The Emperor Charles, in a last despairing effort to save
his dynasty, issued on Thursday week a manifesto to his ." loyal Austrian peoples," announcing that " without delay we must now begin the reconstruction of the Fatherland on its natural and therefore most trustworthy bases." " In accordance with the will of her peoples, Austria will become .a Federal Stekte, in which each race within its national domain shall form its own national State." "The union of the Polish territories of Austria with an independent Polish State will thereby in no way be prejudiced." "The town of Trieste, inclusive of its territory, receives in accordance with the wishes of its population a special position." The Emperor said that this recon- struction would not affect the integrity of the countries under the. Holy Crown of Hungary." The Hungarian Government an- nounced at the same time that Hungary would be autonomous and independent, united with Austria only through the person of the Emperor-King, and would make her own arrangements with Croatia. The Emperor contemplated the transformation of Austria-Hungary into a group of " independent " national States, with himself as their cowman head and with a common Army and Navy, to whose fidelity he made a separate appeal.
