GERMANY MAY ACT

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 61, 14 March 1939, Page 9

GERMANY MAY ACT

SETTLING SLOVAK CRISIS

DEMARCHE 10 Llhtnb

PRESS CAMPAIGN

ATROCITIES ALLEGED

(By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyrigh^.) (Received March 14, 9.40 a.m.) LONDON, March 13. The Berlin correspondent of the British United Press says that indications are growing that Germany intends to take strong measures to settle the Slovak crisis, probably [within twenty-four hours. Well informed people believe that the German Minister in Prague will deliver a demarche, which will be practically an ultimatum, tomorrow.

(Independent Cable Service.) BERLIN, March 13. It is believed that as a result of the Slovak situation Herr Hitler has postponed his scheduled departure for Vienna for the Anschluss anniversary celebrations. Well-informed people state that Herr Hitler has decided to intervene in Slovakia but that there'is no indication of what form of intervention he is likely to take. Meanwhile, official quarters insist that troop movements in Austria are con^ -rned only with the Anschluss celebrations. The atrocity campaign in the German Press is increasing, the papers citing incidents of brutality and tyranny in which Czech terrorists are spilling innocent German blood. TO VISIT HERR HITLER

DISMISSED PREMIER

CZECH PROTEST

TREASONOUS SPEECHES BY RADIO FROM VIENNA

PRAGUE, March 13. Dr. Tiso, the dismissed Slovak Premier, left for Berlin at Herr Hitler's express invitation. M. Karmasin, leader of the German minority, accompanied him. The new Premier, M. Sidor, postponed a conference with the central Government owing to the increased tension. The Czecho-Slovak Cabinet will discuss the situation later today. M. Sidor, without result, conferred with Dr. Tiso and M. Mach, one of the leaders of the Hinkla Guard, who is proGerman. M. Murjos, the political chief of the Hlinka Guard, accused' M. Sidor of betraying independent Slovakia, and sought freedom from the oath of loyalty. M. Sidor refused and M. Murjos went to Vienna, • whence he broadcast to the Hlihka Guard suggesting an independent Slovakia under the protection of Herr Hitler, and advising them to prepare for a life and death struggle. • M. Durcanski, one of the Slovak I Ministers dismissed by the Czech President, broadcasting from Vienna, said that *he historic mission of Slovakia was to be a bridge between Germany and the East. The moment for a decision was near. The Czech Minister in Berlin has been instructed to protest against the j German Press campaign and the use of the Vienna radio station for the transmission of mutinous and treasonous speeches. Well-informed people expect the fall of the Prague Government under pressure from Herr Hitler, and the substitution of a completely pro-Nazi regime.

CLOSED FRONTIERS

SLOVAKIA CUT OFF

ARMOURED CARS ON DUTY IN BRATISLAVA

(Independent Cable Service.) LONDON, March 13. Tension is growing in Bratislava following the abortive Slovak attempt to establish an independent State. Slovakia was cut off from Austria at midnight when gendarmes closed all the Danube bridges to prevent arms coming in from Austria. It is now impossible to enter or leave Slovakia. German Storm Troopers arrived at Bratislava today from nearby towns in full uniform and carrying arms and ammunition. It is reported that 50 small bombs were thrown at houses in Bratislava. Armoured cars are patrolling the streets. The Prague correspondent of "The Times" says that Dr. Tiso and 230 imprisoned Slovak leaders have been released. It is also stated that M. Tuca and M. Mach, the two leaders of the Hlinka Guards, whose imprisonment created a storm of protest, have been brought respectively to Tabor and Brno. The official German news agency, however, claims that Czechs assassinated M. Tuca while transferring him to Moravia. ■ Meanwhile in Pi'ague the Slovak Ministers in the new Cabinet appointed tinder the Premiership of M. Sidor have been sworn in. President Hacha, has postponed the Parliamentary session from March 14 to March 28.

GERMAN VIEW

SITUATION UNBEARABLE

(Received March 14, 11.30 a.m.) BRATISLAVA; March 13. The Hlihka Guards, who are protecting their own buildings with rifles and fixed bayonets, called a massed meeting tonight in order to hear speeches ,by MM. Mach and Tuca.

The crowds hooted M. Fritz, the Slovak Minister of Justice, on his= arrival from Prague. The spokesman for M. Karmasin, the German minority leader, declares that the situation is unbearable and that normal conditions must be promptly restored. German help, he declares, will be immediately obtainable if necessary. The Germans have forbidden traffic in the vicinity" of their headquarters.

SLOVAKIA'S FATE

OUT OF THE REPUBLIC?

(Independent Cable Service.) (Received March 14, noon.) PRAGUE, March 13. The best informed circles believe that there is no ' hope of retaining Slovakia within the republic.

STATEMENT IN COMMONS

(British Official Wireless.) (Received March 14, 10.25 a.m.) RUGBY, March 13. The following statement on the situation in Slovakia was made by the Prime Minister in the House of Commons:— "On March 10 it was announced in Prague that the President, Dr. Hacha, had dismissed from office the Slovak Premier, Dr. Tiso, and other members of his Government, on the ground that certain factors in the Slovak Government had not been showing sufficient resistance to subversive activities and that the federal interests of the State were thereby threatened. On March 11 a new Slovak Government was appointed under the Premiership of M. Sidor. "According to our reports only minor incidents have occurred in Bratislava during the last few days, and the situation there appears to be outwardly calm."

THE CZECH STATE

AUTONOMOUS PROVINCES

THE PRESIDENT'S POWERS

The new Czecho-Slovakian Government was formed on December 1. The Ministers are not common to the whole country, but, in accordance with the Carpatho-Russian and Slovak Autonomous Statutes, each province has its own Cabinet appointed by the President of the Republic. The Government thus consists of three Cabinets — Bohemia (eight members), Slovakia (five members), and Carpatho-Russia (two members). The empowering Act which was passed early in December grants the President of the republic extraordinary emergency powers for a period of two years. Under them the President may even alter the Constitution, but only with the unanimous agreement of his Government. jWhen proposed Presidential emergency decrees concern the whole republic, the agreement of a majority of the members of the autonomous Governments of Slovakia and the Carpatho-Ukraine is required. These Governments are also given authority to deal with emergencies in their own provinces. Writing in "The Times" in. August last year, a special correspondent stated that the Slovaks were much more clearly separated from the Czechs than' were the Sudeten Germans. Strictly speaking, they were not a national minority, but lived in political partnership with the Czechs (as was indicated by the name Czecho-Slovakia). That partnership had not been altogether equal, largely because the Slovaks were poorer and more "backward" than the Czechs. The Czechs had exercised a certain preponderance in Slovak affairs, though they had also done much for the economic development of Slovakia, which would be very much poorer than'it was then if they were to receive financial autonomy. The Czechs denied that there was a "Slovak problem," but there was one nevertheless, although there were close racial and linguistic affinities between Czechs and Slovaks. But the problem, which was deepened by. religious differences, would never become menacing, if it were not exploited by Germany and Poland.