SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN.

Dunstan Times, Issue 2961, 31 March 1919, Page 3

SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN.

Roger Nielsen, of the Press Department, Danish Legation, Washington, as follows to the Editor of the New York Times: —In an editorial under the. headipg “A Free Baltic” in The Times, you say that: “President Wilson has approved, in answer to the petition of certain Americans of Danish descent, or born in Schleswig-Hol-stein, the restoration of the former Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein to Denmark.” Allow me to call your attention to the following facts: —In their petition to President Wilson the Americans hailing from Schleswig and Denmark have not asked for the return of Schleswig-Holstein to Denmark. Neither has President Wilson approved such a request. What the petition to the President asks is the. fulfilment of the Prague Treaty, which contained the provision that the northern districts of Schles-

wig should have the right to determine whether they wished to belong to Denmark or to Germany. And the President in his noble answer speaks in the sam e spirit when he says: “I can but assure you that your appeal to America’s sympathy and passion for justice will not go unheard, tor it founds itself wisely upon the rights of men to rule themselves, and to choose the manner in which that self-rule, shall be exercised.” The petition to the President and his answer are thus based on ,tho Same ideal foundation ; the right of peoples to determine their own allegiance. And this moans that not Schleswig-Hol-stein but only the northern part of Schleswig will be returned to Denmark. Holstein is more German than Prussia itself, and even the southern part of Schleswig has been Germanised to such an extent that only by force could it be brought back under Danish rule. North Schleswig, however, or South Jutland, as the Danes call it, is Danish in language, Danish in culture, Danish in sympathies, and has through mcire i than fifty years unceasingly fought for its Danish nationality and its Danish mother tongue. But even so. neither the Danes nor the Schleswigers them- i selves would like to see North Schles- 1 wig returned to Denmark without a vote being taken to show Germany and < all the world that Denmark only gets i back what is hers by every moral right. A country less wise and experienced than Denmark might feel flattered by s being offered the whole of Schleswig-, 1 Holstein, and forget its scruples for *

dreams of glory and aggrandisement. Denmark is only a little country with souije, three million inhabitants, and the incorporation of the two former duchies would mean an. increase in population of more than 1,600,000. But there are many reasons why Denmark teels bound to oppose • such a plan, chief among which are the following: 1. It would mean the denial of the ideal foundation, which has formed the basis for the national claim of Schleswig’s inhabitants, as well as those, of Denmark, during the last fifty year’s. 2. It would furthermore result in an unjust arrangement with regard to the

German part of . the population, and thus be apt to lay a foundation for bitterness and future thoughts of revenge in Germany. 3. A German population within Donmark’s boundaries would mean constant temptation to interfere on the part of Germany, the danger or which would he the greater the more numerous the German population within Danish territory. 4. Again, this condition might result in a closer cultural connection with Germany than desirable for the maintenance of the independence and characteristics of the Danish nationality. The idea of a personal union, which has come up from time to time in Denmark, too, has been rejected as moJV apt to draw Denmark to Germany than the duchies to Denmark. •j, Also from the point of view of the Allies and America a solution along these lines would seem less desirable. It would not be possible to bring such a solution in accord with the principle of self-determination, and it would result in continuous cause for dispute between Denmark and Germany. 6. A territorial arrangem-nt which

was not unreservedly and honestly accepted by Germany \ mud nave to lie constantly maintained diplomatically and on occasion it is to no feared, militarily. as; human nature is slew to change and disputes will arise. 7. As Denmark, even rims enlarge d, would always he in the position ol Ihe weaker as compared with Germany, there would rest upon the Allies and rhe United States the care and responsibility of maintaining such an arrangement. lu other words, Denmark would be in the regrettable position of being compelled to look for assistance from outside, while the political constellations might he constantly changing. Historic examples and experiences warn against arrangements of this nature, and this warning it might he well for all parties to recognise. To refer to a league of nations would not give satisfaction, because the very principle on which a league ol nations rests would have been- violated should Denmark receive within its territory a German population. The whole question is a very difficult one indeed, and has. unfortunately, lar too often been obscured in the international discussion because of. no doubt, well iiitontioned but politically not fully competent people’s actions and propaganda. It can, therefore not he emphasised strongly enough that Denmark wishes for a solution along purely national lines, not only because this is in accord with its own real feelings and best interests, but it conforms with the often expressed prjnciplcs of the Allies and America, that the new national settlements must ho just and final. The Danish nation wants returned to Denmark the Danish parts of Schleswig in such a way as not to give cause for future misunderstandings. This stand is in fact only a continuation of Denmark’s neutral policy, maintained during the war with equal loyalty to both sides.