations of the prin-
| ciple which it avows as the basis OF
all its action, the right Of people to
dispose of themselves, will not only
fulfil a moral duty. but it will also
further in the most efficient way it's
own most vital interests, present and
future. In reality 1t would be abso-
lutely impossible to achieve a real
peace in Europe unless the Poles
! Czecho- Slovaks, Rumanians and Jugo-
| S!avs are to be independent. 1t would
not be satisfactory to free some ma
tonalities and not others. for 1t is
only the freedom of all that will allow
the sixty millions of inhabitants OF
these peoples to become a barrier
stretching from the Baltic to Salonica
that will be sufficiently powerful to
prevent a recurring Pan-German Of
| fensive, the barrier that will allow the
| whole world to live. ut last, in peace.
| ANDRE CHI ERApAME