Page:The heart of Europe; an address delivered by Charles Pergler in Washington, December 11, 1916, at a conference of oppressed or dependent nationalities (IA heartofeuropeadd00pergrich).pdf/33

financially the Czech countries are the richest of the present Austrian “provinces,” and when freed from oppressive taxation, discriminating in favor of financially “passive” Austrian lands, the independent Bohemian-Slovak State will be even richer. At the present time 62.7 per cent of the burden of Austrian taxation is borne by the Czech countries, while the rest of Austria carries only 37.3 per cent. The Bohemian lands surpass the other Austrian lands in the production of grain; 38 per cent of the grain lands of Austria is found in Bohemia. Of the coal found in Austria, 83 per cent is mined in the Bohemian lands; 60 per cent of the Austrian iron is found there; 90 per cent, if not more, of the sugar factories of Austria are located in the lands of the Bohemian crown; the textile industry is one of large proportions, and leather, paper, furniture, and electro-technical industries are of importance. When we take into consideration the undeveloped resources of Slovakia, which naturally will form a part of the state, we see very readily that economically the future Bohemian-Slovak State will be amply able to stand on its own feet. At this point we may emphasize again distinctly the fact that joining the Bohemians in their future state should be the Slovaks of Hungary. The world has by this time realized that in provoking the Great War the Magyar oligarchy was particeps criminis; this war was not only a German war, but it was a Magyar war as well. The non-Magyar nationalities in Hungary in the past have been oppressed in true Asiatic style, and the Magyars participated in the intrigues leading to the war, because they hoped