THE CHINA MAIL, MAY 21, 1938.
Page
"HOME RULE" FOR MINORITIES
CZECHO-SLOVAKIA
IN
Dr. Hodza's
Hodza's Momentous Declaration At Prague
New Statute To Cut Deeply Into Czech State
Prague, To-day.
A momentous declaration was made yesterday by the Czecho-Slovakian Prime Minister, Dr. Milan Hodza, addressing representatives of various political parties.
Dr. Hodza said the coming Nationalities Statute would be based on the principles of both home rule and just proportions, and would cut deep- ly into the structure of the Czech state.
As such, the Statute would help democratic republi-
∙HENLEIN
INVITED TO PARLEYS
Prague, To-day.
It is officially announced that the Government has invited Kon- rad Henlein, Sudeten leader, to enter into negotiations concerning the projected Nationalities Sta- tute.
Herr Henlein, says a, Vienna message, has arrived somewhere in Austria and will spend a few days holiday there.
His exact whereabouts are un- known. Reuter.
GOVERNMENT
can Czecho-Slovakia to fulfil her mission of RETAKE LOST
peace and justice in Europe.
Negotiations with the German Sudeten Party were imminent and would be held forthwith.
"No state in the world was ever placed in the situation in which we find ourselves to-day.
"We are in the immediate neigh- bourhood of the most elementary process ever known in world his- tory, namely, a triumph over reason and cool consideration of emotional nationalism.
GREAT RESPONSIBILITY
"This places our government in a position of particularly great sponsibility.
re-
SUDETENS
MAY DECLINE
TO NEGOTIATE
Berlin, To-day.
GROUND
re-
Madrid, To-day. The Government claim the capture, after fierce fighting, of the mountain region between Teruel and the sea, which was lost to the insurgents on Wednesday. They also claim successes on the Pyrenees front.
The insurgents, meanwhile, claim capture of two villages east of
Teruel.
Heavy snowstorms continue to hamper operations. Reuter.
great
SERIOUS DISTURBANCES IN BRUENN
Bruenn, To-day.
de-
Huge crowds of Czechs monstrated here yesterday even- ing and “adopted an extremely threatening attitude against German inhabitants.
The Sudeten German Party had announced a meeting of its members in the "German House" to com- mence at 8.30 but long before the meeting began, Czechs had occupied the streets in the neighbourhood hooting and threatening the Ger- mans going to the German House.
Just as the meeting was declared open the Czech demonstrators rush- ed the German House and tried to force their way in, demolishing the door by hurling pavement stones against it, while others attempted to gain an entrance through the garden.
POLICE INTERVENE
At this juncture the police in- tervened, beating off the demonstra- tions.
About 8 o'clock new disturbances broke out in several places near the German House which the police now protected by forming a chain.
As the Germans tried to leave the
the House,
demonstrators, broke through the police cordon and set about the Germans with steel pipes and other weapons.
The police proved quite powerless to deal with the situation and only
According to a message from the Sudeten Deutsch press bureau in Prague, the Sudeten
(Continued from Next Col.). Party committee met yesterday of the German House with following the incidents involving difficulty. Sudeten Germans and Czechs in Most of the Germans remained in after two companies of gendarmes the German House in which lights had been called to the scene, was it "We shall obey the laws of jus-Prague and other towns.
had been extinguished as further possible to clear the square in front shall unconditionally refuse to toler-tiate with the Government as long
It was decided to refuse to nego-attacks were feared. Trans-Ocean. Continued at foot of preceding Col. ate any form of terrorism and sub- versive activity and will show no mercy in extirpating them.
tice, we shall never
dictate,
we
as order was not guaranteed in. Sudeten German regions, and to lay down conditions of freedom of "As far as we are concerned, I speech and of the press, public promise you that no conflagration meetings and permission to form will ever be kindled in Czecho-groups of Sudeten Deutsch-Reu- Slovak territory.
SUDETEN RIGHTS
ter.
A Sudeten Party committee com- munique alleges that the Sudeten "Those who vill be granted rights Germans are the "objects of un- will also have to assume responsibil-heard-of attacks and provocations," ity, and this gradual measure of and that the authorities have not responsibility will be transferred fulfilled their duty during the dis- also on the shoulders of the Sude-orders. ten German Party.
"We insist on our rights to de- fend ourselves if need be to the last man."
PERMANENT READINESS
Disturbances have been reported from all over the country.
Mounted police and gendarmes | are guarding the headquarters of the German party at Bruno, where While declaring the Czechs' intermittent disorders occurred ́all' determination to defend them-day yesterday.
selves, Dr. Hodza said: "At the Bame time we shall satisfy all claims dictated on the one hand by the constitution of our state, and on the other hand by the needs of the times.
POLICE CALLED OUT
Large numbers of factory work- ers at 'Schodau, near Carlsbad, left work and assembled outside the po- "Our people ought to be in alice station. Gendarmes fired in the state of permanent readiness for air and drove back the people with the struggles "awaiting us, and bayonets, and it is unconfirmably we shall hold our ground in all reported that several were injured.
circumstances. ››
"Our tradition is to struggle in order to assure for ourselves the
Germans at Komotaw are alleged conditions of existence and the vic-to have insulted Czech soldierz off tory of our flag.
duty. Three were injured in the "Our alliances constitute a guar ensuing scuffle, and police were call- antee but do not mean everything."ed cul to get the soldiers back to -Routør.
Ibarracks Reuter.
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