REVOLUTIONARY CHANGES IN NATIONAL ECONOMY

Chronicle (Levin), 14 August 1946, Page 2

REVOLUTIONARY CHANGES IN NATIONAL ECONOMY

WOMEN or CZEOHOSLOVAKIA AWAKENED. Writiug to Ihe auvv Zealand \ .G.A. Miss .uuuim iAoyce, iirsi incmbcr oi iho slail oi ino World 's l.W.C.A. to visii. t iiicliu.slu vakia sincc Us libcration, n as iicr luipitssioii thai a xrusii ly uwukcned sonse of sociui responaiJilhy among ihe w onieti of tliat couniry has siimulatod tlicir Xiartieipatioxi in is puolic Jifo. ' ' Praelical skiils and couragc of deep faith a ro nocded in the pioueering work oi rebuilding the assoeiulion here, " she savs. " As a (Jhrislian women 's movemeut the Y.W.C.A. i'aees a new challenge. white in ihe sphere of work with adoY-scents and youth the lield is wide opou. ' . • " i'lie I'eace Tul», a group of younger girls ui ihe l'rague assoeunion, who are eager to coiniiiimieato with similar gi'oujts in olher paris of the world, syiuuolises Ihe eager sease of niission withui ihe t'/.eirhuslovakiuH assoeiation. tVitlua tlie I'eltowsliip of the World 's associal ion, its capaeitv to iiuitd new innlges oi iinderstaudiag between east and west in a world of shiiting balunce of polilieal power and influenee will be an lniportaiit iaetor in tlie future. As a vilai indigenous organisation of women and girls within tlie Czoehostovakian Kepuldie it can lill a unique role within ihe movement," says Miss Koyce. lianned I » v tlie Gestapo in 1948, its buildings conliscated, tlie revivod Y.W. i'.A. of ( 'zechoslova kia reHected all the liopes, ihe teusious and complexities of ua t iona I life, adds tlie visitor. " Second only ln their lovc oi tlieir nalion is ihe keen politieal awareiicss of Ihe 'zechnslovakians. Their. cont erns are cliielly national. A rouhtry llial lias been isolated from tlie rest oJ' ihe world for'six years longs for eontact with the outside world, but urgent iiatimial prolilems press l'or solution. Assured of some measure of international iinilerslanding, liowever, Ozechoslovakia iuevitably will assume a signilicant role as interpreter of East and West . and vice versa,'' states the writer. "E\leraally she iH stpngly oriented towa'rd the east, with deep conscious- I ness of Slavii- i nlieritanee, a pervading \ gratitude to Ilnssia for its aid in liber- I ntinn iiml a disposit ion to rely on Soviet j protection in tlie future. Tnward the j nations of Ihe west, the Third Republic , readies oul also but not without elc- j ments of a lingering niistrust, the herilage of Mnnich mulliplied by the isola- i timi of ihe pnst six years." I " It is too soon lo judge of the suc- | cess of this revolutionary change in the | nalional eennoniv," says Miss Rovce of j Ihe iiii'l ionalisal ion of the resnurces of j land and indnslry. "in general one • linds ho]»e rallier {hau appreliension. Many )ieople ajipreciate its liazards, but I hern is unrHent ing determination to work and (o produce, primary faclors in ecoiioiiiic recovery. I'ost-war faligue and denioralisa t ion dnubtless cxist as in nl! ofher countnes, but a certnin exhilnration and pride in tlieir progress are more ajiparent to tlie visitor."