PRAGUE READY FOR WORST

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22517, 27 September 1938, Page 11

PRAGUE READY FOR WORST

BLACK OUT PERIODS

NIGHTLY MOBILISATION SCENES AT STATIONS FIGHTING BREAKS OUT NEAR EGER (UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION— COPYRIGHT.) (Received September 26, 9.30 p.m.) LONDON, September 26. The Budapest correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" says every citizen in Prague is ready for the worst. Gas masks carried day and night in canisters no longer arouse comment. Black-out periods occur nightly, while aeroplanes circle overhead. Mobilisation scenes are obvious at every station in Slovakia, while long goods trains, loaded with field kitchens, occupy sidings. Men joining the colours fill every type of passenger and goods carriage. The Asch correspondent of the "Daily Mail" says firing broke out in earnest between Asch and Eger where Czech troops and members of the Sudeten Free Corps are entrenched.

Czechs started a regular battle at Rosenreuth by firing two machineguns down ,the road to Asch. Within a minute both lines were firing steadily. At Liebenstein, after an hour of intense firing, Sudeten forces were driven into houses.

A Budapest message says the official Czech agency reports that the Government has decreed that all women between 17 and 60 should be brought under the compulsory labour service.

The Vienna correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" says that 500 vards inside Czechoslovakia opposite Bratislava the road crosses triple barbed-wire entanglements which, ;» is believed, extend all round the country. Concrete barriers and entanglements lie on either side of the road in order to close it at a moment's notice. Telephone communication between Bratislava and Prague and Vienna is impossible. Broadcast from Prague A broadcast from Prague states that the Czechoslovak newspapers give the impression that the country is now fully convinced that war must be faced. The tone of the editorials is one of firm decision and resignation to the fact. -

Newspapers devote much space to accounts of the speedy manner in which the mobilisation was carried out, and also emphasise that Czechoslovakia has the most modern army in Europe, some of the best weapons, and that the people are united in the final decision to defend the frontiers. The Great Powers have recognised that the new conditions cannot be regarded as a basis for further negotiations, the broadcast stated. The Great Powers had also decided to take military precautions themselves.

"We have now manned the frontiers, and given strict orders that soldiers should not fire a single shot," it stated. "Not one of our soldiers stands on foreign territory. On the other hand, attacks from the enemy side continue. There is no • other way open to us but mobilisation, because we were clearly told if we did not mobilise the responsibility for open conflict might rest with us. Only by manning the frontiers could we have some chance of avoiding a conflict. "Our mobilisation was with the knowledge, advice, and approval of the Great Powers." Concessions Made The broadcast adds:—"The world knows that we, on September 21, accepted the proposals, including the cession, after the delineation of the new borders by an international commission, of the Sudeten territories. This concession was made because the Ministers of* Britain and France approached us with a request and statement that unless we did accept France could not come to our aid", and Britain would no longer be interested. We accepted the proposals because we desired to preserve world peace, for which reason we were prepared to go to great lengths. "Mr Chamberlain returned to Herr Hitler with our acceptance, whereupon Herr Hitler immediately raised new demands and new conditions.

"At 6.15 p.m. on Friday the British and French Ministers in Prague informed the Czechoslovakian Government that Britain and France could no longer take the responsibility for advising us to remain passive and could not recommend us not to make military preparations: At the same time they gave the Government to understand that although the memorandum was being delivered through their intermediary this was done without advice on our subsequent procedure." CHARGES AGAINST HERR KUNDT ALLEGED USE OF SECRET WIRELESS STATION

(Received September 27, 1 a.m.)

LONDON, September 26.

The charges against the Sudeten leader, Herr Kundt. who was arrested in Prague yesterday, include that of operating a secret wireless station, by which Berlin, it is alleged, was informed of developments in Czechoslovakia*