ITALY AND THE CZECHS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18713, 20 May 1924, Page 7

ITALY AND THE CZECHS.

I'..'AN ECONOMIC 1 TREATY. COMPLETION IN ROME. LITTLE ENTENTE'S INTEREST By Telegraph—' Aetociation— :,: " * '' (Received 5.5 p.m.) - ," ■ / Sun. ' ' ROME. May 18. The Minister for Foreign /Affairs /for Czecho-Slovakia, I>r. Benes, has concluded an economic agreement ■with,; Italy. He states/definitely that it does not contain J military stipulations. •- i The announcement indicates that Czechoslovakia ' desires Italian collaboration in peaceful trade development. France's influence at Prague is likely to diminish, Dr. Ben es says, • when the agreement is published. ':' ' ' - ;/,y.:-, */:•:'.' : ;.' : <■'-: ;/It will show that no great. Power will have a dominating influence over ,-.' the; Little Entente,

Dr. Benes is the disciple of President Massaryk, of Czecho-Slovakia, and the exponent of his policy.: The son/of a shoemaker, ;/ he has graduated , in the hard school of life and has risen to his present position entirely on his own merits. He is . an advocate of the simple life, neither smokes nor drinks, and can apparently work a limitless number of hours in a day. In his youth he was an ardent footballer and played for the leading Prague club against English teams. At> one> time he was a, Privatdozent at, the University of Prague, where he taught, sociology and philosophy/while for some years he was professor of political economy, at the Academy of Commerce. He speaks French, Russian, German, and English with considerable facility, and, as he is only 38, he seems destined to be one of the leading figures in Central Europe for many years to come. Hi 3 knowledge of foreign affairs and the credit which, through his relations 'with ' Paris and London, '■/ he has brought to his country, make him almost indispensable to any Czech Government. In his political views Dr. Benes is very liberal and is a warm supporter of the League of Nations. He is not overpopular with the chauvinist elements among his countrymen, who think that in his negotiations with neighbouring States he has made too many concessions. Few people agree with this criticism, for it is, above all, due to Dr. Benes' foresight and moderation that the*relations existing between the various Succession Sates to-day are in every happier and more harmonious than they' promised to be four years ago. \- ■ . ''.