FEELING RUNS HIGH

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 March 1939, Page 6

FEELING RUNS HIGH

ANTAGONISM TO NAZIS IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA

REPORTS FROM PROVINCES.

PEOPLE REFUSE TO SALUTE GERMAN FLAGS.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received This Day, 10.45 a.m.) PRAGUE, March 16. Reports from the provinces indicate that the general attitude of the people is extremely antagonistic to the Germans and that feeling is running high. In all town§ and villages the people refuse to salute German flags. HUNGARIAN ADVANCE FIGHTING IN RUTHENIA. FOURTEEN CZECHS KILLED & FORTY WOUNDED. (Received This Day, 10.45 a.m.) WARSAW, March 16. It is reported that the Hungarians are approaching Chust. Fourteen Czechs were killed and forty wounded in an encounter with Hungarians near Svalva. NAZI CELEBRATIONS. IN SOUTH-WEST AFRICA. (Received This Day, 10.45 a.m.) CAPE TOWN. March 16. The Nazis 'in South-West Africa are celebrating the “victory in Czechoslovakia,” with a display of Swastikas. APPEAL BY RUTHENIA. ANNOUNCED IN HUNGARY. (Received This Day 12.50 p.m.) BUDAPEST, March 16. M. Csaky announced that, “in response to an appeal from the Ruthenian people, Hungary decided to take over the whole Ruthenian territory. Our army is sufficiently strong to crush any resistance. The occupation will not impair our neighbours’ interests.” CZECHS KILLED REFUSAL TO SURRENDER ARMS. CONFLICTS WITH GERMANS. (Received This Day 12.50 p.m.) MISTEK, March 16. The Czech garrisan resisted the Germans, refusing to surrender its arms. Eleven. Germans and three Czechs were killed. A similar incident occurred at Frydek, where 17 Czechs were killed. The German losses are unknown. ACT GF NECESSITY? GERMANY DEFENDS SEIZURE. PROCLAMATION IN PRAGUE. (Received This Day, 10.45 a m.) PRAGUE, March 16. Preceded by a fanfare; Herr von Ribbentrop, on behalf of Herr Hitler, issued a proclamation from the castle balcony which was broadcast to Germany. It stated:— “For thousands of years the Bohemian and Moravian lands have belonged to an area necessary for the exis; fence of the German people (Lebensraum). By force and with a lack of understanding they were wilfully torn from their historical setting by their inclusion in tile artificial structure of Czechoslovakia. This became a source of continual unrest and danger, which increased each year, that this condition would result in a new threat to European peace.

“Inasmuch as the Czech State has not succeeded in organising in a reasonable manner the co-operation of the different national groups forcibly joined to the State, that State has proved its internal inability to survive and consequently has now fallen to pieces.” The Czechs in future would be classed as German citizens, to whom the Nuremberg laws would apply, while Bohemia and Moravia would be included in Greater Germany as an autonomous protectorate, enjoying a Customs union with the Reich.

“Germany,’-’ is was added, “cannot allow disturbances in this region, which is most important for Germany’s safety, in addition to European peace and welfare. It is in accordance with the law of self-preservation that Germany has determined to re-establish decisively a basis of reasonable order in Central Europe. Her thousand years of history have proved that she alone is called on to solve the problem.” The proclamation added that the members of the Protegtorate Government would be confirmed by the Reich’s Protector, who must be informed of all activities of the local Government, to which he would give advice on policy questions and override measures not conforming to Germany’s economic, political and military needs. Foreign affairs would be controlled from Berlin. Germany would maintain garrisons and military posts throughout the protectorate. Transport, the Post Office and currency would be supervised by Germany. Herr Hitler has left Prague for an undisclosed destination.