NEW MINISTRY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 September 1938, Page 5

NEW MINISTRY

COMMANDER=IN=CMIEF AS PREMIER PRESIDENT BENES APPEALS FOR CALM. PREPARATIONS MADE FOR ALL CONTINGENCIES. (Received This Day, 9.30 a.m.) PRAGUE, September 22. It is officially stated that the Government has resigned, but will continue to function until a National Government has been formed. A later message states that Dr Benes announced that a new Cabinet had been formed as follows: — Prime Minister and Minister of War, General Sirovy. Foreign Minister, Dr. Krofta. Finance Minister, M. Kalfus. Others are Dr Czerny, who will probably be Minister of the Interior; M. Zenky, Lord Mayor of Prague; M. Bukovsky, chief of the Sokol organisation; and M. Vanrecka, recently Minister of Propaganda, All the others are officials. In the course of a broadcast, the President (Dr Benes) announced: “We are ready for every possibility. Plans have been made for all contingencies. I ask the people to remain quiet and face the situation with composure.” In another broadcast, the President asked all former Legionnaires to hold themselves ready to serve their country if necessary. General Sirovy is Commander-in-Chief of the Czechoslovakian Army. Dr Krofta was Foreign Minister in the retiring Cabinet. MOSTLY CIVIL SERVANTS COMPOSITION OF NEW CABINET (Received This Day, 9.45 a.m.) PRAGUE, September 22. General Sirovy officially announced that the Cabinet consists entirely of civil servants and non-politicians. Dr Krofta, who remains Foreign Minister, is the only member of the previous cabinet left. PARTY LEADERS. MOVE FOR UNITED ACTION. (Received This Day, 10 a.m.) PRAGUE, September 22. Women attached to the British Legation have been instructed to leave Prague by the first train. An official broadcast states that all responsible leaders have placed themselves at the disposal of the President of the retiring Government, upon whom has devolved the painful duty of submitting to the dictates of the Western Powers, and are most anxious that the new Government be established on the broadest basis and representative of all sections of the community; also comprising the military forces and officials, because the situation demands discipline and unity of the public and military administra- ' tion. 1