FATE OF RUTHENIA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 October 1938, Page 7

FATE OF RUTHENIA

THE HUNGARIAN DEMAND POLISH REPRESENTATIONS TO RUMANIA NEW GROUPING OF NATIONS SOUGHT By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON, October 19. It is announced from Warsaw that the Polish Foreign Minister, Colonel Beck, has gone to Rumania to see King Carol and consult the Foreign Minister. It is believed he is seeking support for the transfer of Ruthenia to Hungary. Colonel Beck strongly opposed a free Ruthenia on the borders of the Polish Ukraine. ‘The Times” understands that the British Government supports Hungary’s claims against the Czechs based purely on ethnological grounds. The Warsaw correspondent of “The Times” says Polish circles declare that in addition to attempting to secure King Carol’s support for the transfer of Ruthenia to Hungary, which would automatically give Poland the common frontier with Hungary she desires, Colonel Beck is also aiming at creating the necessary conditions for a new group consisting of Poland, Hungary and Rumania—a grouping based oh community interests both political and economic in a region with a population exceeding 60,000,000. This community of interests, it is emphasised, would not be directed against Germany, but Germany’s lukewarmness toward the scheme is indicated as it does not conform with Berlin’s aims of forcible penetration in south-eastern Europe. • COMMUNIST AIMS DOCUMENT PUBLISHED IN ROME BEARING ON HUNGARIAN ANNEXATION (Received This Day, 9.50 a.m.) LONDON, October 19.' The Exchange’s Rome correspondent says newspapers this afternoon are publishing a document, purported to have been obtained from the Comintern at Moscow, ordering Ruthenian Communists, in the event of a nonguarantee of autonomy, to seek an alliance with other political parties,, in order to defend the workers of Central Europe against Germany, which country is attempting to seize territorties that will enable an easier attack upon the Soviet. It is suggested that the publication of the document will afford Italy and Germany an excuse for openly supporting the Hungarian annexation of Ruthenia. PARTY LEADERS VISIT TO BERCHTESGADEN (Received This Day, 9.50 a.m.) BERLIN, October 19. Slovak and Ruthenian leaders, who have been negotiating with the Hungarians at Komorn, have arrived at Berchtesgaden to see Herr Hitler.