NEW CABINET IN PRAGUE

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22515, 24 September 1938, Page 17

NEW CABINET IN PRAGUE

♦ General Syrovy As Prime Minister ALL PARTIES IN AGREEMENT “ Ready for Every Possibility” (UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPTB.I6HT.) (Received September 23, 11 p.m.) LONDON, September 23. The President of Czechoslovakia (Dr. Benes) announced that a new Cabinet had been formed as follows: Prime Minister and Minister for War—General Syrovy. Foreign Minister—Dr. Krofta. Minister for Finance —M. Kalfus. Minister for Public Works—General Husarek.

Ministers without Portfolio —M. Zenkl, M. Bukovsky, and M. Vavruka. . Dr. Czerny, a former Minister, who will probably again be Minister for the Interior, M. Zenkl is the Lord Mayor of Prague, M. Bukovsky chief of the Sokol organisation, and M. Vavrecka was recently Minister for Propaganda. The new Prime Minister (General Syrovy) is the one-eyed InspectorGeneral of the Czech Army. He commanded the Czechs in their march across Siberia and is regarded as a national hero. General Syrovy officially announced that the Cabinet consists entirely of civil servants and nonpoliticians. Dr. Krofta - remains Foreign Minister.

“Solidarity of Nation” Dr. Benes announced that the new Government had been formed with the agreement of all political groups and parties. He declared that the solidarity of the entire nation was behind it. It is now announced that the former Prime Minister (Dr. Hodza) and his colleagues (M. Bechinye, M. Necas, Dr. Franke, and Monsignor Sramek), all former members of the Cabinet, will remain in the new Cabinet as an advisory committee for world affairs. In the course of a broadcast Dr. Benes announced; “We are ready for every possibility. Plans have been made for all contingencies. I ask the people to remain quiet and face the situation with composure. “Changes are occurring throughout Europe; not only in our country, and we must face these changes with calm and unity. I have no fear for the future of our I have, made plans and we*'cannot be surprised by events. lam ready for any understanding favourable to Czechoslovakia and European pacification, and for collaboration with France, Britain, and Germany. I call on you to preserve calm and await developments fearlessly. “We are prepared, if necessary, to fight to the last man for our rights, just as we are prepared to negotiate if we are given our way. It is to our honour that our policy is firm. Do not lose your optimism or common sense. Our adversaries expect trouble and would take advantage of a situation of unrest. Therefore, calm is essential. Do not fear for the future of the Fatherland. There will be an agreement between Britain and Germany, and Czechoslovakia and Germany, and -between us and Eastern Europe.” In another broadcast Dr. Benes asked all former legionnaires to hold themselves ready to serve their •country if necessary.

Patriotic Fervour in Prague After a day of excitement and patriotic fervour the city last night was calm. Crowds thronged the streets, but the police had no reason to interfere. The President’s castle has a special guard, and the British, Polish, and German Legations are also guarded. A pre-arranged general strike against capitulation broke out, and workers in disciplined columns marched from all the, big factories carrying the national colours. Later, a number of Deputies of all parties, except the Agrarians, appeared on the balcony of Parliament Buildings and announced the Government’s resignation by loudspeakers to a vast assembly of patriotic demonstrators, who had come to demand it. Speakers from all parties and nationalities—Czechs, Slovaks, Germans, Conservatives, Catholics, Socialists, and Communists—mostly members of Parliament, came to the balcony to show that party and class differences had been sunk.

M. Zenkl, in a dramatic and moving broadcast, declared: “We have full confidence in -Jr. Benes and must enable him to lead the republic to a new life.” He added that he understood the . anguish of the people, but he appealed for calm, otherwise the enemies of the republic would be aided. “If others desert us in these fateful hours, there is no reason for us to desgrt our own cause. The situation is so difficult that we cannot afford to lose our heads or our strong‘hearts,” he said. The Prague correspondent of “The Times” says that clearly the Cabinet is prepared for any emergency, but it is by no means a military dictatorship. It should be strong enough to uphold the acceptance and resist any violation of the French and British plan.