Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-10-19
INDEPENDENCE IS DECLARED
 BY SLOVAKS

 Silesia, we joined with Austria and Hungary in a defensive union against the Turkish danger.
 We have never voluntarily sur rendered our rights as an independ- ent state in this confederation.
 Broke the Compact.
 "The Hapsburgs,t broke their com pact with cur nation by illegally transgressing out rights and vioiat- ing the constitution of our state which they had pledged themselves to uphold, and we therefore, refuse longer to remain a part of Austria Hungary in any form
 Right to Re.Unlte Bohemia.
 ''We claim the right of Bohemia to be reunited with her Slovak brethren of Slovak, onct part of our national state, later torn from our national body and fifty years ago incorporated in the Hungarian state of the Magy- ars, who, by their uEspeakable vio- lence and ruthless oppression of their su,.jeCt .aces have lost all rt 'al and human right to rule anybody bilt themselves.
 "We cannot, and will not continue to live under the direct or indirect rule of the violators of Belgium, France and Serbia, the would-be mur- derers of Russia and Rumania, the murderer of tens of thousands of civ ilians and soldiers of our blood and the accomplices in numersess un- speakable crimes committed in this war against humanity by the two degenerate and irresponsible dynas- ties.
 No Cause For Existence,
 ''We will not remain part of state which has no justification for existence, and which, refusing to ac- cept the fundamental principles of modern world organization, remains only an artificial and immoral polit- ical structure. hindering every move toward democratic and social pro gress.
 1.-The Hapsburg dynasty, weighted down by huge inheritane of error and crime, is perpetual menace to the peace of the WOl.d, and we deem 1t our duty toward humanity and civ ilizatiOn to aid in bringing about it's downfall and destruction
 Don't Accept, Kings.
 "We reject the sacrilegious asser- tion that the power of the Hapsburg
  vine origin we refuse to recognize the divine rights of kings.
 "Our nation elected the Hapsburgs to the throne of Bohemia of it's own free will and by the same right de- a4pOses them.
 "Ne hereby declare the Hapsburg dynasty unworthy of leading our na- ton. and deny all of their claims to rule in the Czecho-S.ovak land, which we here and now declare shall hence forth be a free. aud independent peo- pie and nation.
 Accept Democracy.
 I've accept and shall adhere to the ideals of modern democracy as they have been the ideals of our nation for centuries.
 eve accept the American princi- ples as laid down by President Will son: the principles of liberated man. kind--of the actual equality of na- tions-and of governments deriving all their just power from the con- sent of the governed. America's Declaration.
 s"We, the nation of Comenius, can not but accept these principles ex, pressed in the American declaration ot independence, the principles of Lin coin and the declaration of the rights of man and of the citizen + +.
 sWe shall outline only the main principles of tht constitution of the Czecho- -Slovak nation; the final de. cision as to the constitution itsel1 falls to the legally chosen represen, tatives of the liberated and united people.
 Shall Re Republic.
 "The Czecho-Slovak state shall be a republic.
 "+ ' The church shall be sep arated from. the state. -four democracy shall rest on uni versal suffrage;. women shall be plac ed on an equal footing with men, poli tically, socially and culturally. ''The rights of the minority shal be safeguarded by proportional rep resentation; national minorities shal enjoy equal rights.
 "The government shall be parlia mentary in form and shall recognize the principles of initiative and refer endum.
 No Standing Army. s"The standing army will be replac ed by militia.
 "The Czecho- -Slovak nation will car nv out far reaching social and econo mic reforms: the large, estate will bs redeemed for home colonization; pat ents of nobility will be abolished.
 "* = + In it's foreign policy tn, Czecho-Slova national council vii accept its full share of responsibilit! in the reorganization of eastern Eu rope.
 Democratic Principles.
 Ut accepts fully the democratic ant social principle of nationality an' subscribes to the doctrine that al covenants and treaties shall be en tered into openly and frankly with out secret diplomacy.
 "Our constitution shall provide al efficient, rational, and just govern ment which will exclude all specja privileges and prohibit class legisla tion. ssDemocracy has defeated the auto cracy.