were to be thrown back for centuries. On one side stood the mediaeval
spirit of autocracy; on the other, pure love of liberty and democracy.
And we who have been oppressed by Austria for centuries and who have
tasted Austrian 'education' have naturally not formed voluntary legions
on the side of Austria. In fact _the Czecho-Slovaks have not
voluntarily shed a single drop of blood for the Central Powers_. But
our compatriots abroad, remembering the centuries-old Austrian
oppression, have _formed voluntary legions in all the Allied armies_.
They are shedding their blood for the most sacred rights of humanity
and at a moment of the greatest danger for the Allies they saved the
situation. In Russia, too, they are fighting for democracy. Nobody will
succeed in arresting the triumphant progress of true democracy, not
even the Austrian and German Governments, nor any diplomacy, nor any
peace notes or crown councils. The world will not be deceived again and
nobody takes the Central Powers and their governments seriously any
more.

"Your peace offensives will avail nothing to you, nobody will speak
with you again. _Even the Austrian peoples refuse to negotiate with
you, knowing the value of your words. We have no intention of saving
you from destruction_. Your aim is still the German-Magyar hegemony and
the oppression of Slavs and Latins. You must look elsewhere for
support. The fateful hour for you and the Magyars has come sooner than
we expected.

"And the dynasty? Look at the electoral reform in Hungary sanctioned by
the emperor! This reform is intended to destroy completely the
political and national existence of the non-Magyars in Hungary. This is
how the emperor keeps his word.