EVENTS IN RUTHENIA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 March 1939, Page 7

EVENTS IN RUTHENIA

FLIGHT OF PROVISIONAL CABINET FIGHTING ALONG FRONTIER. WOMEN & CHILDREN INJURED BY NATIONAL GUARD. LONDON, March 15. An official communique issued in Prague states that constitutional relations between Prague and Ruthenia have ceased to exist. Prague is no longer obliged to defend Ruthenia’s borders. Shortly after news of the formation of the Ruthenian Government, however, Reuters Prague correspondent reported that the whole of the new Cabinet had fled to Rumania. M. Volosin is reported to have been wounded during a clash between the population and his escort from Bratislava. Rumanian troops are reported' to have occupied 20 villages in eastern Ruthenian inhabited chiefly by Rumanians.

Messages received from Ruthenia via Budapest allege that many women and children were seriously injured when members of the National Guard fired on worshippers leaving a church. They also fired on mutineers at an internment camp, where four were killed and nine injured.

Fighting extends along the entire Ruthenia frontier. Hungarians occupied many Ruthenian villages and towns and hoisted flags. RUMANIA ON GUARD EXTENSIVE MILITARY PREPARATIONS. BUCHAREST, March 15. Rumania is taking extensive military precautions on the Ruthenian frontier. HUNGARIAN ULTIMATUM DEMAND FOR RUTHENIAN SURRENDER. ADVANCE GUARDS NEARING POLISH FRONTIER. BUDAPEST, March 15. Hungary has sent an ultimatum to the Ruthenian Premier, M. Volosin, to surrender by 7 p.m. today. All newspapers urge the need to incorporate Ruthenia in Hungary for the sake of Hungary’s security. It is officially denied that troops have entered Ruthenia or that M. Volosin, Premier of Ruthenia, has gone to RuCzech troops are evacuating Car-patho-Ukraine in deference to the Hungarian ultimatum. The Hungarian advance guard has almost reached the Polish frontier. NO OBJECTION ATTITUDE OF GERMANY. VIENNA AWARD SUPERSEDED. (Received This Day, 9.40 a.m.) BERLIN, March 15. It is stated that the Vienna award has been superseded and that therefore Germany, has no objection to me incorporation of Ruthenia in Hungary. M. Volosin was told- to surrender his authority in order to “avoid unnecessary bloodshed.” Hungarian troops are reported to have entered Chust, also it is reported that Hungarians have occupied Ober Untermetzcnseigen.

It is stated that Hungarian troops marched into Ruthenia in three columns, as reprisal for border incidents last night in which Czech terrorists attacked Hungarian troops. FIGHTING IN VILLAGES. (Received This Day, 9.40 a.m.) LONDON, March 15. The British United -Press Bratislava correspondent says it is reported that 10,000 National guards and regulars opposing the Hungarians recaptured eighteen of the thirty villages which the Hungarians had occupied. Reuter’s Budapest correspondent says the Hungarians are reported to be twelve miles from the Polish frontier. POLISH RECOGNITION. (Received This Day, 9.40 a.m.) WARSAW, March 15. Poland has recognised the Slovakian Republican Government de jure and denied that Poland had invaded Slovakia. MAGYARS & POLES MEETING ON COMMON FRONTIER EXCHANGE OF GREETINGS. (Received This Day, 10.45 a.m.) WARSAW, March 15.

Hungarian troops made contact with Polish forces on the Carpatho-Ukraine frontier ,and greetings were cordial. A number of Czech offiicials have crossed into Poland.