SLOVAK PARLIAMENT TO VOTE ON SECESSION ISSUE
Hitler Announces Wish For Decision Immediately
DISINTEGRATION OF CZECH REPUBLIC V EXPECTED
Fall Of Prague Cabinet And 100 Per Cent. Nazi Regime Likely (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright.) (Received March 14, 10.30 p.m.) ; LONDON, March 14. Broadcasting from Bratislava today, M. Sidor, who was appointed Premier of Slovakia after the dismissal of Dr. Tiso, announced that Parliament would vote today whether Slovakia shall secede or remain with Czechoslovakia.
This announcement followed a conference between Herr Hitler and Dr. Tiso who arrived in Berlin yesterday at the Fuehrer’s express invitation, accompanied by M. Karmasin, leader of the German minority in Slovakia.
After the conference Dr. Tiso telephoned M. Sidor from Herr Hitler’s Berlin study, declaring that it was the Fuehrer’s wish that the Slovak Parliament should decide the issue. He did not mind what the decision was provided it was taken without outside pressure. It was also Herr Hitler’s wish that the decision should be taken today.
M. Sidor immediately contacted Dr. Hacha, President of Czechoslovakia, and M. Sidor’s broadcast followed. Dr. Hacha has agreed to an extraordinary session of the Slovak Parliament today for the purpose of taking the vote.
The best-informed circles in Prague believe that there is no hope of retaining Slovakia within the republic. An unofficial check shows that 30 out of the 58 Slovak Deputies favour secession.
In Czech circles it is stated that Czechoslovakia has accepted the German demands for Slovak independence and has agreed to the Cabinet at Prague being reconstructed with the omission of Generals Elias and Sirovy. Well-informed people expect the fall of the Prague Government under pressure from Herr Hitler, and the substitution of a completely pro-Nazi regime.
It is believed that, as a result of the Slovak situation, Herr Hitler has postponed his scheduled departure for Vienna for the Anschluss anniversary celebrations. FieldMarshal Goering, who has been spending a holiday in Bordighera, left for Berlin unexpectedly.
Meanwhile, reports from Bratislava (capital of Slovakia) state that M. Murjos, the political chief of the Hlinka Guard, accused M. Sidor of betraying independent Slovakia, and sought freedom from the oath of loyalty. M. Sidor refused and M. Murjos went to Vienna, whence he broadcast to the Hlinka Guard suggesting an independent Slovakia under the protection of Herr Hitler, and advising them to prepare for a life and death struggle. Moment For A Decision. M. Durcanski, oue of the Slovak Ministers dismissed by the Czech President, broadcasting from Vienna, said that the historic mission of Slovakia was to be a bridge between Germany and the East. The moment for a decision was near.
The Czech Minister in Berlin has been instructed to protest against the German Press campaign and the use of the Vienna radio station for the transmission of mutinous and treasonous speeches. The Bratislava correspondent of “The Times” says that, with the declaration of Slovakian independence, it is expected that the independence of Carpatho-Ukraine will also be proclaimed.
THE CZECHO-SLOVAK PARTNERSHIP
Not Altogether Equal The new Czeeho-Slovaklan Government was formed on December 1. The Ministers are not common to the whole country, but, in accordance with the Carpatho-Russian and Slovak Autonomous Statutes, each province has its own Cabinet appointed by the President of the Republic. The Government thus consists of three Cabinets—Bohemia (eight members), Slovakia (five members), and Carpatho-Russia (two members). The empowering Act which was passed early in December grants the President of the republic extraordinary emergency powers for a period of two years. Under them the President may even alter the Constitution, but only with the unanimous agreement of his Government.
When proposed Presidential emergency decrees concern the whole republic, the agreement of a majority of the members of the autonomous Governments of Slovakia and the Carpatho-Ukraine is required. These Governments are also given authority to deal with emergencies in their own provinces. Political Partnership. Writing in •‘The Times” in August ,ast year, a special correspondent stated that the Slovaks were much more clearly separated from the Czechs than were the Sudeten Germans. Strictly speaking, they were not a national minority, but lived in political partnership with Czechs (as was indicated by the name Czecho-Slovakia). That partnership had not been altogether equal, largely because the Slovaks were poorer and more "backward” than the Czechs. The Czechs had exercised a certain preponderance in Slovak affairs, though they had also done much for the economic development of Slovakia, which would be very much poorer than it was then if they were to receive financial autonomy. The Czechs denied that there was a "Slovak problem,” but there was one nevertheless, though there were close racial and linguistic affinities between Czechs and Slovaks. But the problem, which was deepened by religious differences, would never become menacing if it were not exploited by Germany and Poland-
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Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 145, 15 March 1939, Page 9
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797SLOVAK PARLIAMENT TO VOTE ON SECESSION ISSUE Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 145, 15 March 1939, Page 9
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