1939-03-11 — Page 24

CZECH ARMY NIPS ATTEMPTED COUP

their behalf, The Budapest réport

messages from Bratislava, is stated the crisis reached the

(Continued from Page 1) by Karmasin, leader of the German minority, has arrived in Vienna on

climax, when it was discovered that a special mission from Dr. Tiso.

Nothing definite is known in Ger- the Radica) Slovak elements intend- toed to proclaim an independent man political circles in regard the rumour of an appeal by the Slovak State and secede from Pra- was gue. Slovaks to Hitler, though it

Dur stated that it was possible cansky's mission had some such ob- ject,

•

HACHA ATTACKED Although official circles in Ber- lin remained silent, Nazi political circles and the Berlin press appear to sympathise whole-heartedly with the Slovaks. The papers attack President Hacha's action.

TACIT CONSENT It is pointed out that the Germans are in a position to exercise great influence on all developments in Czecho-Slovakia, and the opinion is held in Budapest that it is hard to believe that the Prague Govern ment could have resorted to such strong action as the dismissal of the Slovak Prime Minister without Later it was semi-officially stated the knowledge, or at any rate the in- Berlin that the Slovak Govern-

tacit consent, of Germany. Tiso (who ment under Premior

It is felt in Budapest that it will were dismissed by President Hacha)now be difficult to restore Federal have sent a Note to the Reich.

collaboration between the Slovak from Durcansky (says a cable

and Czech governments. Vienna) is understood to have left for Berlin to interview Hitler after delivering a broadcast in which he described the members newly-appointed Slovak Govern- ment as "traitors to the Slovak cause."

Durcansky declared that interven- tion of Prague was unjustifiable from the constitutional viewpoint.

GERMAN DISCRETION Events are being closely watched by the Wilhelmstrasse, but official

He has been appointed Slovak circles maintain a discreet silence on the subject of Slovakian autono- Premier in place of Dr. Tiso; who my, for which there is much sym-it is again reported, has protested pathy in the Germany capital. against his dismissal to Hitler. the says

Some members of the dissolved A Budapest report Slovaks have sent an appeal to Hit-Hlinka Guards have been confined¦ ler to intervene with Prague. on to barracks, others have been sent

THE CHINA MAIL, MARCH 11, 1939

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Slovak STOP PRESS

While Bratislava, the capital, has been quiet since quell- ing of the minor disturbances there. in the morning, its railway stations are heavily guarded.

No newspaper is allowed to ap- pear and the military commander has forbidden the public to listen in to foreign broadcasts. Reuter.

CORDON ROUND TOWN

Bratislava, To-day.

Bratislava After occupation of by Czech troops in the early hours of yesterday morning, troops pro- ceeded to draw a cordon round the town to isolate it and prevent the entry of Hlinka Guards from out- side, who had been called out in the whole province on Thursday

It is reported that an attempt by the Hlinka Guards to establish a military dictatorship following dis- solution of the civil administration, was suppressed by motorised troops which arrived at Bratislava in the morning.

evening. of the

has

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Czech troops occupied the rail- way stations as well as all public buildings, and cut communications.

off telephonic

Prague, To-day, The Bratislava radio is an- nouncing the overthrow of the new⠀⠀⠀ provisional government and the retreat of the Czech gendarmes.

M. Sidor, the Prague Government, in án earlier broadcast from Bratis- lava, declared: "The crisis 'be- ⚫tween Czechs and Slavs will be settled in the next 24 hours.”

Vice-Premier of

A Vienna despatch says, that M. Karmasin, leader of the German minority``in Slovakia, has returned to Bratislava from Vienna. Reuter.

BERLIN, TO-DAY. IT IS UNDERSTOOD THAT HITLER SUMMON- ED HIS CLOSEST ADVIS- ERS TO A. MIDNIGHT IN THE CONFERENCE Club,

CHANCELLERY ON THE CZECH CRISIS.-REUTER.

CLUB STORMED The Slovak Students' "Voradov," was stormed by troops at the point of the bayonet after students had taken to arms to de- fend the building.

Hlinka Guards in the town were, and as far as possible, disarmed

personalities of the prominent party, including Professor Tuka and the Chief of the Propaganda Service, Mach, arrested.

The part played in the whole affair by the Slovak Minister of State, Sidor, who is supporting the Central Government's action al- though he is at head of the Hlinka Guards still remains mysterious. Martial law has been proclaimed. in the districts of Pystian and Banska Distritzka where Czech troops are said to have encounter- ed resistance. Trans-Ocean. ARMOURED CARS ON PATROL

All public buildings and all larger factories are occupied by troops and armoured cars are patrolling the streets.

Machine-guns have been brought before the head- into position quarters of the Hlinka Guards, number of whom have been arrest- ed.

a

a

At noon yesterday, cars convey- at the ing Czech police arrived Government Building and were re- ceived with hostile shouts by

who constantly growing crowd; sang the Slovak National Anthem while police, making use of trun- cheons, endeavoured to scatter the demonstrants.

Cordons have been drawn across streets in various parts of the town to prevent crowds collecting. The Slovak town Trentschin-Teplitz has been occupied by Czech troops. Trans-Ocean.

CONTINENTAL

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CARLOWITZ & CO. Queen's Rd. Tel. 31225.

Vienna, To-day. Three hundred Aryan politi- cal prisoners were released yesterday under an amnesty to commemorate the anniversary of the anschluss.

Dr. Schuschnigg, ex-Chancel- lor of Austria, and the former Burgomaster of Vienna, Dr. Schmitz, who have been under arrest since the Germans mar- ched into Austria, were exclud- ed from the amnesty.

No Jews will benefit.-Reu- ter.

A

Chungking, To-day. detailed foreign report from Ichang concerning the Ja- panese bombing of Ichang on Tuesday and Wednesday, states:

"One bomb dropped inside the compound of the Scottish Mission boys' school, and seven bombs.

the landed... inside American Mission compound, two of which hit and wrecked a foreign residence. All build- ings were damaged.

"Two large American flags on the ground were almost ob- literated with debris.

her.

one

"Deaconess Elsie W. Riebe had a miraculous, escape, bomb falling within 15 feet of

the "Six bombs landed in Mei Hua School .compound of the American Protestant Epis- copal Mission, which was well marked with American flags in the air and on the ground.

"The Scottish Miaston boys' school, which was hit, was also well marked with flags.

"Total casualties are not yet available but are believed to be well over 1,500.”—Router:

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