Evening star., 1923-08-10
Magyars Dream of Ne,u War
To Restore Lost Provinces
Descendants of Hun Tribes Advance
Three Arguments to Get Back
Unwilling Peoples.

scented to the different sections and was
, eagerly seized. Except for one or two
sections, in the Austrian half Of the en-
pire. the different portions are today
politically where they naturally belong
and where the majority of their in
habitants desire them to be. The lost
provinces of Hungary were taken from
her by the spontaneous action of their
own inhabitants and not by the armies
! of the great European powers.
The Magyars advance. in substance.
three arguments why Hungary's lost
territories should be restored to her:
First. because she needs them econom-
ically; second, because she held them
for many centuries, and third, be-
cause the Magyars are a superior race
to the peoples over whom they so long
ruled.
The first Of these arguments hardly
needs serious consideration. The admis-
sion of such a principle might justify
any seizure by a strong country. In
regard to the second argument 1t must
be admitted that the Magyars held
most of the lost territory for centuries.
some of it for over 1000 years. But
this argument and this admission show
the Magyar in the light of the one race
ab""" NJ "fhers without powers of racial
assimilation.
Races Fail to Unite.
For purposes OF comparison it might
be recalled that the Magyar conquest
VI lut SlONdhS anticipated the
conquest of the SaXonS by nearly two
centuries. What chance would there be
today of separating Sormans from
SaXons i'll England or Of stirring up
racial conflict between them" In Hun
gary, however, Magyars and Slovaks
lived side by side at the outbreak of
the recent war as racially distinct as
they were when the hordes first swept
over the land at the close Of the ninth
century. After 1000 years of united
political life Magyar and Slovak both
recognized the relation existing be-
tween the two as that between dom
inant and a subject race. Under mod
ern political conceptions more lapse OF
time would appear insufficient to justi-
fy the continuance Of such a union.
Descent from Huns.
The claim of racial superiority is
always cropping out in the Magyar ar
gumentS. Under these conditions Ii is
interesting to note the Magyar's account
of their racial ancestry. During the
recent war il was considered that one
of the worst insults that could be Of
fered 10 the Germans was to compare
them with the Huns. The comparison
was bitterly resented by the Germans.
The MagyarS. on the other hand, openly
proclaim their direct descent from the
Huns and glory in it. Attila the Hun
Is one Of the Magyar national heroes.
The most interesting phenomenon of
tation for the return of their lost prov
inces is the method by which they hope
to attain their end. Even the most
chauvinlStiC Magyar does not hope that
Hungary will ever be able to reconquer
these provinces. The little entente has
been formed to prevent any such re-
suit. and the Rumanian invasion of
1870 showed that. from a military stand
point. Hungary was no match for even
the weakest of the entente countries
Hungary'S only hope lies in another
general war and the Hungarian propa
ganda Is directed toward that end al
though probably it is not fully appre-
ciated by some of the Magyars
II is in the United States that the
Magyar propaganda is most insistent
The Magyars seem 10 hope that this
country can be induced to take the
initiative in movement for the return
10 hungary of her lost territories Ar
the last session Of Congress a petition
from Hungarians in the United States
was submitted by Senator La Toilette
and at his request was printed as a Sen
ate document This has helped to keep
ailve the Magyar hope and the unrest in
eastern Europe.