Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-19

been recognized formally by the
United States and its allies as an ex-
istent government and a co-bellig-
erent, has issued it's declaration of
independence. Prof. .Masaryk, presi-
dent Of the national council, the
recognized head Of the Czecho-Slov-
axis, has announced the principles of
the new republic in the following
declaration:
At this grave moment, when the
Hohenzollerns are Offering peace IN
order to stop the victorious advance
Of the allied armies and to prevent
the dismemberment Of Austria-aun-
gary and Turkey, and when the Haps-
burgs are promising the federal1za-
ton of the empire and autonomy to
the dissatisfied nationalities commit
ted to their rule, we, the Czecho-slov-
ak national council, recognized by
the allied and American governments
as the provisional government of the
Czecho-Slovak state and nation, in
complete accord with the declaration
Of the Czecho deputies made in Prague
on January 6, 1918, and realizing that
liberalization, and, still more. au-
tonomy, mean nothing under Haps-
burg dynasty, do hereby make and
declare this our declaration of indie
pendence.
Cannot Develop Under Hapsburgs.
We do this because of our belief that
no people should be forced to live un-
der sovereignty they do not recog-
nize, and because of our knowledge
and firm conviction that our nation
mock federation, which is only new
form of the denationalizing oppression
under which we have suffered for the
past 800 years. We consider freedom
to be the first prerequisite for fed
eralization, and believe that the free
nations of central and eastern Europe
may easily federate should they find
it necessary.
We make this declaration on the
basis of our historic and natural right
We have been an Independent state
since the seventh century: and, in
1926, as an Independent state, consist
ing of Bohemia, Moravia and SileSia,
we joined with Austria and Hungary
in a defensive union against the Turk
ish danger. We have never volun-
tarily surrendered our rights as an in
dependent state in this confederation.
The Hapsburgs broke their compact
with our nation by illegally trans
crossing our rights and violating the
constitution Of our state which they
had pledged themselves to uphold. and
we therefore refuse longer to remain
part of Austria-Hungary in any
form.
We claim the right of Bohemia to
be reunited with her Slovak brethren
-
state, later torn from our national
body, and fifty years ago incorpo-
rated in, the Hungarian state OF the
Magyars, who, by their unSpeakable
their subject races. have lost all moral
and human right to rule anybody but
themselves
Brute Force and Exploitation.
The world knows the history of our
struggle against tho Hapsburg OPP
preston, intensified and systematized
by the Austro-Hungarian dualistic
only a shameless organization of
brute force and exploitation of the
majority by the minority; it is a
political conspiracy of the Germans
and Magyars against our own as well
tons Of the monarchy.
The world knows the justice of our
claims, which the Hapsburgs them
selves dared not deny. Francis Joseph,
in the most: solemn manner, repeat
eddy recognized the sovereign rights
Of our nation. The Germans and Mag
vars opposed this recognition, and
Austria Hungary, bowling before the
pan-Germans, became colony of Ger
many and, as her vanguard to the
east, provoked the last Balkan con-
flict, as we'll as the present world war,
which was begun by the Hapsburgs
alone without the consent of the rep
resentatives of the people.
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 murderers
of Russia and Rumania, the murderers
Of tens of thousands Of civilians and
soldiers of our blood and the ac-
completes in numberless unspeakable
crimes committed in this war against
humanity by the two degenerate and
irresponsible dynasties.
We will not remain a part of
state which has no justification for
existence and which, refusing to ac-
I'll 49, De-. 0--I>