PREMIER TO DIE

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 7, 3 October 1941, Page 7

PREMIER TO DIE

Measures Against Czechs NAZI WARNING New Arrests; Generals Executed

(By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Received October 2, 9.10 p.m.) LONDON, October 2.

The German news agency stated that a German “People’s Court” has imposed the death sentence on General Alois Elias, Premier of Bohemia and Moravia, who was accused of conspiring against the Reich.

It is announced in Berlin that two more Czechs, both brigadiergenerals, were executed in Prague yesterday. Thus three generals have been shot in the last few days.

Prague radio announced that the Protector, Herr, Heydrich, has extended the state of emergency to three more districts of Bohemia and Moravia, namely, Hodonia, Uherskeradiste and Unerskebrod.

The German authorities issued an appeal to the Czechs to realize that their activities in seeking to restore the independence of the Czech State are useless. ‘"The Czechs,’’ it is stated, “must realize that their country is part of the German Reich, and that its only possible future lies in co-opera-tion with Germany, which, however, desires to preserve the Czech language and culture.” A further 256 Czechs have been arrested and have been handed over to the Gestapo. The 58 who were executed on September 30 included M. Pechlak, leader of the Sokol organization. [The Czech Sokol organization has been an unique sports movement with considerable culture and political significance as a unifier of the Czech nation and, moreover, of the wide mass of the Slavic Balkan peoples. Up >o the German occupation it had an enormous membership.] Oatli of Revenge.

An official spokesman of the Benes Government in London, through the 8.8. C,, warned the Czechs against being provoked into open demonstrations, strikes or rebellions. “The time is not yet ripe, though it will come,” he stated “It is possible that German agents posing as Czech patriots may call for strikes for the purpose of giving Heydrich an excuse for further terrorism. Speaking from London over the B B 0., leaders of the Czech army paid a tribute to the three executed generals, and to all the other , victims or Heydrich. “We- take an oath to revenge their deaths,” they said. A Czech pilot also spoke. “When I release my next bomb over Germany I won t see immovable objects, but the gigantic shadow of Heydrich, and I shall bu him right in his heart.” GERMANS STARVING FRANCE Food Requisitioning (Received October 2, 9.40 p.jn.) LONDON, October 2. Moscow radio said that the Germans are taking from northern France 10,000 head of live stock daily, also 1000 tons of butter a month. Threequarters of the potato crop has been requisitioned. This means that the French face starvation, because the harvest is only 60 per cent, of last year’s. Sugar-beet crops have' also been lost. The Germans are creating many slaves by driving peasants from the laud, and about 1,000,000 war prisoners and peasants have been organized for work in German agriculture. The Vichy Government yesterday announced an immediate drastic reduction in the amount of coal, iron, and steel available to French industry, as a result of the inability of Belgium and Germany to continue deliveries of raw materials and increasing transport difficulties. GESTAPO ACTIVITY Strain In Rumania (Received October 2, 9.10 p.m.) LONDON, October 2. Travellers reaching Istanbul from Rumania report that the Gestapo is now taking action in Bucharest, where people have been rounded up in the streets for questioning. Bucharest is reported to be devoid of winter supplies of wood, coal and food. Schools and other public buildings have been converted into hospitals, for which Jews have been ordered to hand over 5000 beds. , , , . It is reported from Istanbul that General Antonescu has resigned the command of the Rumanian forces and returned to Bucharest.