Page:The Czechoslovak Review, vol4, 1920.pdf/28

To the Czechoslovak Republic the peace treaties of Versailles and Saint Germain signified its international recognition. By them the de facto existence of the Czechoslovak State became one de jure. The Allies, of course, had already, during the war, recognised the existence of the Czechoslovaks as an independent nation. Now the enemies also were compelled by their total military defeat to recognise the Czechoslovaks. To understand the terrible and tragic meaning of this event for the Germans it is necessary to remember the joy with which they accompanied the first journey of the Berlin-Constantinople express which meant to them the realisation of their long planned Berlin-Bagdad scheme. There is no better proof of the final and total defeat of this scheme than the existence of an independent Czechoslovak State. A glance at the map will show what an obstacle the Czechoslovak Republic constitutes to any future German push towards the East. The remaining few European nations which did not take part in the war, have, also one after the other, recognised the independence of the Czechoslovak State.

The Peace Treaty of Versailles and Saint Germain recognised the territorial integrity of the three old units of the ancient Czech State, namely Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia, with the exception of the Teschen district; moreover Slovakia has been incorporated into the new Czechoslovak State. As the boundaries of the new State apart from Teschen are now definitely fixed, it is possible to make a more accurate estimate of the size of the Czechoslovak territory and the amount of its population.

The Czechoslovak Republic occupies the centre of Europe. It is over 1,000 kilometres in length, but in places hardly 100 kilometres broad. Its elongated form has been increased by the addition of an autonomous Carpathian Rusinia to the east of Slovakia, and this territory makes the Czechoslovak Republic a direct neighbour of Roumania. About a sixth of its whole frontier is with the latter country, about a third being with Poland and the remainder divided between Hungary, Austria and Germany.

The area of the Czechoslovak Republic may be estimated as between 130,000 and 140,000 square kilometres, no decision having yet been reached as regards the Teschen district and two districts in Slovakia. In point of size the Czechoslovak Republic will occupy a middle position among the European States. Apart from the great powers, its area will be exceeded by Sweden, Norway, Spain, Poland, Roumania and Jugoslavia, while Hungary will be about the same size. But the Czechoslovak State is larger than Denmark, Holland, Belgium, Portugal, Greece, Bulgaria, Switzerland and Austria.

If we consider the numerical strength of its population, the Czechoslovak State assumes a more prominent rank among European countries. We estimate the number of its inhabitants at thirteen to fourteen millions, and it is thus ahead of Finland, Norway, Sweden and Jugoslavia. As regards density of population, Czechoslovakia contains roughly 100 inhabitants per square mile and in this respect it is inferior only to Belgium, Holland, Great Britain and Italy. The density of population in the remaining States is altogether smaller. Thus the corresponding figures in the case of its industrial activities are greater than those of any other state. There are special branches of industry in which it is pre-eminent. Thus is occupies the foremost place in sugar manufacture, while its importance in glass-work is by no meats small. In the manufacture of beer it stand third among the European States. The supply of the commodities referred to depends, of course, upon a high standard agriculture such as exists along the valley of the Labe (Elbe), in Moravia and the south of Slovakia which possesses some of the best soil in Europe. Agriculture is thus able to fill the greater part of home requirements and many products such as oats, barley and hops can be exported.

In the textile and iron industries the conditions are less satisfactory because the