Ukraine Problem

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 21 December 1938, Page 8

Ukraine Problem

Notes on the News

A veiled waruing to Germany concerning her aspirations tor an independent Ukraine is contained in a memorandum from Poland to Czechoslovakia. This is said to refer to the activities of the Ukraine Nationalists throughout Kutlieuia.

The new Czechoslovakia consists of three autonomous parts of the old historic Czech lands, Slovakia, and Ruthenla. The Poles fear that this autonomous unit will be used by Germany to form a nucleus to attract Ukrainians in Galicia iu order to form an independent Ukraine under German auspices. The Poles also declare that the integrity of Rumania is jeopardized because there are large imml*ers of Ukrainians iu Bukowina and Bessarabia who would be brought into the same orbit.

For this reason Colonel Beck, Foreign Minister of Poland, suggested to King Carol of Rumania recently that it would be in Rumania's interest to

establish a common frontier between Poland and Hungary by insisting that the Czechs cede Kuthcuia to Hungary. Riithcnia would I lieu l»e administered as an integral part of Hungary, not as an autonomous province of Czechoslovakia.

The scheme, however, does not, it is reported, commend itself to King Carol, and Rumanians, who are strongly pro-Czech, are opposed to any further dismemberment of Czechoslovakia. Rumanians, too, have no desire to see Hungary strengthened.

Since Czechoslovakia has fallen under German domination, German influence is already lieitig felt In Rutlreuia. Hungary, too, is under German influence.

me Central Committee of the Ukrainian National Democratic Organization, as long ago as last May, decided to abandon as unsuccessful the policy of co-operation with the Polish Government which was embarked upon three years ago. The committee declared that the minority rights promised to the Ukrainians in cultural, economic and educational fields had not been respected, and an autonomous regime iu Eastern Galicia—where tbs I Ukrainians number between four uu4 live millions—was demandi i.