ULTIMATUM TO CZECHS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 March 1939, Page 5

ULTIMATUM TO CZECHS

HITLER’S THREAT TO BOMB PRAGUE RUTHLESSLY President Not Allowed To Discuss Terms ALL BOHEMIA AND MORAVIA IN GERMAN HANDS HALF OF RUTHENIA OCCUPIED BY HUNGARIANS By Telegraph.—Press Association. —Copyright. LONDON, March 16. Reports from Central Europe today indicate that the whole of Bohemia and Moravia (what was formerly the Czech part of the Czechoslovak Republic) are now in German hands. German troops entering from the south have made contact with those entering from the north. This morning Herr Hitler received Dr Hacha, President of the Czech Republic. The Prague correspondent of “The Times” says that the Fuehrer adopted a ruthless attitude. There was no discussion on terms, but Dr Hacha received the German demands in the form of an ultimatum. He was told that, failing acceptance, Prague would be bombed immediately and ruthlessly.

Messages from the south report that Hungarian tioops have occupied more than half Ruthenia, most of the opposition having been disarmed. Bad weather hinders the marqh, but Hungarian troops have already reached the Polish frontier. Czech troops, including 50 officers, retreating before Hungarians, crossed the Polish frontier where they were disarmed.

The semi-official German journal “Diplomatische Korrespondenz” says that history gives the Czechs no claim to independence and that Czech political leadership is now concluded. The experiment of the sole Czech responsibility for Bohemia and Moravia has been a failure and the interregnum to 20 years has ended. Bohemia rejoins the organised German system in which it developed its culture through a thousand years.

NO LONGER VALID FRANCE DISOWNS MUNICH PACT NEED OF STRENGTHENING ALLIANCES. M. BONNET ATTACKED BY OPPOSITION. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. PARIS, March 16. The Foreign Minister, M. Bonnet, today received the German Ambassador who, reporting on the entry of troops into Czechoslovakia, said that no question of violation of frontiers or aggression had resulted from the agreement between Herr Hitler and President Hacha. The Opposition attacked M. Bonnet during an address today to a secret session of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Chamber of Deputies. An Alsace deputy said that Germany would soon be claiming Alsace-Lor-raine. M. Bonnet said that he did not regard the Munich agreement as. still valid. He stressed the necessity for France to strengthen her alliances and maintain solidarity with Britain and close relations with Poland and Russia. He added that no claims had yet been made by Italy. No negotiations were in progress and none were contemplated. SHOCKING CRIME BENES CALLS TO CZECHS & SLOVAKS. MUST STRUGGLE TO FREEDOM AGAIN. CHICAGO, March 15. Dr Benes, formerly President, of Czechoslovakia issued a statement calling on the Czechs and Slovaks to struggle to freedom again. “A new and shocking international crime has been committed,” he said. “It is one of the deeds through which Europe is deprived and is going to be ' deprived in the future of peace, order and tranquillity. “The struggle for the freedom of the individual has always won out against brute force and oppression, and it will not be any different with today’s brute force and oppression. “A free Europe will be built up again, and therein free Czechs and Slovaks shall live.” MOVE BY BRITAIN M. DALADIER INVITED TO LONDON. TO DISCUSS THE EUROPEAN SITUATION. (Received This Day. 9.35 a.m.) PARIS, March 16. Cabinet is considering a British invitation to the Prime Minister, M. Daladier, to go to London to discuss the new European situation. MUNICH & AFTER THE HOUSE OF COMMONS DEBATE DEMAND FOR POSITIVE POLICY. SIR J. SIMON DEFENDS MR CHAMBERLAIN. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY. March 15. During the debate in the House of Commons on the Central European situation. Mr D. R. Grenfell (Labour) said that Ministers had stated last October that under the Munich Agreement Czechoslovakia would enjoy greater security than before, and asserted that Mr Chamberlain's credulity passed all understanding. The fact was that they were now entering upon a period fraught with immediate and terrible dangers to all. Mr Anthony Eden (Con.) said that

the hopes which some people had been able to repose last October in the results of the Munich conference had been falsified, and no one could doubt that there would be only a brief respite before further demands were made and another victim arraigned which, like its predecesors, would be confronted with the alternatives of resistance or surrender.

Mr Eden concluded with a fervent appeal for the co-operation of political parties in convincing the world of the strength of the nation and of its determination to make ,an effort without parallel in its history. "There is a time when a great nation must take a great decision and I believe that such a time has come now,” he said. Mr Eden said that such a Government of all parties would have to examine the new military and strategic position and consult with all likeminded nations, wherever they might be and whatever they might be, on what their common policy should be — where they should make their stand and how they should give effect to their decision. Dr Hugh Dalton (Labour) declared that Mr Chamberlain's policy was now visibly in ruins. If events had taken the Government by surprise it was a reflection on the diplomatic service. “We should make contact with the Soviet and the Unitfd States,” he went on. “There is yet time to collect forces which may make even Hitler think.” Replying for the Government, Sir John Simon said he resented the attacks made on Mr Chamberlain. He declared: “It is no reflection on our Ambassador that he was unable to predict the sudden decision of a single man. There is general agreement that the extinction of Czechoslovakia is a terribly and wholly indefensible event. The method whereby it was accomplished is the very opposite to that contemplated at Munich.” Lord Halifax’s recent warning to the totalitarian Powers, “Halt, Major Road Ahead” said Sir John, represented the major determination of the whole British people. It was a mistake to suppose that they would tolerate any domination. Sir John Simon pointed out that history showed that alien races under the domination of conquerors were often a source of weakness. He suggested that Austria and the Sudetenland might not prove a source of strength to Germany. “We are witnesses of the most amazing megalomania,” he said, adding that he was sure of the British people’s power of resistance if anything of the kind were attempted at their expense. The debate concluded.

SUNSHINE TALK MR. CHAMBERLAIN URGED . TO FACE REALITIES. (Independent Cable Service.) (Received This Day, 9 a.m.) LONDON, March 16. The “Daily Telegraph,” in an editorial, criticises Mr Chamberlain’s statement that there is no reason to convict Herr Hitler of wilful bad faith, and says: "He pushed understatement to the point of irony when he said HenHitler’s actions did not accord with the spirit of Munich. That spirit is dead and buried. Who can hope to appease a boa constrictor? Not a single neighbour of Germany’s henceforth can be safe from her deadly embrace. The Government should abate its ‘sunshine talk,’ and substitute greater emphasis on vigilance.” BRITAIN AND RUSSIA RELATIONS MAY DETERMINE PEACE OR WAR. LONDON. March 15. The question of peace or war depends in the last resort on the nature of the relations between London and Moscow, declared the Soviet Ambassador, M. Maisky, in the course of a speech in London today. England and Russia have not always agreed as to the best methods of securing peace, but there is at present no conflict of interest between them in any part of the world. The Soviet policy is not peace at any price, but is based on law an,d order.” .

“UTTER FUTILITY” DENUNCIATIONS OF PREMIER'S , POLICY. (Independent Cable Service.) LONDON, March 16. Commenting on the Czech situation today, the “Daily Herald” says: “Let us face facts. We can meet a threat of force only by an intensification of our own measures of security and a determined policy of co-operation with France, Russia and, the United States of America against the common danger to those principles of international justice and peace to which we all adhere.” , The “News Chronicle” says: . “The present climax shows the utter futility of Mr Chamberlain's policy toward Germany. Every sane person desires to see international differences settled by discussion instead of force, but it is surely plain that Mr Chamberlain's policy of retreating before an aggressor merely encourages him to further acts of aggression.” “DRY NAPOLEON” - CONCERN IN THE UNITED STATES ANXIETY OVER HITLER'S MARCH. CELEBRATION BY GERMAN BUND. NEW*YORK. March 16. Herr Hitler's march on Bohemia is being followed by America with anxious attention but no surprise. Such matters as American investments in Czechoslovakia, the reciprocal trade treaty, under which much international trade is carried on, and the Czech bonded debts of 169,000,000 dollars held in America gave the developments a practical aspect of immediate nature to the United States of America, but these are overshadowed, momentarily at least, from the popular viewpoint. The victories of the “dry” Napoleon, as Herr Hitler is called because he conquers bloodlessly. exert an unmistakable fascination upon the man in the street who perhaps, without admiring Germany’s conquests, marvels over their periodicity and continuation. It is a game to follow and to wonder whether it will ever end, or what forces will end it. The various German American Bund headquarters held victory celebrations yesterday and today, and the police had to rally to support a meeting of the so-called Racial Tolerance Society at Philadelphia, which was broken up by Nazi hoodlums. Such events have concentrated attention on certain other aspects of the Czechoslovakian situation, namely, the fate of racial, religious or intellectual minorities and at least one newspaper influential in New York, the “Daily News,” advises the United States of America “to relax the immigration laws and allow into the United States as large a proportion of these people as we can fairly be called on to receive, if not larger. . . for plain human decency.” The announcement that Argentina has just concluded an enormous baiter deal with Germany has added another detail concerning the part which the United States must play in combatting the totalitarian States Under this deal Germany is to take 55.125,000 bushels of wheat valued at £7.000.000 and Argentina will receive in return motor vehicles, railway equipment and other machinery.

NEUTRALITY ACT REVISION LIKELY TO BE HASTENED. NEW YORK, March 'l6. The day’s developments did not bring any indication of the official reaction to the Czechoslovakian incident, save an observation by the Under-Sec-retary of State, Mr Sumner Wells, that President Roosevelt was keeping in closest touch with the situation. Unofficially it was, however, emphasised that the occurrence of the past 24 hours would only hasten the revision of the Neutrality Act, with a possible cash-and-carry basis for munitions traffic assured in the interests of democracies and the hastening of the United States rearmament programme. “Every time a small nation in I Europe loses its political and economic; independence by the power and pressure of totalitarian States that fact must be taken into consideration by the chiefs of the army and navy,’ was the way in which it was put by a White House attache. The viewpoint of Congress was expressed by Representative Bender as: “We are living in a world temporarily gone mad. Here in America it is our duty to do everything we can to defend the principles because of which Czechoslovakia has been destroyed.” GERMAN TROOPS PRESENCE IN SLOVAKIA RESENTED. REPRESENTATIONS MADE BY GOVERNMENT. LONDON. March 16. The. Bratislava correspondent of the Exchange Telegraph Company says that the Government has made representations to Germany about the presence of German troops in Slovakia, which is regarded as incompatible with the Slovak State’s sovereignty. “THIS BLACK WEEK” CRUDE & BRUTAL ACT. BRITISH PRESS DENOUNCES GERMANY. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.20 a.m.) RUGBY, March 16. The increasing disquiet and gravity with which the dismemberment of Czechoslovakia and the brutality of Germany's methods are viewed in Britain is again reflected in newspaper comment.. “The Times” says there is nothing left for moral debate in this crude and brutal act of oppression and suppression. “The Times” asks: “What German outside the Nazi Party believes that Germany has been strengthened by this staggering rejection of theunost insistent teachings of history, including recent history, and of the most elementary promptings of political intelligence? Time will judge ultimately an* infallibly whether this oiaci< week has after all been a brilliant week for the new rulers of Czechoslovakia.”