INVASION CONFIRMED.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 97, 24 March 1939, Page 7

INVASION CONFIRMED.

SLOVAKIANS PROTEST. HUNGARIANS REPULSED. Received March 24. 10.25 a.m. BRATISLAVA, March 23. The Hungarian invasion is officially confirmed. The Hungarians are reported to have reached Miclialovce, 17 miles from the frontier.

The Slovak outposts are retiring to tho second defence lines, awaiting reinforcements. They are reported to have repulsed tho Hungarians in several places. The Slovaks have ordered their ’planes into action. German bombers are cruising on the Slovak-Hungarian frontier, north-east and east of Bratislava. Slovakia has protested to Italy and Germany that the Hungarians are not respecting the frontier delimited by the Vienna Treaty. GERMANY’S APPROVAL. Budapest reports that diplomatic quarters state that the Hungarian invaders acted with Germany's approval, according to the Independent Cable Service. It is reported that Germany sanctioned the invasion in an effort to stampede the Slovaks into a more binding agreement with Germany. Berlin official quarters refused to comment beyond pointing out that the Hungarians probably crossed the very vague and doubtful frontier between Ruthenia and Slovakia, and will return when they discover tlielr mistake.

The German-Slovak treaty remains in force for 25 years. Germany assures the protection of Slovakia and has the right to maintain military establishments there.