1938-09-14 — Page 7

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9.

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH,

WEDNESDAY,

SEPTEMBER 14,

1938.

Historical Survey Of Czecho-Slovakia And Its Problems

HOW CRISIS DEVELOPED

Dramatic Intensification Of Political Problems During Last Five Months

CZECHO-SLOVAKIA, centre-point of the present European political crisis, has often been described as a "Child of the Versailles Treaty". The work of The appellation is apt, although not historically accurate. creating an independent state of Slav peoples started in earnest before the Great War, when the minority races of Bohemia and Moravia were suf. fering under the rule of the Habsburgs. The War merely gave a tremend- ous impetus to the movement and presented greater opportunities to its leaders.

With Austria throwing in her lot with the central powers, the Czechs found themselves ordered to fight the Serbs and Russians. When 2,000,000 of these figh- ters, which included Slovak, Serb, Croat, Slovene, Polish, Ruthenian, Rumanian and Italian subjects of the Habsburgs deserted, the Austrian army became disintegrated, and by August, 1918, the revolutionary leaders abroad, notably Professor Thomas Masaryk and Dr. Edouard Benes had persuaded England to recognise the Czecho- slovaks as an allied nation and had confirmed the right of their National Council to speak for the "future Czechoslovak Government," when Austria accepted President Wilson's peace terns in October, 1918, the Czechs regarded this as acceptance of the recognition of their independence and the reins of Government were seized in Prague without bloodshed.

(1) In the pineing of Gavern~ ient contracts, local enterprise and

This coup brought to an end a Czech mutiny against subjection, This was drawn up by the leaders formed the basis of a Government which had started in the eleventh century when Bohemia was forced of the three "Activist Parties, and which, in February to join the Holy Roman (German) Empire, and which continued proclamation through the centuries until finally the yoke of the Habsburgs was 1937, laid down new principles of also thrown off. The coup made possible the creation of Czecho- minority policy. The proclamation slovakia, a creation later substantiated by the Treaty of Versailles.covers six main points: The principal effect of the peace treaties was to give a favourable delimitation of the Czechoslovak frontiers. The historical dominial workers shall have first con- ions of the Bohemian Crown, as far as they had still been with sideration. Austria-Hungary, were restored; Slovakia and Carpathian-Ruthenia were taken from Hungary and joined to the new State. Two dis-services, especially child relief, shall tricts of Lower Austria and one small area of Germany were added State of did the for reasons of communications. Thus Czechoslovakia come into being.

new

(2) Social

slod

welfare

and

health

CONRAD HENLEIN

Since the rise of the Henein party, the problem of the Sudeten Ger- be administered by Germans wher-mans has become more and more ever they form a majority.

acule. In addition to their demands

Sudetens for

leave autonomy, the staged demonstrations. There have Le- been innumerable "incidents"

and tween rival factions,

several two years the post times during Europe has been afarmed by the de- velopments., During recent months tension has became more and more strained. Since the Austrian ansch- Is the Sudetens have become more emphatle in their demands until to- day the position is fraught serious consequences,

That the use of the German lan- inade guage is needlessly restricted in the Czech German areas.

.

That there

discrimination Dainst them in the appointments for Government services.

Its strategical importance and its great mireral wealth has never been minimised by the European Powers. Bismack recognised it."Whoever Is master of Bohemia Is master Europe" he exelaimed. Herr Hltler was quick to appreciate the enorm ous importance of Czechoslovakia and in his book "Mein Kampf em- phasized at Germany before the directed war should have sought to extend her colonies in the south instead of

That the Agrion Reform carried out soon after the war was largely German land- against

owners.

Against

this the

Czechoslovalca

(3) Mure Civil Service appoint- onents are to be given to the Ger- mans.

The language tests will be of the knowledge

is 10 be

Rauged merely by the actual needs of the position for which the candidates appoint- applying. However, ment is made conditional on loyalty to the State.

are

(4) Public bodies and organs in the German areas are ordered to to all annex German translations

without official communications

concentrating on achieving mastery Government points out that it has special request, and free of charge.

ali

(5) The Government will allo- cale funds for the educational needs of the minority.

(0) The Government promises to investigate and remove shortcom- ings in local government practice which damage the interests of the national minorities.

of the seas. France, Whose chief given the Sudete Germans full pro- in both portional concern is to hold the balance of

representation Europe power in central

readily local and governments and Parla

the beginning they entered into a mutual-assistance pactment. From

rack parish Russia, have controlled with the new Slate, and

which they from different motives, followed municipal councils in

majority. Their right to had A sult.

in educated tench their children "For various reasons the German German schools by German teachers minority represents not unly the oul-

was immediately recognised for all

To this agreement Herr Konrad standing internal problem of Czecho-

Hentela and his party refused to ber slovakia, but one of

gravest types of schools. deelures Richard Freund points out that participate, declaring that the pro- problems! international Richard Freund in his book "Watch, for more than ten years the repre- biem could only be solved by the sentatives of three German parties grant of autonomy to the Gerinan Czechoslovakia".

the German Agrarians, the Chris- community.

geographicni

Sudetens Diangree

with

Henlein's Eight Demands In April of this year, Herr Konrad Henlein, speaking at Carlsbad, out- lined the following eight Sudeten demands:

1. Recognition of the principle: within the German areas. German officials.

2. Full equality Germans and Czechs.

of status

for

the Sudeten 3. Recognition of Cermons as a legal body incorpor-

te.

Above, Dr. Hodia, the Premier, elegant figure in Czech Society, And (an the left) hi. Foreign Minister, Dr. Krofte. Ho loves the violin.

2. Equality of status on the basis of national autonomy by the creation of Cantons in which the Germans will enjoy self-Guvern- ment.

3. Special sections for Cantons in all central administrations which will be run by the nationals con- cerned. They will deal with the matters affecting their own natiun- ality.

4. Creation of Cantons in which the Germans

enjoy self-

Government.

5. It will be the national right of every citizens to be protected by special laws.

6.

districts

Assistance towards the indus- trial life of the German which have been most affected by the economic crisis, including e toan at 700 million crowns.

It is on these issues that the pre- sent crists exists, although there are not the other contributing causes, least being the increasing bad-feel- ing expressed in Incidents which have occurred within recent weeks. The following chronological extracts from daily reports indicate how the problem has developed within re- cent weeks.

Emergency Session Convened Prague, April 25,

Dr. Milan Hodza, Czecho-Slovakian Prime Minister, has convened 115 Emergency session of the Cabinet. Anxiety is heightened as a result of reports that Czech frontier guards Ared on a Pulish baloon, Confirma- Czecho- tion of this would mean

face an incident Slovakia would involving Poland, together with the

simulated newly

Interest of the Polish minority.

the Completing

dark picture, Hungary is showing interest in the future of the Hungarian minority of 692,000 In Czecho-Slovakia. --

Reuter.

Big Concessions Promised

Prague, April 29. A Foreign Office spokesman said that Dr. Milan Hodzi, the Czecho- Slovakian Prime Minister, had seni

to Mr. memorandum

Neville Chamberlain and M. Edouard Dala- dier, to the effect that Czecho- Slovakia was preparing to offer the Sudetens "concessions far beyond алу expectations

voiced." yet -United Press.

Britain and France Offer Aid

London, April 20. As ## result of the complete Anglo-French agreement with gard to the necessity doing their in the peaceful utmost to assist settlement of the Czecho-Slovakian (Continued on Page 11)

4 and 5. Determintion and legal German arcos recognition of the within the State. Full self-govern- ment for the German areas. The philosophy of Herr Konrad

for He develops the theme by ustian Socialist Party, and the Social

il every 6. Legal protection trating how the German community Democrats have been members of and Henlein and his party is based

citizen living outside the area of his is the largest national minority in the Government coalition and of the targely on that of Hitlerism. Hen- ony European slate, except for the Cabinet. These "Activists" were Jeln wants a healthy, hard-living nationality.

youth, and insists upon the herole Ukrainians in Poland, and by em-

deprecates the develop- 40 life. He phasising that the Germans are in supported until 1933 by 86 per cent.

in 1935 they gained less than pos.tion of the German-speakingt

electorate.ment of individual personalities, 3 strong

following terms: Most of them ve in the compact

per cent, of the German vote. Over rating it in the

"We know that the un-German par- areas along the frontiers of Austria

llamentarism and the un-German tendeutsche Partei" led by Konrad and the German Reich, which now, 60 per cent. went to the new "Sude

Henlein. The new party refused to-party system which are splitting up of course, comprise the

our peoples into unorganic sections Reich.

co-operate and its attitude enused a

proposals. the will break down. Our time is gov 30 1936 deadlock. scrious Prime Minister asked the threeerned by disciplined associations of da nol enjoy fall German members of the Cabinet to masses: Fascism. Heimwehr, Hit- citizenship on equal terms with submit a memorandum on the com- lerisin.

plaints of the German minority. manly way." Czechs and Slovaks.

Greater

Chief German Complaints Chief German complaints are: That they

Dresden

ERZ GEBIRGE

UDET:

Men want to be fed in a

7. Removal of the injustices in- flicted in 1918 and reparation for the damage caused thereby.

Ger- profess 8. Full Bberty to ma Volkatum and German Wel- tanschauung (political philosophy).

the Czech these demands, To

the following Government issued

of

arcas

1. Proportional employment officials, reording to the nationality

the of of

populace affected.

the

CZECHOSLOVAKIA

showing Racial Minorities

Germans (over 80%)

Magyars (over 80%)

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