763.72/12451
The Chargé in Great Britain (
Laughlin
) to the Secretary of
State
No. 10241
London
, November
18, 1918.
[Received December 5.]
Sir: With reference to the Department’s
telegram No. 1663 of September 27, 7 p.m.,1 relative to the future boundaries of the
Czecho-Slovak State, I have the honor to transmit herewith enclosed a
copy of a Note I have just received from the Foreign Office together
with a memorandum setting forth the difficulties with which this
question is connected. A map showing the ethnic distribution of the
Czecho-Slovaks is also enclosed.2
I have [etc.]
[Enclosure]
The British Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs (
Balfour
) to the American Chargé
(
Laughlin
)
No. 178793/W/3
London
, November 13, 1918.
Sir: With reference to Mr. Page’s Note,
No. 1272, of the 30th September last, relative to the future
boundaries of the Czecho-Slovak State, I am directed by Mr.
Secretary Balfour to transmit to you, herewith, a memorandum as to
the difficulties with which this question is connected, and to
assure you that His Majesty’s Government would be glad to receive
any views which the Government of the United States may entertain on
the subject.
I have [etc.]
For the Secretary of State,
R. Graham
[Subenclosure—Memorandum]
Suggestions for Reply to the American Ambassador
Concerning Boundaries of the Czecho-Slovak Nations
- 1.
- The Czechs and Slovaks having repeatedly declared their desire
to form one single State, H. M. G. treats their territories as
those of one single State.
- 2.
- The enclosed map, which may be taken as reliable, shows the
ethnic distribution of the Czecho-Slovaks. It will be noted that
they
[Page 377]
inhabit the
Austrian provinces of Bohemia and Moravia and part of Austrian
Silesia, and the north-western and northern districts of
Hungary.
- 3.
- The northern and north-western frontier districts of Bohemia
are predominantly German in population. With regard to them we
shall be confronted by a very difficult problem—to what extent
the new Czecho-Slovak State should inherit the historic
frontiers of Bohemia, which are also its natural geographical
frontiers, and to what extent the ethnic divisions could be made
the basis. In some districts, e. g. round Eger and Reichenberg,
the frontier might perhaps be rectified to some extent without
unduly impairing Bohemia’s strategic defences or economic
resources; in other districts these interests are of such
paramount importance as to override all other
considerations.
- 4.
- The matter has not hitherto been the subject of official
considerations. We are of course collecting materials bearing on
this and similar problems, and it would be of great advantage if
those who do the work for H. M. G. were given opportunities for
exchanging views with those who do similar work for the American
government.
4/10/18
