Rubicon

“ Unfortunately, any pious aspirations towards a change of system are fatally handicapped by opposition from three quarters : from the German Austrians, who are determined to prevent all concessions to the Slavs, and from Budapest and Berlin, which are equally interested in upholding the existing Dualism, and thereby bolding Vienna in their thrall.
To some extent the Russian Revolution came to the help of the new men. Even the earlier upheaval of 1905 in Petrograd had reverberated throughout Austria and Hungary, and was directly responsible for the movement for universal suffrage. ”

“ Even so moderate a man as the ex-Minister, Dr. Fiedler—a Young Czech leader, despite his German name—has publicly associated himself with the unanimous demand of his nation for “the restoration and democratisation of Bohemia,” union with the Slovaks, and “the abolition of foreign domination.” Nor is it an accident that the Czech Clerical, Mr. Stanek, should have been selected as the spokesman of these claims in Parliament. ”

“ It was also obvious that there was no chance of successful negotiations with the new Russian democracy so long as the autocratic and unparliamentary régime of the past three years survived in Austria. Hence the extreme programme of Germanisation accepted by the late Emperor shortly before his death—the imposition of German as the language of State, drastic reforms of Parliamentary Standing Orders, and the exclusion of Galicia, all three measures to be passed by arbitrary decree previous to the summons of Parliament—was definitely dropped, and Parliament was summoned for 30 May. ”

“ The attitude of the Poles deserves special treatment: it is sufficient to say that after a generation of subservience to Vienna, they have now definitely passed over to the Opposition, and thus greatly added to the embarrassments of the Government. ”

“ In Austria, too, the leaven of revolution is working, under the powerful impetus of the Russian upheaval. All the old values have been overthrown, and the atmosphere is so charged with electricity, that no human being can foretell the events of the near future.Rubicon. ”

“ The list includes a number of the Austrian generals and ex-diplomats (among others, the notorious Dr. Dumba) ; while of the politicians selected almost all are uncompromising in their support of the old régime. ”

“ A third member of their group, Herr Pacher, was specially selected as the spokesman of all the German parties during the opening debate of the session.
Among many signs that no real change of policy is intended is the significant fact that the Slav deputies who have been condemned for political offences have not been allowed to take their seats: that the Czech Radical leader, Mr. ”