The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-02-20

ton OF nations with that OF the rfghts
Of national minoritiee. In tho PRAY
ricke ReAhiedy OF Prague for Nay.
/ fsls, the Czech jurist. DR.. J. KAlAh.
discusses the claim that s sometimes
made that the idea OF self-determsna-
ton of nations cannot be reAffyed, b..
cause in almost every territory enc
frds members OF foreign natfsnA.
Those who reason in this way. he de-
/ clares. fails to direrentiate between
the principle OF civic liberty. Both
arc derived from the principle Of pso-
PIES sovereignty. But civic liberty
determines the legal status OF each in-
dividuai. whereas the seIf-determfna.
ton OF nations determines the status
OF entire nations The nations a. q
whole, as cultural unit, cannot BE-
subordinate to anyone else. But that
does not mean that every individual
whom fate may hava blown into the
midst OF another nation Ia entitled 70
demand the right OF sclf-determinatton
lie. Ike everyone else. however. L. ar
titled 10 civic liberty. Se,f-deterrrtna-
item OF nations In something suhstaD-
TALLY different from national Autcn-
"my National autonomy In the right
OF citizens of a certain nationality to
have the conditions of their cultural
development guaranteed In a etate
ruled by another culture. or the man
ner in which the state shall guarantee
IN members Of foreign nationality
their civic liberty, Self-detcrmination
on the other hand, constitutes the de-
. nand that tho nation ms whole shall
have the opportunity to make uss Of
all is powers in the service Of it's ma
tionai interests. go that II may enforce
Its individuality in all directiona. H.
Guiding the life of the state. Of course.
within such limitations as are sat b.
! international law
~ n -.
the German nlnoritie. IN Bohemia fuif
liberty and equal rights In fact. they
are IN favor of an International law
protecting the rights Of national
'ninorit'es.and II viii, be ona Of the
functions of the future league OF NJ.
tons 10 sce IN IL that national minori-
ties. are protected against attempts ~
standardization.
:, f1eoho- Sfovsk nninorities outside o.
thc state will also exist and judging
from past German history. rs wefl ~
from what the Germans are even now
doing. viii need this protection. Let
II he RENE m bel red that there - n Cxeeh
minority. OF at least 400. 900 In Vienna.
and that there will be Csecho. Slcvak
mtnorities elsewhere In lower Austria,
A wrn as In Hungary. even though the
latter must be reduced ~ near N Dos
sibIe to Its proper clinical boundarf6&.
How the German mentality IN rseerd
10 national ntHOTiyIo9 IN now ~ II
was before the war Ia well tIIuetpated
by the fact that the national Assembly
of German Austria on the 1ath 81 No.
vember, 1913. adopted . bill rexulattMg
citizenship in German Austria. Tits
.biIl makes citizenship and therefore
the right OF suffrage, dependent rupAn
the fact whether or not the partieulaf
Individual has declared himself 20 be
Of the German nationality. and IL TINS
directly aimed against the large
Cxecho- Siovah mfnorities In vfemAa,
lower Austria and throughout GSfman
Austria in general. ssps
Perhaps something should b. said' Of
the constitution Of the new Republic.
hut question the right OF anyone -
speculate in this regard beyond saving
that II will be democratic. and wiz M.
douhtedly follow to q large extent
American models. with due regard 70
national characteristics and local con.
ditions IT will be democratic Of
course The state Ia already a rspub.
lie. There will be universal suffrage.
and there will be guarantees of@cosn.
plete freedom OF speech. consctencc.
rei,gion. science. literature and arr
/ trust II will not he conside cred tAl~
boasting II say IN conclusion that I
am FIRMLY convinced that tho new ~
public will become a worthy aa.oefa4s
~ ths combined domocracies efvhe
vast, 1---~.- Nj