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Show HERO TO HELP OPPRESSED SLAVS ASPIRATIONS OF DOWNTRODDEN RACE HAVE EARNEST SYMPATHY SYM-PATHY OF UNITED STATES. Action of State Department Expected to Have a Most Heartening Effect Upon Struggling Southern Slavs and Czechs. Washington. The cause of the oppressed op-pressed suhjecc peoples of Austria-Ilu:ifcrury Austria-Ilu:ifcrury was openly espoused by the Cuited States government for the first time uu May 20. In a formal communication com-munication the state department declared de-clared that "the nationalistic aspira-kuis aspira-kuis of the Czecho-Slovuks and ! Jugo-Slavs, for freedom, have the earnest sympathy of this government." ; Copies of the communication were iislied to all parts of the world by cable and wireless. The action of the slate department, ia Hue with the avowed friendship of ;iis nation for all oppressed people, is rspeeted to have a most heartening fleet upon the struggling southern Slavs and Czechs. In some quarters it was accepted as indication that from now on a more definite support will be given those seeking to throw oflf the Austrian yoke. Interest in Declaration. The statement was as follows : "The secretary of state desires tc announce that the proceedings of the congress of oppressed races of Aus-;.;a-Hungary, which was held in Rome in April, have been followed with great interest by the government of lie Uuited States and that the nationalistic na-tionalistic aspirations of the Czechoslovaks Czecho-slovaks and Jugo-Slavs for freedom liuve the earnest sympathy of this government. gov-ernment. "A congress organized by a committee commit-tee formed at Home 'for the liberation uf the oppressed nationalities of Austria-Hungary,' was held at Rome on the 6th. 9th and 10th of April, 1918. "Ail the people directly concerned ere represented Italians, Czechoslovaks, Czecho-slovaks, Rumanians, Poles, Jugoslavs Jugo-slavs and Serbs. The following resolutions reso-lutions were unanimously adopted : ''The representatives of the nationalities nation-alities wholly or partly subject to the 'iouiiiiatioii of Austria-Hungary Italians, Ital-ians, Poles, Rumanians, Czechs, Jugoslavs Jugo-slavs are united in affirming 'as follows fol-lows the principles by which their "tmmou actions shall be guided : " 1. Each of these peoples proclaims pro-claims its right to establish its own iiitiooality and to attain full political I sti'i economic independence. Austria German Tool. "'2. Each of these peoples recog-Mes recog-Mes ia the Austro-Hungarian monarchy mon-archy the instrument of Germanic fomioatlon and the fundamental obstacle ob-stacle to the realization of its aspira-tions aspira-tions and its rights. "'3. The assembly consequently recognizes the necessity for a common itniggie against common oppressors, ia order that each people may attaiD its complete liberation and complete wUooal unity as a single free state. "Tlie representatives of the Italian JWple and the Jugo-Slav people are agreed in particular as follows : " '1. As regards the relations between be-tween the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes -known also under the name of the Jugo-Slav nation the representatives 'it- the two peoples recognize that the aaity and independence of the Jugoslav Jugo-slav nation is a vital Interest of Italy, to as the completion of Italian nationality na-tionality is a vital Interest of the Jugo-nation. Jugo-nation. And therefore the repre-otatives repre-otatives of the two peoples pledge themselves to use their utmost efforl ' the end that during the war and at 'ke moment of peace these aims of the peoples may be fully attained in 'heir entirety. Freedom of Sea. " They affirm that the liberatloE '''' the Adriatic sea and its defense ''i'aat every actual and eventual 'temy is a vital interest of the two ioples. ' "'3. They pledge themselves to re-"''e re-"''e amicably, in the interest of fu-"re fu-"re good and sincere relations be-een be-een two peoples, the various territorial terri-torial controversies . on the basis of Rationality and the rights of peoples ;l) decide their own fate and in such 1 manner as not to injure the vital ?uests of the two nations, to be de-'d de-'d at the moment of peace. The nucleus of one people "'tea may have to be included within ke frontiers of the other shall be aranteed the right to have their ''a language, culture and moral and "'"Qttnlc interests respected.' " |