RUSSIAN TROOPS MASSED ON FRONTIER

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 296, 10 September 1938, Page 11

RUSSIAN TROOPS MASSED ON FRONTIER

3,000,000 Ready For Instant Action

DEMAND FOR NO MORE CONCESSIONS TO SUDETENS Grave Developments Unfavourable To Czechs By Telegraph.— Press Assn.—Copyright. (Received September 9, 8.30 p.m.) LONDON, September 9. It is reported from Prague that the Russian Minister, M. Alexandrovski, informed Dr. Krofta, Czech Foreign Minister, to-day that Russia would not guarantee help if further concessions were made to the Sudetens. The Czech military authorities have been informed that 3,000.000 Russian troops are massed on the western frontiers ready for instant action. Meanwhile there have been other important developments in Prague which are not calculated to help the Czech cause. In the first place, Sudeten complaints of ill-treatment of prisoners arrested for illegal possession of arms, demonstrations against which precipitated the incident at Mahrisch Ostrau, have been substantiated by a Government inquiry. An official report reveals that prisoners apparently were beaten, chained, and not supplied with food. The Government promises to take the severest measures against those responsible, and has already suspended a number of police, including the Chief Commissioner. Secondly, Parliamentary members of the Sudeten Party met Parliamentary representatives of the Slovaks, the United Hungarians, and the Poles, the four parties representing together a total of 5,000,000 minorities, and agreed upon a common line of action to be followed concerning the nationalities’ problem. Although the new solidarity of the minorities appears to be immediately unfavourable for the Czechs, the fact that they are making common cause might eventually be helpful.