MUNICH DISCUSSION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 September 1938, Page 7

MUNICH DISCUSSION

REPRESENTATION SOUGHT BY CZECHS NOTE TO MR CHAMBERLAIN. PRESENCE OF SPOKESMAN DESIRED. (Received This Day, 9.45 a.m.) LONDON, September 28. Reuter’s diplomatic correspondent says he has authoritatively learned that Czechoslovakia suggested, in a Note to Mr Chamberlain, that she be represented by a spokesman at the Munich conference. HITLER’S DEMANDS ATTEMPT TO TAKE OVER MANY CZECHS. ANGLO-FRENCH PROPOSALS FAR EXCEEDED. (Received This Day, 10.15 a.m.) LONDON, September 28. An authoritative Czech statement points out that whereas Britain and France proposed the cession of territory containing 382,000 Czechs, Herr Hitler has demanded territory containing 836,000 Czechs. At least 450 communes in that territory were purely Czech. The statement also points out that the German demand for plebiscites, which can be arranged to swamp Czech votes, was made regarding nineteen areas in which the highest German percentage is 29 per cent. Three have German per centages of 18.8 and eighteen 17.9 respectively, one 11.1 per cent, two 8 per cent and the remainder lower percentages. Eight have below 2 per cent. Altogether in these districts there are 1,116,000 Czechs and 144,000 Germans.

CZECHS RESOLVED

WILL NOT BOW TO THREATS STILL A FAINT POSSIBILITY FOR PEACE. GERMAN REGULARS APPEAR ON FRONTIER. LONDON' September 28. Czech military authorities report that regular troops are now occupying the German side of the frontier. It is stated that the crossing of the first German soldier would mean the outbreak of war. It is officially stated in Prague that the Czech army is not accepting any further volunteers, as the ranks have reached capacity. An official broadcast commentary on Herr Hitler’s speech today said: “We will never allow our nation to be crippled. There is still one faint possibility for peace. “Our nation which has' made cruel sacrifices, has the right to demand that Germany show a conciliatory and temperate. spirit both in her claims and the method of solution. If she refuses, our nation will not bow to threats.” HITLER’S ATTACK RESENTED BY SLOVAK MINISTER. RESUMPTION OF NEGOTIATIONS MADE DIFFICULT. LONDON, September 28. Mr Jan Masaryk, Czech Minister in London, commenting on Herr Hitler’s speech today, said: “The unprecedented attack by the head of one State on another contained in Herr Hitler’s speech would make a resumption of negotiations very difficult without a proper apology. “Herr Hitler has made himself the protector of the Slovaks, whom he depicted as an oppressed nationality. I am a Slovak, as are our Ministers at Paris, Washington and Warsaw, and our Chief Justice.

“I object in their name to Herr Hitler’s championing us and interfering with our destinies. Czechs and Slovaks are brothers who. trust each other, particularly in adversity.”

SUDETEN DEMOCRATS RELIANCE ON DEMOCRACIES. MESSAGE TO BRITISH MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT. LONDON, September 28. The Sudeten German Democrats sent a message to British members of Parliament reaffirming their adherence to the Czechoslovak State, and relying on the solidarity of the great democracies. The message declares that Herr Hitler's time limit will deprive more than 1,000,000 German and Czech Democrats in the Sudeten territories of their homes and expose them to the danger of massacre. The Paris correspondent of “The Times” says refugees from Austria and the Saar at Bordeaux offered to fight for France against Herr Hitler. The Czechoslovak colony in France followed their example.

“BLACKMAIL & BLUFF”

SOVIET COMMENT ON HITLER’S SPEECH. GERMANY NOT SO WELL PREPARED. LONDON, September 28. The Riga correspondent of “The Times” says that the Soviet Press described Herr Hitler’s speech as political blackmail and bluff. The newspapers declare that Germany is not so well prepared as is claimed. The Press publishes a Note sent to Poland warning her than an invasion of Czechoslovakia would free Russia from her obligations under the SovietPolish non-aggression pact. NOT MOBILISING HUNGARY ISSUES DENIAL. (Received This Day, 9.25 a.m.) LONDON, September 28. The Hungarian Legation has categorically denied rumours of mobilisation in Hungary.