CZECHS IN TRENCHES ON GERMAN BORDER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue LXIX, 21 September 1938, Page 11

CZECHS IN TRENCHES ON GERMAN BORDER.

FRONTIER CLASHES.

Volunteer Corps in Several

Skirmishes.

BUILDINGS SET ON TIRE.

United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 1 p.m.) PRAGUE, September 20. It is officially stated that Czech troops occupied trenches at some points of the German frontier after four attacks by the Volunteer Corps at night time.

Assailants attacked the Customs House at Keusorge, near Braunau and the defenders replied with hand grenades. Reinforcements arrived and the attackers withdrew.

They resumed the assault an hour later and were again expelled. They carried off six Czech Customs officials and two soldiers, who were wounded.

The Volunteer Corps, with hand grenades and machine-guns, twice attacked and Ret Jfire to the Customs House at Oberkleinarpa, near Marehendorf, but were repulsed. Two Czechs were wounded. Xew districts under martial law are the scene of these attacks.

Nine Sudeten deserters from the Czech Army attacked and set fire to the frontier Customs House at Trautenau, using hand grenade* on the occupants and killing one Czech and taking prisoner another, also a gendarme, who allegedly fired on the refugees.

A German news agency in Berlin reports that Sudeten deserters from the Czech Army crossed the frontier to Germany at Kronstadt after the exchange of shots. Czechs fired on the Sudeten fugitives after reaching German territory at Woldenburg.

A Prague message states that 18 were admitted to hospital after an attack at Tratenau.

"HITLER SCORES."

AMERICAN OPINION.

Relief at Avoiding War and Quiet Dismay. NO SLACKENING OF ALOOFNESS United Press Association.—Copyright. WASHINGTON, September 20. e The relief in Washington at the prospect of avoiding war is mixed with quiet dismay that Herr Hitler has scored a diplomatic victory. It is felt that he will continue on the path of aggression through armed threat.

The reaction here is similar to the "'let down" feeling of February, when Mr. Anthony Eden resigned, and Britain recognised Italy's conquest of Ethiopia.

Just prior to that the United States, with Britain, had been admonishing aggressors and mustering moral sentiment against their acts.

Neither White House nor the State Department wishes to pass moral judgment on Britain, but Mr. Chamberlain's willingness to make very broad concessions after first stoutly opposing them, has led to the feeling that if America had said anything she might be "out oil a limb." There is no slackening of America's attitude of aloofness. "Selling Out" the Czechs. On returning to Cambridge, Massachusetts, to-day from Europe, Dr. J. Antom de Haas, professor of international relations at Harvard University, said Britain was not only "selling out" Czechoslovakia for the sake of temporary peace, but was striking at the existence of her Empire. Britain was losing control of Asia Minor and ultimately would lost control of India. After a conference with the President, Mr. S. D. Mcßeynolds, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives, said there was no reason for calling a special session of Congress.