Evening star., 1938-12-05
Croats 10 Continue .
Fight for Autonomy
Regardless Of Vote
Won't Send Delegates to
Parliament Until
Victory Is Won
By c. l.. SULZBERGER.

AA~1NCD, uSOSidVld, DeC.
MA.N.A0.-Dr. Vlatko Matchek
popular Croat leader and chief OF
the opposition coalition that is seek
Ing to overthrow Premier Stoyadin-
ovitch at the general elections on
December II, told this writer in an
exclusive interview that the Croats
would continue to fight for COM
plete autonomy. no matter what the
outcome of the balloting. The
Croats, he said, will refrain from
sending their elected delegates to
Parliament until provision is made
for new Yugoslav constitution.
Matchek. who spoke in Croatian
through an interpreter, emphasized
that complete autonomy in internal
affairs was necessary for Crotia and
that the present situation in Czecho-
Slovakia could not be used as basis
for arguing about its possible Sue
cess.
so far as Czecho-S -Slovakia is con-
erned,' he said, lit is difficult for
me to give definite opinion, be-
cause nothing definite has been set
tied there. According to informa-
ton that I receive, there are still
differences of opinion between the
Czechs and the Slovaks. For that
reason we can take no real pattern
from abroad to apply to our circum-
stances.
Would Like 2 States.
Perhaps the best model would be
the relations between Austria and
Hungary under the old dual empire
before the war. We would like two
states. Serb and Croat, having in
common only their foreign affairs,
customs and national defenses.
They would have separate internal
police forces and parliaments. Dele
cations from the two parliaments
could meet to discuss national af-
fairs. There would be a national
cabinet. composed of representa-
tives of each internal government,
which would handle joint matters
like foreign affairs Other national
groups, like the Slovenes. Monteneg-
rims, Macedonians and the Hun
garlans in Voivodina Province, must
decide for themselves on this ques-
ton.
"Stoyadinovitch's party, the Jugo-
slav radical union. is an artificial
creation and for that reason it is
impossible to negotiate with it seri-
ously, because it hasn't sound basis.
Stoyadinovitch talks about an accord
with the Croats only for purposes of
election campaigns.
The Croats will not participate in
Parliament whether we win or lose
on December II. We are demanding
a new constitution, and, if Regent
Paul were far-sighted enough, he
would have granted free elections
for constitutional assembly and
avoided all the intermediary and
present troubles. 1 requested this of
Prince Paul many times, including
my most recent interview with him
this fall. Every audience 1 had with
him ended with my saying that the
present dictatorial regime must be
destroyed.
1T should be remembered that,
under the existing constitution. all
voting is by open, not secret, ballot.
There is no fear Of Fascism The
Croats have shown their courageous
attitude during the dictatorship of
the late King Alexander. They are
not afraid of dictatorship and will
not tolerate it. Today the Serbs
themselves are determined not to
allow dictatorship and will even
fight against it with the Croats."
Matchek scoffed at Stoyadino-
vitch's recent assertion that the elec-
ton this year is being run upon a
free and liberal basis.
The best proof I can give you
that the election is not being run
on liberal basis" he said, lis
the news just received from Primos-
ten. in Dalmatia, that five persons
were killed by gendarmes as they
were quietly going homeward from
s meeting. I have also received news
from Szrem, near Belgrade, that
several opposition candidates have
just been imprisoned, although the
law provides that, for IS days before
election, no person can be impris-
oned for political reasons.
We are going to struggle for our
autonomy with all the means at our
disposal and will continue the strug-
gle until we obtain victory
II would gladly see an extension
of French and English influence in
the Balkans, but YugoSlavla will be
TIED to Germany if it is forsaken by
the democracies of Europe. II France
and England lose interest, then we
certainly will be in the German orbit.
democracy is not dead, only
the false democracies are dying. Real
democracieS, like England, Denmark,
Sweden and Switzerland, are living
and are going to live because thev
are not false. AS for France. it is
difficult to see what will happen
there. ! would not give an opinion
on the prospects now, but I hope
France will remain democratic. And
YugoS]ayia-well, democracy never
existed here, therefore it cannot
eollap pse.''
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