NAZI METHODS DENOUNCED

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 151, 22 March 1939, Page 11

NAZI METHODS DENOUNCED

Situation Reviewed By Halifax

CZECH SURRENDER TO FORCE Germany Likely To Regret Her Action (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, March 20. An unusually large attendance of Peers heard a statement on the European situation by the Foreign Secretary, Lord Halifax, in the House of Lords today. Lord Halifax began by reviewing the explanations or excuses offered by German apologists for the actions of Herr Hitler’s Government —explanations which, he said, carried scant conviction.

It was impossible to believe that the sudden decision of certain Slovak leaders to break away from Prague, followed by the request for German protection, was reached independently of outside influence.

As to the alleged maltreatment of the German minority, it was only very shortly before Herr Hitler’s ultimatum to Dr. Hacha, the Czech President, that the German Press had renewed its campaign of last summer on behalf of the minorities, which bad been deliberately encouraged to remain in Czechoslovakia after the Munich agreement as centres of German activity and propaganda. It was difficult to avoid the conclusion that the bulk of the incidents held out as justifying German intervention were deliberately provoked, and Lord Halifax paid a tribute to the Czechoslovak authorities, whose police had received the order to act, and in fact did act, with great restraint in tlie face of great provocation. Surrender To Threat. Coming to the visit of Dr. Hacha to Berlin and the suggestion that he freely consented to the subjugation of his people, Lord Halifax observed:

“In view of the circumstances in which he came to Berlin and of the occupation of Czech territory which had already taken place, I think mosc sensible people must , conclude that there was little pretence of negotiatiqn, and it is more probable that the Czech representatives were presented with an ultimatum under a threat of violence and that they capitulated in order to save their people from the horrors of a swift and destructive aerial bombardment.”

The Foreign Secretary then referred to the British protest, the cancellation of the trade delegation’s visit to Berlin, and the recall of the Ambassador, The Government, he said, felt that the development of understanding on trade matters with Germany was now out of the question, and that that and many other things would have to remain indefinitely postponed. Munich Defended. After defending the Munich settlement and the policy which followed it as one not personal to the Prime Minister, but as supported by himself and the whole of the Cabinet, and as fully justified, Lord Halifax said that the long-term policy envisaged in the Hit-ler-Chamberlain declaration of building up a peaceful Europe on the basis of free consultation on all differences had been disastrously belied by events. “What inference,” he asked, “are we to draw from this pressure exercized under threat of force and from this intervention in tlie internal struggles of other States? Every country which is Germany’s neighbour is now uncertain of tomorrow, and every country which values its national identity and sovereignty stands warned against danger from within inspired from without.”

After mentioning the denial of the Rumanian Government of the reported German ultimatum on trade matters, he said that whatever the position might be it was not surprising if the Government in Bucharest, like other Governments, ■should view with the gravest misgiving tlie happenings of the last few days. Mistakes of Versailles.

Finally, Lord Halifax spoke with regret of the frustration of efforts to create :r better understanding between the British and the’ German people. The British people had not been backward in recognizing some of the mistakes of Versailles, but whenever there had been a chance of making progress Germany had taken some action which had made it impossible. Now the initiative at Munch had been frustrated by Germany’s action, which had given a profound shock to world opinion, and it was difficult to see when the initiative could be resumed. "These affairs have raised wide issues, and events in Czeco-Slovakia have required the British Government and every free people to rethink their attitude' in these matters,” he said. ■'The British Government has not failed to draw a moral from these events, and Ims lost no time in placing itself in close practical consultation not only with the Dominions but with other Governments concerned upon the issues that have suddenly been made so plain. Spirit of Free Peoples.

"it is not possible as yet fully, to appreciate the consequences of the German action. History records many attempts to impose domination on Europe, but these attempts sooner or later have terminated in disaster for those who' have made them, and it ha s never iu the long run proved possible to stamp out the spirit of free peoples. "If history is any judge, the German people may yet regret the action that has been taken in their name against the people of Czechoslovakia. Twenty years ago the people of Czechoslovakia recovered their liberty with the support and encouragement of the greater part of the world. They have now been deprived, of it by violence.

“In the course of their long history this is not the first time that this tenacious, valiant and industrious people have lost their independence, but they have never lost that which is the foundation of their independence—tlieii love of liberty—and just as, after the war, the world watched the emergence of the Czech nation so it will -watch today their efforts to preserve intact their cultural identity, and. more important, their spiritual freedom undet the last and cruel blow of which they have been the victims.”