Paris Peace Conf. 184.01102/229
Professor A. C.
Coolidge to the Commission to
Negotiate Peace
No. 156
Vienna, March 17, 1919.
[Received March
19.]
Sirs: I have the honor to enclose herewith
two personal memoranda which I have received from Major Lawrence
Martin. In regard to the first one,97 which concerns myself, I will
only say that as at present advised I do not share its conclusions.
It is not for me to judge of the second.
I have [etc.]
[Enclosure]
Major Lawrence
Martin to Professor A. C.
Coolidge
Subject: I challenge our good faith.
- 1.
- It may be accepted as agreed:
- (a)
- The Czecho-Slovak, Roumanian, and Jugoslav
governments are represented at Paris, but not the
Magyars of Hungary; we are treating the latter
exactly as we are treating the Germans.
- (b)
- We are not considering the partitioning of
linguistically-particolored states like Belgium and
Switzerland.
- (c)
- No one has seriously proposed that the Jugoslavs,
or the Greeks in Macedonia, turn over unquestionably
Bulgarian-populated territory in western Serbia and
near Saloniki to the Bulgarians.
- (d)
- It appears likely that many international
boundaries will be drawn partly or entirely in
relation to economic and strategic factors rather
than along purely ethnic lines.
- (e)
- The present stage of work in Paris, with
boundaries more or less settled upon in a tentative
way, is a time to consider most carefully all
relationships involved; it can never be too late to
re-consider until the final treaty is signed.
- 2.
- It seems apparent also that:
- (a)
- The Alfold or Plain of Hungary, is a rich
agricultural region, densely populated (91,500
square kilometers with 7,000,000 people); antebellum
Hungary had 283,000 square kilometers with
18,000,000 people.
- (b)
- It is similar to, though smaller than, the Middle
West of the United States.
- (c)
- Our states from Ohio to Iowa and Illinois depend
upon the mineral resources of
Michigan–Minnesota–Wisconsin (iron), and of
Pennsylvania–West Virginia, etc. (coal), upon the
forests there, upon the Appalachian and Lake
Superior water power and stream regulation,
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and these
thinly-populated and economically-poor mountains
depend equally upon the agricultural Middle Western
prairies.
- (d)
- One might consider the Lake Superior highland as
equivalent to the Slovak mountains and the
Appalachians as equivalent to Transylvania.
- (e)
- If Canada (Stat Česko Slovenska) wanted
Wisconsin–Minnesota–Michigan, and if
Massachusetts-New Jersey–Virginia and the Atlantic
seaboard (Roumania) wanted the Appalachians, tout entiere, not merely to the
mountain crest, I, as an American Middle Westerner,
would ask for an adequate hearing on the relative
demands of Canada and the Atlantic seaboard for my
mountains, in relation to mineral resources, water
power, forests, and transportation. I should ask
that the people of the American highland areas be
heard, Canadian and Atlantic seaboard troops being
absent.
- 3.
- As an American officer, I came into this war primarily to
fight the Germans and German imperialism. I confess to a
lurking admiration for the Hungarian soldier, even though he
threw leaden missiles at me in Italy during the latter days
of the war. I was glad to see the Czecho-Slovak Legionaires
in Italy, though they were deserters from the
Austro-Hungarian Army. I trusted them then, and I do today,
sympathizing with their desire to escape from the Hapsburg
rule, but I admire the Hungarian soldier more. He cannot be
accused of being a traitor to a cause he honestly espoused,
he was a frank foe; he says so now. He never claims that he
was merely a victim of German military oppression. But I
believe his new republic’s cause is now exactly on a par
with those of the Czecho-Slovak, Jugoslav, and Roumanian
governments.
- 4.
- As evidence of our good faith I urge that the Magyar
Republic be permitted to send peace delegates and
professional advisors to Paris at once, to hear there the
appropriate portion of the proposals of the Czechs,
Roumanians, Ukrainians, and Jugoslavs, regarding the
partitioning of Hungary, and to present recommendations for
consideration of boundary committees. In addition, and for
the best interests of all the peoples of the former Kingdom
of Hungary, I suggest that an American spokesman for
Hungary, who has seen the country since the armistice, be
called to Paris to confer with the American Commissioners
and their advisors.
- 5.
- Unless some better-qualified American is available, I
volunteer and ask that I be detailed to go to Paris, for a
week or two, as an American spokesman for the Magyars,
believing that as a geographer, familiar with Hungarian
resources to some extent, through previous education and
teaching in America, and through observation in
Austria-Hungary since January of this year, I can be of
service,—first to America, desirous of a just peace;
secondly to Hungary, desirous of prosperity for her farmers
in the Alfold and the population in Transylvania and the
Slovak and Ruthenian mountains. I believe
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also that at this time my
advice, being disinterested, may be of greater value to the
British, French, American, and other professional advisors
now drawing up recommendations for final frontiers, than
that of a Magyar politician or even a geographer, economist,
or historian from Hungary.
