THE CZECH TRAGEDY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 September 1938, Page 5

THE CZECH TRAGEDY

RESIGNATION OF GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED Terms of the Franco-British Demarche REGARDED AS AN ULTIMATUM REFUSAL BY FRANCE TO FULFIL OBLIGATIONS By Telegraph—Press Association.—Copyright LONDON, September 22. ' A message from Prague says that the Lord Mayor, in a radio broadcast, stated that the Czech Government had resigned. He appealed for observance of order “in this time of anguish.’ A previous message from the British United Press correspondent at Eger said that it was reported from Prague that the Ministry’s Resignation was imminent. Dr. Hodza has appealed to President Benes to form a new national-cum-military Government. The Lord Mayor of Prague, in a dramatic and moving broadcast today, declared: “We have full confidence in Presisident Benes and we must enable him to lead the Republic to a new life.” He added that he understood the anguish of the people, but appealed for calm. Otherwise the enemies of the Republic would be aided. “Even if others desert us in these fateful hours,” he said, “there is no reason for us to desert our own cause. The situation is so difficult that we cannot afford to lose our heads.” Most Czech newspapers print the official announcement of the' capitulation with black borders, and some journals have blank spaces as a result of the censorship. The churches were crowded today. The demonstrations are spreading to the provinces, but so far there have been no disorders. Crowds stood outside the Presidential Palace shouting: “Give us arms. Save Czechoslovakia.” The Prague correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” learns from a reliable source that the terms of the Franco-British demarche were as follows:— (1) France and Britain desired to prevent a European war and an invasion of Czechoslovakia. (2) France and Britain warned the Czechs against a refusal to accept the London plan, which would brand her as responsible for the consequences. (3) If Czechoslovakia refused, she would be guilty of destroying Anglo-French solidarity, Britain having no obligation to the Czechs, even if the,French felt they had to fulfil theirs. (4) If war resulted through the Czech’s refusal to yield. France warned her in advance that she would not fulfil her obligations. (5) An immediate answer was necessary. FRENCH MINISTER’S BLUNT THREAT. According to the Paris correspondent of the “News-Chronicle,” the following words were used by M. de la Croix, the French Minister in Prague, when he and Sir Basil Newton, the British Minister, delivered the Anglo-French demarche to the Czech Cabinet: — ‘I must warn you that not only Hitler but also Poland and , Hungary will have a free hand in Czechoslovakia unless you accept our proposals without alteration.” M. de la Croix's statement was made with the approval of M. Bonnet, French Foreign Minister, acting on his own initiative and certainly without consulting the Cabinet. This news has caused a split in the French Cabinet. The same correspondent says that the demarche was so worded that the Czechs regarded it as an ultimatum. The Berlin correspondent of “The Times” says that the news that the Czechs had accepted the British and French plan was greeted, with a sigh of relief from the German people. Since Mr Chamberlain’s visit, all Germans, particularly the working and middle classes, had placed great faith in him, believing that, even in this late hour, he would unite with Hitler and save Germany from war. NAZIS SEIZE CZECH TOWNS. Meanwhile, Reuter’s special correspondent on the German-Czech frontier says that the Nazi flag is now flying over Czech towns throughout Sudetenland. A crowd of Sudetens stormed the Czech Customs house at Asch, disarmed the officials and led them to Germany. They afterward took possession of the Asch police station and placed the police under lock and key. Similar incidents are reported from other Sudeten centres. The German official news agency at Berlin reports that the Czech authorities are evacuating Eger. A message from Budapest states that 62 Slovak Magyar (Hungarian) troops, the entire garrison of a frontier fort, entered Hungary and surrendered their machine guns and other equipment after disarming their officers and locking them, in the abandoned fort. In Prague itself 100,000 copies of a leaflet circulated by influential Parliamentarians of all parties urged citizens to hold fast and defend the frontiers. It also urged President Benes to take the direction of affairs into his own hands, relying on the full support of the nation.

CANADIAN COMMENT BEST MADE OF BAD JOB. RETORT TO UNITED STATES CRITICISM. MONTREAL, September 21. The “Montreal Star,” resenting United States Press criticism of Mr Chamberlain, declares: “The people in the United States are willing to fight for the Czechs to the last Frenchman. “Britain and France could have gone ..to war, eventually entering Berlin. •What then? You-, cannot peritianently enslave 70,000,000 people. “It is not Hitler who has won but the two great democracies, by realising that they are strong enough to concede a point or two.” The majority of the Canadian newspapers agree that Mr Chamberlain courageously made the best of a bad job. EUROPE PROSTRATE SURRENDER OF DEMOCRACIES TO THREAT OF FORCE MR WINSTON CHURCHILL’S VIEW LONDON. September 22. Mr Winston Churchill made a flying visit to Paris yesterday and saw M Paul Reynaud. one of the leaders of the Alliance Democratique. Interviewed on his return, Mr Churchill said: “It is necessary for the nation to realise the magnitude of the disaster into which it is being led by the partition of Czechoslovakia under British and French pressure. “It is a complete surrender of the Democracies to a Nazi threat of force. Acceptance of Hitler’s terms involves the prostration of Europe to the Nazis.”

POLISH DEMANDS FULL FREEDOM OF ACTION RESERVED IMMEDIATE SETTLEMENT SOUGHT LONDON, September 22. A message from Warsaw today states that the Polish Foreign Office has issued a statement that the Government has reserved full freedom of action to safeguard Polish interests at Teschen. The message adds that Czechoslovakia has not fulfilled her ..promises regarding Teschen made : in 1920, .and says that it is deplorable that, in the plan produced after the London talks, the Polish legitimate claims were not given attention. The Prague correspondent of the “Daily Mail” says it is reported that the Poles include in their demands Mahrisch Ostrau, although only 30 per per cent of its 125,000 inhabitants are Poles. The “Daily Herald” says the Polish Ambassador yesterday handed Lord Halifax a Note demanding an immediate settlement. MAGYARS DEMONSTRATE JEERS AT BRITAIN AND FRANCE BUDAPEST, September 22. Deputy Bartseknyk, speaking at a torchlight demonstration last night, declared that the hour had struck for righting Hungary’s wrongs. Hungarian patience had ended, he said, and thirty million Hungarians demanded the return of their million separated brethren. The assembly coined the slogan: “Down with Prague, and Hodza. We want everything back.” It jeered at Britain and France, and paid tribute to Germany, Italy. Poland and other friendly nations.