TENSION GROWS IN SLOVAKIA

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 144, 14 March 1939, Page 9

TENSION GROWS IN SLOVAKIA

Nazi Guards Parade Under Arms ALL COMMUNICATIONS CUT OFF Hacha Postpones Session Of Parliament (Independent Cable Service.) (Received March 13, 11.30 p.m.) LONDON, March 13. Tension is growing in Bratislava following the abortive Slovakian attempt to establish an independent State over the weekend. Slovakia was cut off from Austria at midnight when gendarmes closed all the Danube bridges to prevent arms coming in from Austria. It is now impossible to enter or leave Slovakia.

German Storm Troopers arrived at Bratislava today from nearby towns in full uniform and carrying arms and ammunition. It is reported that 50 small bombs were thrown at houses in Bratislava. Armoured cars are patrolling the streets.

The Frague correspondent of “The Tinies” says Dr. Tiso, the former Slovak Premier whose dismissal, with two other Ministers,, by the President, Dr. Hacha, precipitated the crisis, and 230 imprisoned Slovak leaders have been released.

It is also stated that M. Tuca and M. Mach, the two leaders of the Slovak Hlink Guards, whose imprisonment created a storm of protest, have been brought respectively to Tabor and Brno. The official German news agency, however, claims that the Czechs assassinated M. Tuca while transferring him to Moravia. Yesterday M. Durcanski, another Slovak leader, made a further wireless appeal to the Slovaks to resist the Prague Government and prophesied that a decisive hour was approaching. Meanwhile in Prague the Slovak Ministers in the new Cabinet appointed under the Premiership of M. Sidor have been sworn in. President Hacha has postponed the Parliamentary session from March 14 to March 28.