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APPENDIX XVII

THE PROGRAMME ADOPTED BY THE CONGRESS OF THE NATIONALITIES (1895)

(Summarized from the Pester Lloyd of August 10, 1895.)

1.  Owing to ethnical conditions and historic development, Hungary is not a state upon which one people can impress its national stamp. The Roumanians, Serbs and Slovaks, therefore, wish that while respecting the integrity of the lands of the Crown of St. Stephen, all those consequences may be drawn which are neces­sary to the administration of the state, in respect of the preserva­tion and development of the individual peoples of Hungary.

2.  The idea of a Magyar national state is a contradiction of the ethnical conditions of Hungary and her historic development, and threatens the existence of the other peoples.

3.  In self-defence against this danger, the Roumanians, Slovaks and Serbs (while retaining their existing programme) form a League to protect their nationalities in all legal ways, and hope that the Germans and Ruthenes will join them.

4.  This League leaves every nationality free to work for its own special objects.

5.  Full freedom should be conceded to the non-Magyar peoples of Hungary, according to linguistic frontiers ; so that in autonomous districts (counties, towns and communes) the stamp of the particu­lar nationality in question should be given to both the administra­tive and judicial authorities, by the use of the national language. The counties should be rounded off according to linguistic boun­daries.

6.  From this standpoint the Law of Nationalities of 1868 is not satisfactory, for "it is not observed and is quite illusory." It merely serves to delude foreign opinion as to the alleged tolerance towards the nationalities. If the latter once succeed in being repre­sented in Parliament, they will strive to secure the alteration of this Law, in the sense of National Autonomy.

7.  The nationalities of Hungary cannot share in the legislature of the state. An unjust electoral law exists for Transylvania; and even in Hungary proper the electorate is divided up and the registers kept in such a way as to injure the non-Magyar electors. The violence and pressure exercised at the elections are unparalleled in civilized Europe.

8.  The League desires the introduction of universal direct equal and secret suffrage: a juster distribution of seats : the removal of administrative pressure at elections : the abolition of the law by which delay in payment of taxes brings with it the loss of the franchise.

9.  The League desires a clear and democratic Law ensuring free right of Assembly and Association, since no such law exists and since the governmental Decrees on the subject are both out of date and are arbitrarily interpreted by the administrative organs.

10.  The League demands that the legal church and school auto­nomy shall be respected; at present they are rendered quite illusory by the arbitrary proceedings of the administration.

11.  Press Freedom. The Jury Courts exist only f or press matters, and their places of sitting are decided in such a way that only hostile Magyars sit on a jury in non-Magyar press actions (as is proved by the transference of the Jury Court from Hermannstadt to Kolozsvár), and thus all freedom of movement is destroyed for the non-Magyar Press. The League, therefore, demands either the transference of the Courts to places where the interpreter system will not be neces­sary, or their complete abolition, and the subjection of press actions to the ordinary courts.

12.  They claim an unified law guaranteeing Liberty of the Press, instead of the special law for Transylvania.

13.  They claim entire freedom of religion, and consequently the revision of the Church Laws, especially as they unfavourably affect the nationalities.

14.  They claim representation of the interests of the non-Magyar nationalities by a Minister without portfolio, similar to the Minister for Croatia.

15.  A central Committee of the nationalities is formed, composed of four Roumanians, four Slovaks and four Serbs.

16.  Its functions are to maintain a strict organization, and to lodge periodical protests against the prevailing policy of denation­alization.

17.  To promote harmony between the various nationalities.

18.  To work in the European Press.

19.  There will be periodical meetings of the Congress.

20.  The Central Committee shall prepare a report on the situation, to lay before the next meeting, with a view to laying it before His Majesty.

21.  If its meetings are prevented, the above principles are to serve for the guidance of the Roumanians, Slovaks and Serbs.