PLIGHT OF THE CZECHS.

Taihape Daily Times, 18 July 1919, Page 3

PLIGHT OF THE CZECHS.

ARMY NEEDS WEAPoNs,_ PARIS,‘ June 10, General Seheiner, Inspect.or—Gene;-a1 of the Czecho-Slovak Army, in an in_ terview in Paris, gave a. striking picture of the tragic. difficulties lof Czecho-,_ Slovakia. There are 200,000 men in the army. They are, well trained, but have few rifles or field guns, no horses, no heavy artillery, aeroplanes, or t,.an_ ,sp,or.ts. Piles of ifiunitions lie at Vienna. \By agwréemeut. C2:eeho—Sl'o. vakia owns a quarter of these, butftlle material is impossible to move, and" so the army is fighting “with bare breasts” in a. manner reminiscent of the earliest days of the war. General Scheiner expects to halt the enemy and make him retreat. Already the at-xny has driven in the Hungarians for 15 kilometres at Komarno. The gallant nation wants only weapons. Vienna. reports that a regiment of Czecho-Slovaks has joined Bel{fl{un_ The latter, says -that he would gladly stop fighting if t.he Roumanians and Czecho~Slovaks would cease.‘ He is ready to negtotiatc, peace, and was obliquely, “We will accept the Allies’ invitation to Paris.”