Czech Reply to German Memo. Unconditional Refusal to Accept

Northern Advocate, 28 September 1938, Page 8

Czech Reply to German Memo. Unconditional Refusal to Accept

The New Proposition.

Ultimatum. Rejected.

(Received 1.30 p.m.)

RUGBY, September 17. rpHE TEXT HAS BEEN FUBLISHE D BY THE CZECHOSLOVAKIAN LEGATION OF A LETTER WHI CH WAS HANDED TO THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, VISCOUNT HALIFAX, ON MONDAY BY M. MASARYK, THE CZECH MINISTER IN LONDON, WHICH CONSTITUTES THE CZECH REPLY TO THE GERMAN M EMORANDUM. In the course of the letter it is stated: — “Britain and France are very well aware that we agreed under the most severe pressure to the so-called Franco-British plan for ceding part of Czechoslovakia. Wo accepted this pi an under extreme duress. We had not even time to make any recommendations about its many unworkable features. “Nevertheless we accepted it, bee ause we understood it was the end of the demand to be made, and that the sc two Powers would accept responsibility for our reduced frontiers, and w ould guarantee us their support in the event of our being feloniously attack ed. The vulgar German campaign continued. r —:-j.— -.tvt:; — • - rrry '■■"JgMfr — -

Undertaking- Honoured. “While Mr Chamberlain was at Gcdesburg, the following message was received by my Government from the British and French representatives in Prague: ‘We have agreed with Fi’ance that Czechoslovakia be informed that France and Britain cannot take the responsibility of advising them not to mobilise.’ My new Government, headed by General Sirovy, declared that they would accept full responsibility for their predecessors’ decision to accept the stern terms, of the so-called Anglo-French plan.

“Yesterday, after Mr Chamberlain’s return from Godesburg, the new proposition was handed by Mr B. C. Newton to my Government, with the additional information that Britain is acting wholly as an intermediary, and is neither advising nor pressing my Government in any way.

M. Crofta (Czech Foreign Minister), in receiving the plan, from Mr Newton, assured him that Czechoslovakia would study ii in the same spirit in which they had co-operated with Britain and France hitherto.

“My Government has now studied the plan, and the map. It is a de facto ultimatum of the sort usually presented to a vanquished nation, and not a proposition to a Sovereign State which has shown the greatest possible readiness to make sacrifices for appeasement.

Government Amazed.

“Not the smallest trace of such readiness for sacrifices has yet been manifested by Herr Hitler’s Government. My Government is amazed at the contents of the memorandum. The proposals go far beyond what we agreed to in the so-called Anglo-French iplan. They deprived us of every safeguard for our national existence.

“We are to yield up large proportions of our carefully-prepared defences, and admit the German army deep into our country before we have been able to organise it on the new basis, or to make any preparations for its defence.

Utmost Resistance. “Our national economic independence would automatically disappear with the acceptance of Herr Hitler’s plan. The whole process of moving population is reduced to a panic flight cn the part of those who will not accept the German Nazi regime. They have to leave their homes without even the right to take their personal belongings, or even, in the case of peasants, their cows. “My Government wish me to declare, in all solemnity, that Herr Hitler’s demands in their present form arc absolutely and unconditionally unacceptable to my Government. Against these new and cruel demands my Government feel bound to make their utmost resistance, and we shall do so, God helping.”