Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-11-29
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Ms-Benes Declares His PEG.
pie Have Resources to e.
/ feet Consolidation.
BY JOHN F. BASS.

r BY JOHN F. BASS.
iCablegfnm to The Evening Star aud
Chicago Daily News. Copyright, 1918.
It PARIS, November 26.-In an inter
view with N. Benes, secretary Of for.
eign affairs for the new Slavic state. ]
called his attention to the fact that DUR
ing three terrible years he had never in
his conversations with me lost faith in
curately predicted the events which led
to the disintegration of Austria Hun
gary. /, therefore, begged him for In
formation about the present situation In
Austria.
Sc n as Reconstruction Leaders.
81 can do that with exactitude," he
answered. Our state is the center of
all the movements for the reorganiza-
cause our people are united and the new
government has control of Czecho-Slo-
vakia, where order reigns. Moreover.
we had organized our food situation dur
ing the war in such a manner that the
peasants systematically hid their stocks
from the Austrian government. and con-
seQuently We have supplies with which
we might revictual the other countries
of Austria Hungary for Two months to
come.
'"This we could do on condition that
the entente would send US food at the
end Of that time, and they have prom
Used to do so. but We are holding back
because the entente has failed to move
in this matter. Italy has not re-estab-
1ished railroad connection with Vienna.
This could easily De done, as the rail-
road Is still In gecd condition In Vienna
there Is famine and consequently grave
disorder and IN extremely dangerous
situation. In Hungary the same situa-
tion prevails. Bolshevism reigns SUI
preme In Budapest. However, French
and British troops, some of whom have
already arrived. will re-establish order
there. For the present the situation
largely depends on what food the allies
can send there.
German Situation Complex.
In Germany the situation should
be viewed with suspicion. Not be-
cause the new revolution is not gen.
uine, but because it remains pam
Germanic and expansive. The az
might prove dangerous to the peace
of Europe unless guarded against.
In the east the method should be the
consolidation Of the states of Austria
the most complete national unity and
resources for that purpose. The
leaders of the National movement of
the Jugo-Slavs have always been on
leaders In Prague, and they are close
I'VE desire a strip of land between
Germany and Hungary to prevent
their trade agreements cutting US
from the sea Thus we intend to es-
tablish close relations with the Jugo-
Slavs and help them in trade develop
ments. Northeastern Poland would
fall subject to German trade expan-
sion II we did not help in the devel-
consolidation from the north to the
south Of the Slavs will furnish new
'Mitteleurppa' and place an economic
barrier to German trade encroach-
Of the weapons employed by US.
Difficulties With italy.
.The difficulties between the Jugo-
Slavs and the Italians have reached
n point where they can ADJUST them.
They must be settled with the united
councils Of the allies and of those
countries. 1t must be recognised that
all the basic principles which shall
govern the reconstruction of Europe
must have exceptions For example,
the right of small national units to
dispose Of themselves must frequent
ly give way to the greater need of
large masses Of people for economic
independence. Thus Fiume and the
DE- AN "oast a'e necessary
give an outlet to the sea for Serbia
or Jugo-Slavia. The strip we desire
annexed to Bohemia comes under the
same head.
my Information Is that all the
Jugo-slays have become united
against Italy by the action of that
country In Fiume and on the Dalma-
tian coast. We desire allied military
occupancy Of important points in