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THE CHINA MAIL,
29, 1988.
How Czechoslovakia Won Its Nationhood
Historic Rights
Rights And
And The Minority Grievances
ZECHOSLOVAKIA, even after guage, through all those centuries confronted with a political and cul into purely German dist
suggest a structure as "ramshackle"
as the Austria-Hungary from which
it: was carved:
·
the
anglicised form of "Czechoslovakia”
i)
towards
the wisdom that has been learned Czech firms in the allocation of
an existence of 20 years, is of alien rule may be accounted a tural entity for which they were the priority given to the Czech still apt to make on the minds of good enough title deed to their new bound, on realistic as well as idea- language in German districts (rail- many Englishmen a confused and independences for
listic grounds to find a distinctive way station names, for example, perhaps not altogether favourable The Czechs were more fortunate, place in the new Europe. Whether are written first in Czech, then in impression. The very name itself
Throughout the Middle Ages, and they performed their task with all German), of favouritism has an unfamiliar and suspiciously artificial rings of the map the for some time after, Bohemia, with after the event is a matter on which Government contracts, of inequality
its fief. Moravia, was a kingdom country looks like a huge or tongue which played a role of considerable
there may be more than one opin- in the appointment of officials, espe- ion.
But the problem itself was cially to the higher posts, of the sprawling fantastically across half
import of a complexity that might well greater solicitude shown in provid- the Continent; and report tells of sometimes paramount - teeming national minorities which ance in the affairs of Europe. I have defied successful solution by ing education facilities for Czechs
furnished two Holy Roman Ero-
terested and farseeing.
a minority, and so on and so forth. perors, Charles IV. and Wencelas, any statemanship, however disin- in areas where the Czechs are in who for 50 years made Prague the capital of the Empire. With the very independent State aspires, Some of their complaints may be “natural” exaggerated, but that there is sub- as far as may be, to Such an impression is, in foundation in 1848 of Prague Uni- frontiers, frontiers which are easily stance in them is proclaimed by main, unjust, and it is certainly aversity it gave the Empire its ear capable of defence. It so happens the steps which the Czechs are now most inadequate basis for a balanc- liest seat learning, and in the sub-
that nature has provided the his- taking for their redress. ed judgment of the grave interna- sequent century, under the aegis of toric lands of Bohemia and Moravia An overriding grievance of the tional problems now centring on men like Hus, Zizka and George of with the most desirable of all land Sudeten Germans, however, is that Czechoslovakia.
Podebrad, the Czechs took 器
frontiers; that is to say, an almost they are accounted a minority at all. To begin with the name. In the pioneering part in`)
the religious de complete ring of hills high enough They
say that their umerical velopments which foreshadowed the
to form a rampart, yet liberally strength and it no doubt impinged on English Reformation.
geographical com- intersected with passes to form high- pactness entitle them to an equal ears for the first time after the
In 1620 a single unfortunate ways. Unhappily for the work of partnership in the racial founda- War. But in the original "Ces- koslovensko" was first used as long battle abolished the separate poli- peace-making this ring is occupied, tions of the State on the Swiss mo- ago as 1839 to embody a political tical existence of the Czechs. It could along practically the entire length, del, and they permanently resent aspiration, which was thence for not abolish the toughness of fibre by compact masses Germans, the fact that they received no share ward pursued until its ultimate re which was to survive intact three hereditary enemies of the Czechs. in the drafting of the Constitution.
centuries of submergence and sup- What was to be done?
In fine, their ulterior demand is for alisation in 1918.
pression. By the well-directed and To give Germany and Austria the racial equality with complete au- energetic propaganda with which command of the hills would be to tonomy in local administration. they brought the nationality pro- put the Czechs directly at the mercy To this the Czechs have always replied, if not in so many words, that, except under the pressure of political necessity, the loyalty of the Germans to the State is inker- ently suspect, and that to concede the demands just outlined would be to call the p as surely as if the Sudeten Germans had been incorpor- ated in the Reich in the first in- stance. In addition, they cling pas- sionately to the conception of to give them a strategic bulwark at State founded on their own nation- in torical facts, now sometimes forgot the risk of a permanent feud with ality as its vital principle.
their encircling neighbour. Cze
LONG-HELD TERRITORY
The roots of this aspiration blem to the front during the War, struck deep down into the subson by their systematic desertion from of history. Czech and Slovak, the Austrian armies, and by the though long divided by fate, are a epic "anabasis" of their legions single race, the advance guard of across Siberia, the Czechs made a the great Slav-invasion which swept by no means negligible and certain- into Europe about the fifth and ly valiant contribution to the vic sith centuries. A. D. For close tory of the Allies.
ou a millennium and a half. they have occupied without a break the territory which is their present home."
DRAWING THE FRONTIERS
The brief recital of these his
of
→
·BY- J. C. JOHNSTONE
of the Teutonic colossus. To retain the hills for the Czechs would be-
Upon the Slovaks there fell, 1031, the mischance of conquest by ten, abundantly attests that the Magyars, under whose domina- choslovakia is no mushroom growth tion they remained for 887 years. born of any perverse stupidity on The silent tenacity with. which this the part of the peacemakers. small folk preserved their national On the contrary, in the Czechos- characteristics, including their lan- lovak nation the peacemakers wereed Bohemia and Moravia for count-
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For good or for ill the peace- makers chose the second as the lesser of two evils: With some small ex- ceptions they left intact the poli tical boundaries which have enclos
less centuries, and in the result they created a State containing one German for every three Czechoslo vaks.
PREMIER HAS BUSY DAY
a
LONDON, TO-DAY. CONTRABY TO EXPECTA. TIONS, THE PRIME MINISTER.
"
THE
They did not, however, neglect to MR. NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN, provide substantial safeguards for DID NOT SPEND THURSDAY the protection of the German and NIGHT
ALONG WITH other minorities, the terms of which FRENCH GUESTS AT WINDSOR are laid down in a special treaty CASTLE.
signed at St Germain. Article 8 Mr. Chamberlain was compelled of this treaty requires that "Cze by his parliamentary duties to re- choslovak nationals who belong to main in London.
racial, religious or linguistic min- Late last evening it was intimat- orities shall enjoy the same treated that the French Premier would ment and security in law and in probably return to Paris to-day in fact as other Czechoslovak nation- order to get out his financial and als."
economic programme.
It is beyond challenge that in the The French Foreign Minister observance of these obligations and will most likely remain in Londor in the treatment of her racial min- until Saturday. -
orities, Czechoslovakia has compar- It is believed he will discuss with ed very favourably with any other City circles the question of the country in Europe: The Sudeten French desire for financial assis- Germans (so-called after the moun-tance.-Trans-Ocean.. tain range skirting the north-east border of Bohemia and the north
of Moravia) have always enjoyed,
FIREWORKS
and continue to enjoy, for an ex-IN COMMONS?
ample, a liberty of the spoken and written word rare at any time, and
London, To-day.
now elsewhere all but extinct east Two recent agreements, the out- of the Rhine And it is significant come of the Government's policy of the relations between Czech and of general appeasement will be German that, for the past dozen discussed in the Commoms” next years, two or three German Minis week On Monday there will be ters have been included in every debate on the motion to approve Government.
the Anglo-Italian Agreement and But it is also undeniable that the on Thursday, the House will take Germans labour under the sense of the second reading of the Eire marry grievances. They complain of (Confirmation of Agreement) Bill the importation of Czech, ameials British Wireless.