The sun., 1919-07-26

GoVernmentb dttltuue toWaIu tnc va
rious nationalities and sections seeking
autonomy.
The local government should be the
real foundation of the political structure.
he said, and the central government will
exercise only functions Of q general
character. He expressed the belief that
the future held more for great political
bodies than for the small ones and that
Municipalities now animated with CEN
trifugal tendencies will certainly appre-
ciate the benefits of being allied with
the big State with all its promises Of
guardianship and possibilities Of devel-
opment"
Assembly to Approve Actions.
Laws regulating the status of ma
tioDalities, Minister Sazonon said, nee
essariy viii be incorporated In the con-
sutution to be framed for Russia by the
Constituent Assembly II Admiral Kol-
chalk succeeds in reaching Moscow. Con-
sequently, he explained, Admiral Kol-
chak's regulations or decisions cannot be
considered as final until approved by
the Assembly. However. he added, Ad-
miral Kolchak contemplates radical de-
Capitalization in reconstructing Russia.
which was hope1essly centralized under
the old regime.
zone of the most harmful defects of
the old system" he said, was the en-
deavor to direct the details Of life In the
most remote corner of the great empire
through a far removed bureaucratic CEN
tire.
''In new Russia the local Government
Is to be the fundamental basis in life.
Experience is teaching that the local
Government is the real foundation of all
efficient public structures. 1t is Admiral
Kolchak's purpose to leave all local mat
ters to the inhabitants themselves and
to conserve for the central state only
functions Of q general character to be
embodied in the constitution.
Because of differences in customs,
culture and traditions one may foresee
varied forms of local self-government,
ranging from complete home rule down
to elemental forms of communal admins
tration among nomadio tribes of Asia,
where the low state of culture will make
period of education necessary before
complete self-goveTament will be posi-
BILE. In such cases the practice will be
similar to that followed by the United
States in its territories"
Plans for self-Government.
1t is the Omsk Governments inten-
ton, NJ. Sazonoff said. to give the diff
ferent peoples full opportunity to con-
struct thet= lives according to their own
customs and traditions and to cultivate
their languages and religions.
However. self-government must not
prejudice the unity or sovereignty of
the state as a WHOLE" he said. "The
essence Of an autonomous arrangement
is provincial self-government with a
local legislative assembly popularity
elected as a basis. Provinces will be de-
termined on photographic lines and their
legislatures will control provincial and
judicial revenues and expenditures
within their territory.
"One may enumerate control of for
eign relations, the army. the navy, a uni
fed money system, state finance, high
courts of justice, civil and criminal
codes, posts, telegraph lines and other
ways of communication as functions
properly belonging to the central Gov
eminent"
Protection of the rights Of minorities
throughout all Russia will be an impor-
tant feature Of the all Russian Govern
meht's policy. the Foreign Minister said.
This is in reality but a consequence of
the principle of unity and equality of
citizenship, forbidding any discrimina-
ton whatever in any part Of the coun-
Try against any cltlZen, irrespective OF
relision or locality of BIRTH" he said.
I'VE are aware of the spirit of aliena-
ton and distrust, which at this moment
animates many representatives of ma
tionalities." NJ Sazonoff said. 1--WE de-
plore the injustice and the prejudice
of this animosity, although we under
stand that it is but a reverberation of
certain conditions of the past. We face
the situation patiently The future be-
longs to great political bodies and not
to the small. Nationalities, once the