Evening star., 1919-04-04
Danzig and Self Determination.


difficulties have arisen in the framing
of the peace treaty affecting the Dan
Zig Saar valley and west Rhine areas
with reference to the bearing upon
them of the principle of self-determi-
nation of peoples. The President, it
is stated. is holding that the self de
tel animation principle should not he
applied only where it is favorable to the
entente, but to AL cases alike, and that
territories should not be appropriated
from Germany in violation of that
principle. AS to the Danzig issue, this
apparent conflict could not cause seri-
Gus difficulty. In the Presidents state
mcnt of January 8, 1917, of fourteen
. points upon which peace should be
based. which has been viewed as the
foundation of the treaty, he enun-
ciated the following with reference to
Poland:
"An Independent Polish state should
be erected which should include the
territories inhabited by indisputably
Polish populations, which should be
assured q free and secure access to the
sea, and whose political and economic
independence and territorial integrity
should be guaranteed by international
covenant
There are three elements in this
declaration: One. an independent
Poland comprised of an indisputably
Polish population; two, access to the
sea three, international guarantee of
independence and integrity. A spe-
eific declaration always takes prece-
dence over one in general terms. Thus
if a pledge has been given that an
Independent Poland should be created,
that should govern as one of the basic
principles. The only difficulty in the
matter of access to the sea lies in the
fact that Danzig is now predominantly
a German city. The area between DAN
zig and the boundaries Of Posnania,
however, is occupied mainly by Poles.
Poland cannot be assured a free and
secure access to the sea" unless it con-
trolls the coast and the principal sea-
port. Here is where the conflict be-
tween the two principles occurs.
If the principle Of self determine
tion is applied, strictly in, the peace
adjustment the mapsef Europe as re-
drawn will be a crazy quilt, a patch
work Of :nationalities and jurisdiction
Il u impossible TO draw state boun-
daries in strict accordance with the
ethnography Of the country. For in
stance, Transylvania is predominantly
Ranaaian, but close to the boundary
between Transylvania or old Hungary
and Rumania there is large concen-
tssted colony Of Magyars. IF these
are given "sef. the re-
suit might be an independent Hun
garian state within the boundaries of
tie new Rumania.
German control of the mouth of the
Vistula through the retention of Dan
zig on the self-determination basis
would deprive Poland Of that "free
and secure access to the sea" for which
the President has specifically declared.
In these matters the adjustment should
follow the lines of the greater justice.
If Germany is permitted to retain Dan
zig she will have gained, moreover, a
material victory in the peace adjust
ment that will remain to plague the
world. This matter may be settled, in
deed, upon q istorical basis by re-
verting to the fact that originally Dan.
zig sas Polish predominantly and has
become Teutonized only within recent
times. Upon the Danzig question rests
today in great measure the success
OF the failure Of the peace settlement.