The Grey River Argus TUESDAY, March 14, 1939. CZECHO-SLOVAKIAN CRISIS.

Grey River Argus, 14 March 1939, Page 6

The Grey River Argus TUESDAY, March 14, 1939. CZECHO-SLOVAKIAN CRISIS.

The dismissal of the Premier and all of the Cabinet Ministers of Slovakia, has created , a new sensation in the East European sphere. What it signifies is not entirely clear from the puss cables.' As has been often remarked by visitors, those messages fail often to afford a neutral view of international politics, because, inevitably, they are more or less influenced by the propagandist publicity which is. inseparable from news dissemination at the present day. One thing, however, does appear'to be clear. The new President of Czechoi Slovakia, Doctor Emil Hacha. is not acting as.if he were sub- ' servient to Nazi or any other external influence, but is evidently determined to avert any development calculated to break up the " reorganised Stale for whose integrity he carries responsibility. There is a suggestion in reports that the Slovaks might be seeking ; a severance less from the idea, of gaining complete independence than that of securing a separate relationship or understanding with Germany. One reason why this might be conjectured is the fact that Slovakia, like Poland, has a certain Ukrainian element in its population, and there is in Western Europe an expectation that Ukrainians generally might launch eventually a movement for racial unity which would have the goodwill of Germany. M. Stalin has just been hinting as much, though comparing the I. krainian region under the Soviet with the areas outside occupied by the same race as if the former compared with the latter as an elephant would with a beetle. There has also been widely propagated the idea that -Germany is already the dominant Power throughout Eastern Europe, and that any development in that quarter cannot be regarded otherwise than as a result of German, prompting. Thus a division of Czecho-Slovakia ’would be calculated both to lessen its own influence and at the same time to magnify that of Germany. . The action of President Hacha in itself runs counter to tlys anticipation. and probably also the action of the Slovakians has not had lor its object any greater degree of subserviency to Germany. Most likely the Slovaks have fell that the Czechs are disinclined to concede them even the measure of autonomy which has been promised them. Then tin Prague Government is stated to have foreseen a revolt, and to have forestalled it. hut the dismissal of the Cabinet as a whole was preceded. as a matter of fact, by that of a Ukrainian Minister, Al. Revay. and it is now staled Dr. Tiso, the deposed Slovak Premier, had been regarded at Prague as having been at fault only in not himself taking drastic action against the leaders of a separatist movement. It may be conceded that from an international standpoint, the separation of the Czechs and Slovaks would tend to a strengthening of Germany’s position. although that would be in view of a possibility that Ger many would naturally desire to promote Ukrainian unity embracing territory stretching far into Russia, as well as extending across the frontiers of Poland, Ruthenia, and Rumania. 11 is desirable that there should be a Czech Federation as strong and united as possible, including Slovakia and Ruthenia. Doctor Hacha’s action, even if il should meantime be thought to justify Slovak apprehensions of Czech domination, is still not inconsistent with such, a Federation, as

suming that it has been taken simply to avert disintegration. For the time being the situation remains somewhat obscure, the Czech forces having closed the Slovakian frontiers, but there is ground for thinking that outside influences will'be prevented from exploiting the crisis tor ends other than those of the safeguarding of .the Federation. The Slovaks might find themselves mistaken did they rely on Nazi influence, and it is probable that they are under no great delu sion in this respect. They are entitled to adequate local auton omy, and ought to be able 1o rely on’this being freely conceded, but though it should not be fully obtained at the outset, it is going to an extreme if they 7 regard a breakaway as a justifiable means of obtaining such autonomy. The action of President llacha in appointing a new Cabinet will at least demonstrate that the final say in the constitutional issue rests wih the Federal authority, and, provided that such authority is vindicated in the ultimate result. must operate to strengthen the foundations of the reorganised Federation. There doubtless are complications in Ihe situation not to be properly appreciated abroad, while there also are external factors calculated to aggravate, rather than compose, the differences existing. It is nevertheless to be hoped that the action taken will prove finally effective, and make for re-union on a better understanding.