THE EMPIRE'S WAR ACTIVITIES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 40, 15 April 1942, Page 3

THE EMPIRE'S WAR ACTIVITIES

AXIS PARTNERS AT EACH OTHER'S THROAT

The considerable discontent of the Slovak public is however, not entirely concentrated on these questions but also due to the dangers which threaten the country as a result of the irresponsible foreign policy of the Slovak Prime Minister, Bela Tuka, the former Hungarian police official who recently made an attempt to come to agreement with Hungarian governmental circles. This attempt failed, although Tuka had given the Hungarian land-owning magnates, especially Count Csaky and Eszterhazy, considerable influence on the policy of the Bratislava Government. These concessions however, only whetted the Hungarians' Appetite for more Slovak territory, and there arc many signs that even the last remains of Slovak independence are now threatened.

Germany lias planned to bring Slovakia under direct Nazi control, but also Hungary has raised claims to the possession of Slovakia, the satisfaction of which she hopes to gain from Berlin. The precarious situation in Slovakia was clearly indicated in the speech of State President Tiso on his return from n visit to Hitler's headquarters. Tiso said that Slovakia was not able to exist by itself and must be linked up with some other country. "But I hope," President Tiso continued, "that our country will be spared this fate fcr it was the first to join Hitler's New Order."

The Hungarians want a good reward for their participation in Hitler's war against Russia and they hope to regain control of all the territories of pre-1918 Hungary-- These claims threaten not 01113- Slovakia but also 'Croatia and parts of Rumania. In Bratislava Slovakia's friendship Avith tlie.se countries has recently been strongly stressed and during a visit of Slovak journalists to Bucharest recently it was solemnly stated that the new European order must be built lip with the aid of the true national forces and not 011 the basis of "obsolete claims." This was an unambigous reference to Hungary.