The Dominion. SATURDAY, MARCH, 8, 1939. AND NOW SLOVAKIA

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 148, 18 March 1939, Page 10

The Dominion. SATURDAY, MARCH, 8, 1939. AND NOW SLOVAKIA

Having existed as an independent State for one day, Slovakia has gone the way of the rest of the Republic. Her independence was proclaimed on March 14, and on March 15 the President, Dr. liso, surrendered it to Herr Hitler. The Slovaks, a proportton of whom were restive under the democratic government of Prague, and helpe to make the breach that Germany has entered, now find themselves citizens of a Nazi protectorate, and —so far as can be seen at the moment—on all fours with their Czech neighbours. The situation has more than a little of irony about it; and, in passing, it may be observed that the Slovak experience is a lesson 4o all democratic peoples who under-rate the importance of unity. Out of the trymgpan into the fire—the proverb has seldom been better exemplified. In the meantime the status of the Czech provinces, Bohemia ana Moravia, has been defined by proclamation. They are to be included in Greater Germany as an autonomous protectorate enjoying Customs union with the Reich. Autonomy in National-Socialist Germany has little meaning. To the Czech citizens, and the Slovaks too, the significant part of the proclamation, delivered by the German Foreign Minister from Prague with familiar Nazi dramatics, was that which classed them as “German citizens to whom the Nuremberg laws would apply.” Any doubt as to the weaning of this is removed by the news that between 3000 and 4000 Czech political prisoners are en route to Nazi concentration camps; that 5000 arrests are said to have been made in Prague alone; that the country is overrun with steel-helmeted troops; that a curfew has been imposed on a proud, free people of the pre-Munich era, and that secret police have ah eady established a reign of terror with cafe spying, tapped telephone wires and all the rest of dictatorship’s petty, contemptible weapons., And any question as to the interpretation to be placed on Germany s determination to re-establish decisively a basis of reasonable order in Central Europe,” may be answered by reference to Herr Hitlers ultimatum to Dr. Hacha, the former Czech President. This was that failing acceptance of Germany’s terms, Prague would be bombed “immediately and ruthlessly.” r , , No doubt the inclusion of Slovakia in the Reich marks the final episode of Herr Hitler’s latest coup. The curtain rings down on the spectacle of a bewildered and angry, but helpless people fast in the grip of the German military and political machine, while pathetic groups of Tews fly for shelter in neighbouring domains. Britain and France are left to make the diplomatic best of a sorry business, while Germany proceeds to consolidate her new ground, and to coun her rich gains in territory, in raw materials, in industry and m armaments. In the last-named category comes the famous Skoda, CeskaMoravska, C.K.D., and Vitkovitze iron, steel and engineering works —prizes which, in themselves, are rich enough to have marked effect on the balance of military power in Europe. The one shadow on the German horizon is that Herr Hitler has created fresh resentment by riding roughshod over millions of people, who are far from being in sympathy with the principles and practices of Nazism.