108 SEOTIONAL ADDRESSES. 



comprises Magyars, Germans, and Serbs. The Hungarian plain is a 

 great natural region, capable of subdivision no doubt, but still a great 

 natural region, in which the Magyar element is predominant. The 

 natural limit of that plain is the mountain region which surrounds it, 

 and to that limit at least the Magyar pohtical power will constantly 

 press. But Rumania has been permitted to descend from the moun- 

 tains and J'ugo-Slavia to cross the great river which forms her natural 

 boundary, and both have obtained a foothold on the plain where it may 

 be only too easy for them to seek occasion for further advances. And it 

 cannot be urged that the principle of self-determination would have 

 been violated by leaving the "Western Banat to the Magyars. No 

 plebiscite was taken, and it is impossible to say how the German element 

 would have given what in the circumstances would have been the 

 determining vote. Finally, as it was necessary to place nearly a mil- 

 lion Magyars in Transylvania under Rumanian rule, it might not have 

 been altogether inexpedient to leave some Rumanians on Hungarian 

 soil. 



For the extension of Jugo-Slavia beyond the Danube two pleas have 

 been advanced, one ethnical and the other strategic. Neither is really 

 valid. It is true that there is a Serbian area to the north of Belgrade, 

 but the total number of Serbs within the part assigned to Jugo-Slavia 

 probably does not much exceed 300,000. The strategic argument that 

 the land which they occupy is necessary for the defence of the capital 

 is equally inconclusive. From the military point of view it does not 

 easily lend itself to defensive operations, and when we consider the 

 political needs of the country we cannot avoid the conclusion that a 

 much better solution might have been found in the removal of tiie 

 capital to some more central position. The Danube is certainly a better 

 defensive frontier than the somewhat arbitrary line which the Supreme 

 Council has drawn across the Hungarian plain. 



In fact, it is in the treatment of the Hungarian plain that we feel 

 most disposed to criticise the teiiitorial settlements of the Peace 

 Treaties. Geographical principles have been violated by the dismem- 

 berment of a region in which the Magyars were in a majority, and in 

 which they were steadily improving their position. Ethnical principles 

 have been violated, both in the north, where a distinctly Magyar region 

 has been added to Slovakia, and in the south, where the eastern Banat 

 and Backa have been divided between the Rumanians and the Jugo- 

 slavs, who together form a minority of the total population. For the 

 transfer of Arad to Rmnania and of the Burgenland to Austria more 

 is to be said, but the position as a whole is one of unstable equilibrium, 

 and can only be maintained by support fi-om without. In this part of 

 Europe at least a League of Nations will not have to seek for its troubles. 



When W'B turn to Austria we are confronted with the great tragedy in 

 the reconstruction of Europe. Of that country it could once be said 

 ' Bella gerant alii, tu felix Austria nube, ' but to-day, when dynastic 

 bonds have been loosened, the constituent parts of the great but hetero- 

 geneous empire which she thus built up have each gone its own way. 

 And for that result Austria herself is to blame. She failed to realise 

 that an empire such as hers could only be pennanently retained on a 



