efensive union against the Turkish danger. We have nev tarily surrendered our rights as an independent state in th deration. The Hapsburgs broke their compact with our illegally transgressing our rights and violating the const our state, which they had pledged themselves to uphold, a erefore refuse longer to remain a part of Austria-Hungary m. We claim the right of Bohemia to be reunited with her ethern of Slovakia, once a part of our national state, later tor r national body, and fifty years ago incorporated in the Hun te of the Magyars, who, by their unspeakable violence and 5 oppression of their subject races, have lost all moral and ht to rule anybody but themselves. III. The world knows the history of our struggle again psburg oppression, intensified and systematized by the A ngarian dualistic compromise of 1867. This dualism is meless organization of brute force and exploitation of the m the minority; it is a political conspiracy of the Germa gyars against our own as well as the other Slav and the ions of the monarchy. The world knows the justice of our ch the Hapsburgs themselves dared not deny. Francis in the most solemn manner, repeatedly recognized the so ts of our nation. The Germans and Magyars opposed this on; and Austria-Hungary, bowing before the Pan-Germa e a colony of Germany, and, as her vanguard to the Eas ed the last Balkan conflict, as well as the present world war, begun by the Hapsburgs alone without the consent of the catives of the people. We cannot and will not continue to live under the rule, di rect, of the violators of Belgium, France, and Serbia, the wo 1 The so-called Ausgleich. not remain a part of a state which has no justification and which, refusing to accept the fundamental principl world organization, remains only an artificial and imm structure, hindering every movement toward democrati progress. The Hapsburg dynasty, weighed down by a tance of error and crime, is a perpetual menace to the world, and we deem it our duty toward humanity and ci aid in bringing about its downfall and destruction. We reject the sacrilegious assertion that the power o burg and Hohenzollern dynasties is of divine origin; recognize the divine right of kings. Our nation elected burgs to the throne of Bohemia of its own free will, and right deposes them. We hereby declare the Hapsburg worthy of leading our nation, and deny all of their claim the Czecho-Slovak land, which we here and now declare forth be a free and independent people and nation. IV. We accept and shall adhere to the ideals of modern as they have been the ideals of our nation for centuries. the American principles as laid down by President W principles of liberated mankind - of the actual equality and of governments deriving all their just power from of the governed. We, the nation of Comenius,1 cannot these principles expressed in the American Declaration pendence, the principles of Lincoln, and of the Declara Rights of Man and of the Citizen. For these principles shed its blood in the memorable Hussite wars five hundred for these same principles, beside her allies in Russia, Italy, a our nation is shedding its blood to-day. V. We shall outline only the main principles of the c of the Czecho-Slovak nation; the final decision as to the c itself falls to the legally chosen representatives of the lib united people. The Czecho-Slovak state shall be a republic. In co deavor for progress it will guarantee complete freedom of religion and science, literature and art, speech, the press 1 A Moravian bishop and educator (1592-1671). ག ern democracy, We accept Wilson: the ty of nations the consent but accept on of Indeation of the our nation years ago; nd France, men, shall placed an equal footing The Czecho-Slovak nation will carry out far economic reforms; the large estates will be colonization; patents of nobility will be abolishe assume its part of the Austro-Hungarian pre-w debts for this war we leave to those who incurre In its foreign policy the Czecho-Slovak na full share of responsibility in the reorganization It accepts fully the democratic and social principl subscribes to the doctrine that all covenants a entered into openly and frankly without secret Our constitution shall provide an efficient, government, which will exclude all special priv class legislation. Democracy has defeated theocratic autocr overcome, democracy is victorious; on the basis kind will be reorganized. The forces of darkn victory of light, the longed-for age of humanity We believe in democracy, we believe in evermore. Given in Paris on the eighteenth of October, 1 Signed by Thomas G. Masaryk, prime minister, M national defense, and Edward Benes, minister of foreign affa onstitution nstitution rated and stant ennscience, and the As soon as the Peace Conference met at Paris taken to organize a League of Nations. A commi gates, representing fourteen countries and includin Wilson and Mr. E. W. House (United States), L Cecil and General Smuts (Great Britain), M. Léon (France), Premier Orlando (Italy), and Baron Chin held daily sessions and on February 14, 1919, I unanimous report to a plenary session of the The preliminary draft of the constitution or co subsequently modified as the result of world-wide and on April 28 was again laid before the Confer amended document then became the first part of the with Germany. The signing of the treaty by the Associated governments and its subsequent ratifica the League of Nations in active operation. The ori bers of the League are twenty-six Allied belliger (counting separately the British Empire, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, and India) and four powe Ecuador, Peru, and Uruguay) in a state of diploma with the enemy. Thirteen neutral countries were a to accede to the covenant. China, which did no peace treaty, and the United States, which did no were consequently excluded from the list of original of the League. COVENANT OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS, 19 The high contracting parties, in order to promote intern operation and to achieve international peace and s the acceptance of obligations not to resort to war, b scription of open, just, and honorable relations betwe by the firm establishment of the understandings of in 1 Senate Document, No. 49 (66th Congress, 1st Session), pp. 8-17. 1919. hout reservation to this covenant. Such accession shall ected by a declaration deposited with the Secretariat within nths of the coming into force of the covenant. Notice the ll be sent to all other members of the league. Any fully self-governing state, dominion, or colony, not na the annex, may become a member of the league, if its admissi eed to by two-thirds of the Assembly, provided that it shall ctive guarantees of its sincere intention to observe its inte nal obligations, and shall accept such regulations as may be bed by the league in regard to its military, naval, and air for 'armaments. Any member of the league may, after two years' notice of ntion so to do, withdraw from the league, provided that al rnational obligations and all its obligations under this cover 1 have been fulfilled at the time of its withdrawal. ARTICLE II The action of the league under this covenant shall be effe ugh the instrumentality of an Assembly and of a Council, rmanent Secretariat. ARTICLE III The Assembly shall consist of representatives of the mem e league. The Assembly shall meet at stated intervals, and from tim as occasion may require, at the seat of the league or at s place as may be decided upon. he Assembly may deal at its meetings with any matter wi phere of action of the league or affecting the peace of the wo t meetings of the Assembly each member of the league s one vote, and may have not more than three representativ |