The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-07
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
IN FORM ALTON
Blu RE AU
FREDERIC J. HASKIN. Director,
Washington, D. C.
The Jugo-SIavs.
Washington. D. c.

| Washington, D. c., Aug. 4.-The
| world is witnessing the birth of a new
nation, that of the Jugo-Slavs, or Slavs
| of the south. Whether the Austro-
| Hungarian empire will remain intact
after the present war is a much dis
puted question. The United States
| has announced definitely that it de-
| sires to see all branches of the Slav
race completely freed from German
and Austrian rule. To the minds of
the southern, or Jugo-Slavs, this state
ment promises their long hoped for
| unity in free state, Jugo-Slavia.
1t is now over a year since members
of the southern Slav nationalities-
| Serbs, Croats and Slovenes-met in
London to map out constitution and
; lay the foundation of an independent
state for their peoples. The new state
will include Serbia, Slavonia, Bosnia,
Montenegro, and the Slavic provinces
held by Austria, Herzegovina, Croatia,
| Dalmatia, Istria, Carinthia, Carniola,
| Syria. Gorica, and several smaller
| districts Twelve millions of south
| ern Slavs, if so many are left after the
| war, will inhabit the promised land, a
| country, of some 10000 square miles.
| 1t is almost impossible to estimate
| the present population OF those prov
| i'm and countries. About one-third
| of Serbia's people are dead or in enc
| my hands, End the other Slavs have
! Jared little better. The living, starved,
| i'll and penniless, but kept up by faith
| in the allies, and hopes of peace and
freedom, are the material of which the
| new state will be made. 1t rests with
/ these people, bereft of all but an ideal,
to decide the details of their govern
| ment after the war.
! One member of the Jugo-Slav coun-
| Gil says: Our aim is to get free from
| Austria 1t is for the people to de-
! eide the exact form of government. A
constitutional monarchy is best for
| our people, because, during our ma
| TONS existence it has always been a
monarchy, and also, Serbia and Mon
| tenegro have always preferred it.
| Eighty-six per cent of our people are
! peasants, and monarchy is best for
an Industrial state" For these, and
| other reasons, it is believed by most
Slavs in this country that a republican
| form of government will not be at
tempted.
| The Russian republic, with its diff
fculties and tragedies, is cited by
them as an unfortunate choice of the
| highest form of government by a peo-
pie not yet ready for so great re-
sponsibility. And SO they say: Free
| dom, yes, but not evolved in more up
| heaval than is ecessary-freedom to
work out our own development I'M
der the leadership of a wise patriot"
| The history of the southern Slavs
has been a succession of brave, but
mainly futile attempts to escape from
| the Austrian and Turkish yokes, and
desperate defense against further en-
| croachment upon their home lands.
They have been The prey of each sue
cessive ruler with a trained army and
nothing to fight. A Slav poet in a
historic ballad stated truly:
| The tsars rob one another of the en-
pire of the sars,
| And they yearn to slay each other
with their gilded scimitars-''
| Even yet Serbian territory Is looked
upon GENEROUSLY by more than one
ruler discomfort with the extent of his
kingdom. Many facts of history and
| diplomacy are produced by the Slavs
| to show that Austria, relying on Ger
many as an ally, seized upon the
Archduke Francis Ferdinand's death
as an excuse for war, so that the long
| desired Serbian lands might, be seized.
In the First days of war. thousands
| of Slavs Were forced by Austria into
her army to fight against their Slav
| Over 10000 of these Jugo-Slavs de-
| serted at the first opportunity and
went over to join the Serbs. One
| hundred and fifty thousand Slavs sent
ample in spite of knowledge of I'M
| speakable treatment should they be
| taken back by Austria as prisoners.
Nearly million Jugo-S1av soldiers are
| counted as dead, wounded or prison
ers.
1t is not for sentimental reasons
| that the Slavs are so eager for liberty
| from Austrian rule. The Teuton and
Magyar elements, altho in the minor
ity as regards population. have always
held control of Austria Hungarian
political and national matters, much
to the disadvantage of the Slavs
| Under thin veneer Of so-called lib
erty allowed to the southern Hun
garian provinces they exert the force
of an absolute monarchy, suppressing
dependence OF the 10000 Jugo-
Slavs in America, it Is estimated that
about 80 per cent came here because
of Austrian oppression.
In time of war this oppression is al
its worst. Children and old men are
conscripted. Subjects of all ages are
imprisoned and interned for trivial of
fences or for no offence at all. Aus
TRAN papers announce calmly that the
people are dying of starvation in the
streets and villages of Hungary. Fol
these people under Austrian rule, the
allies can do nothing, as tn re is small
chance of gifts being allowed to reach
them. The Jugo-Slav council reports
that the Americans and other allies
are doing a great deal to help the
SlaVs in the Serbian army and or
| Serbian ground.
The Southern Slavs have never
been able cope with Teutonic dipIo.
macy and blackmaiI. They are ar
unsuspicious, frank and sympathetic
people, brave to recklessness in q
fair fight, but at a hopeless disad.
vantage when suave Austrian politi-
clans are juggling away their right.
and liberty. One injustice agains
which they have long struggled is the
prohibition of the use of their ma.
tional language, beloved of all the
! Southern Slavs of Hungary The
foundation of universities, even sec.
ondary schools in Slav provinces, i:
discouraged in many cases forbidden
, | SO that for higher education the