The Colorado statesman., 1918-02-16


tricts so as to keep a majority of par
Lament always Magyar.
But besides the two parts of the dual
monarchy there are the imperial prov
inces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with
a population of about 100000, nearly
all Serbians. These provinces by the
great general European treaty OF
1873, by which the war between Rus
sia and Turkey for the liberation of
the races of the peninsula from the
age-long tyranny of the Turks was
ended, were turned over to Austria
Hungary to administer, with the spe-
cific provision that they should not be
annexed. They were to be held in
trust. In justice both provinces should
have formed a part of the kingdom of
Serbia, to which country they naturally
belonged by race, language and his
torical traditions. But Austria-Hun-
gary was determined to keep Serbia
weak, and in 1908 the dual monarchy
annexed them, in fragrant disregard of
the treaty of 1878.
Savs Kept in Subjection.
Here, then, we have the essence of
man monarchy; a pretense of parlia
ments with elective lower houses; a
German minority dominant in Austria
by aid of the German monarch; in
Hungary the Magyars keeping down
the Slavs and Latins with an iron hand.
Now comes in the German kaiser.
In order to save control from Ham
burg to Bagdad, which is absolutely
essential to the plan of German world
dominion, there must be complete Ger
man ascendancy in the Balkan penin-
sula. Dependency of Bulgaria under
a German king; dependency of Greece
under king ruled by his queen, the
kaiser's sister; Serbia crushed and
made a dependency by conquest would
secure this object. The crushing of
Serbia was the keystone of the arch.
Control of Austria Necessary.
But German control of the Balkan
lands could not be effected without abb
solute German control of Austria
Hungary. The alliance which has now
prevailed for so many years is not
enough. The bonds must be drawn
far closer, and in such a way as to
make Germany really the controlling
force; to make German will law
throughout Austria-Hungary. A con-
federation of the two countries in GUS
toms union is the first step to be de-
vised. This was the well-known device
by which Prussia paved the way for
political supremacy in north Germany.
Then these economic ties would soon
be supplemented by others, which
would in fact make the dual monarchy,
though under the guise of an alliance,
little more than satrapy of Prussia.
The war has brought the two powers
long way on this path, the Austrian
armies being under German command
and Austrian policies being determined
now in Berlin. This is the Mittel
Europa of the pan-German schemes,
to which reference has been made
above.
Thus we see clearly the sequence Of
the Prussian plan: To dominate Aus
tria-Hungary, then to dominate the
Balkan peninsula, then to dominate
Turkey, then to dominate the world.
And the keystone of the arch is Aus
tria-Hungary.
Security Only In Complete Victory.
The world can be made safe from the
Prussian piratical attack only, first of
all, by military victory so complete
that German militarism is definitely
overthrown; in the second place by
adequate securities against another
such wanton breaking of the worlds
peace.
What these securities must be can
be determined definitely only after the
victory is made sure. But, whatever
else may be decided to be necessary,
surely the most essential thing of all
will be to prevent Germany from add
ing to her military power the millions
of subjects of Austria-Hungary, the
great majority of whom are not Ger
man, are not Magyar, and who are
themselves inherently hostile to all
schemes of German aggression.
How can this insurmountable bar be
put across the path of the German in
vasion of the East?
In either of two ways. Should the
dual empire give freedom to its Slav
subjects and become a federation of
three German, Magyar and Slav-or
of four-German. Magyar, North Slav
(Bohemian-Sl and South Slav
(Serbo- o-Croat)-there would be no diff
ficulty.
If this reorganization is refused, then
the only alternative for the safety of
the world will be found in disruption
of the ramshackle Austro-Hungarian
empire of oppression. The Poles of
Galicia should go to a free Poland, not
a German-ruled Poland, but an indie
pendent Poland. The Bohemians, with
their fellow Czechs in Moravia and ST.
lesia, should be restored to their old
freedom. The South Slavs should go
where they belong, to greater Serbia. |