The Editor’s Saturday Night

Northern Advocate, 18 March 1939, Page 6

The Editor’s Saturday Night

The past week has been crammed Cull of sensational incidents, and it will stand out in red letters in the pages of history. A great and dramatic change in the course 6f the lives of the people of Central Europe has been effected. The fact that M was effected without bloodshed 1 makes it the more sinister. Germany, despite the promises made by Herr Hitler at Munich, and repeated subsequently, has swallowed up the remaining portion of independent Czechoslovakia. Czechoslovakia,, which came into existence at the ruling of the Versailles Treaty signatories, consisted-of Moravia, Bohemia and Slovakia, with Ruthenia as an addendum. The whole of this territory formed, as it were, a long sausage-shaped territory jutting into Germany. Hitler’s occupation of Austria made Czechoslovakia’s position more susceptible to attack than hitherto. ■.

The Sudeten portion of Czechoslovakia was next added to the German Empire. This was the subject of discussion at the famous Munich conference. Since then, internal trouble has threatened further dismemberment of Czechoslovakia. This dissension was undoubtedly fomepted by Germany. It took definite shape when ■Slovakia, a few days ago, demanded independence, and the Czechs were forced to agree. With Slovakia “independent” under German dominance, Moravia and Bohemia formed the last portion of Czech territory. It stood completely surrounded. That was bad enough. During the past Week, however, Germany, who had, obviously had this matter decided wee’ks ago, ! suddenly threatened to march with all her armed force against the Czechs if they did not voluntarily become portion of Germany. ’ Readers of the cables during the week know the dramatic entry made by Hitler and his troops; Today the Czechs have lost their independence and the whole of their means of defending themselves against an aggressor.

The world stands aghast at this latest exhibition of ’ Hitler’s duplicity. Germany has time and again declared that .her whole ; object was to bring German people within "the- Reich. That may have been a satisfactory explanation of the “mopping up” ; done by her hitherto, but she-has now .enslaved a people who are hot Germans. What will she try to do next?'

That is the problem which -is agitating the capitals not only of Europe but of the whole world. Mr Chamberlain is being criticised ' for overgenerosity and trustfulness. He is not the first to have , been deceived.by demonstrations of sincerity, but, -So far as the British' nation is concerned, Hitler’s treatment of him will not have been in vain if it moves-the people of the Empire to so safeguard'themselves that they will not require to accept the word of .any dictator.