THE NEW REGIME IN PRAGUE

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 147, 17 March 1939, Page 9

THE NEW REGIME IN PRAGUE

Hitler Issues Stern Decrees ANTI-JEW MEASURES START PRAGUE, March 16. Herr Hitler was accompanied on his entry into Prague by the Foreign Minister, Herr von Ribbentrop, General von Stuelfnagel, Herr Himmler (leader of the Black Guards), Dr. Dietrich (Reich Press chief), Dr. Lammers (head of the Chancellery), and Herr Stuckart (Secretary of State). The Czech Cabinet resigned yesterday, and General Gajda, former Czech Fascist leader, was made “Fuehrer of the Czech people.” A proclamation was issued announcing the formation of the Czech National Committee and urging unity and quiet.

Herr Hitler commissioned General Blaskowitz to exercize executive power in Bohemia and General List in Moravia. General Blaskowitz issued decrees appointing Herr Henlein administrator of the German armies, and Herr Duerckel civil administrator of Moravia.

He declared that public services and economic life must continue. The decrees for the military administration and the civil administration and for working under them must be obeyed. Jewish lawyers have been given 24 hours to hand over their businesses to Aryan trustees.

The Germans have taken over the Skoda munition works and are examining foreign contracts and cancelling those wliich are considered undesirable. It is estimated that at least 2000 modern military aeroplanes have been gained by Germany, including a number of Russian ■ fighters and bombers and hundreds of tanks. The total equipment annexed will give the Reich a great advantage over the other Powers. The semi-official German journal “Diplomatische Korrespondenz” says that history gives the Czechs no claim to independence and that Czech political leadership is now concluded. The experiment of the sole Czech responsibility for Bohemia and Moravia has been a failure and the interregnum to 20 years has ended. Bohemia rejoins the organized German system in which it developed its culture through a thousand years. It is stated orders for the German march on Prague were given while Dr. Hacha, the President, was on his way to, Berlin and that the troops were already 12 miles inside the Czech frontiers when he began his conference with Herr Hitler.

BRITAIN AND RUSSIA THE ARBITERS Question Of Peace Or War LONDON, March 15. The question of peace or war depends in the last resort on the nature of the relations between London and Moscow, declared the Soviet Ambassador, M. Maisky, in the course of a speech) in London today. “England and Russia have not always agreed as to the best methods of securing peace, but there is at present no conflict of Interest between them in any part of the world. The Soviet policy is not peace at any price, but is based on law and order.”