CZECHS' REPLY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23143, 15 September 1938, Page 13

CZECHS' REPLY

POSITION OBSCURE NO DEFINITE DECISION GERMANS DETERMINED A THREAT OF ACTION LONDON, Sept. 13 The reply of Dr. Hodza to the Sudeten ultimatum has not been published, but he invited Herr Pranck to Prague to discuss the situation, says Reuter's Prague correspondent. He says that it might be possible to reach an agreement which would lead to pacification. Herr Franck replied that Herr Kundt, Sudeten deputy, would be going to Prague. M. Bonnet, French Foreign Minister, was advised that the Czechs had rejected the ultimatum, but had offered to discuss the demands, provided that the Sudetens issued a proclamation exhorting their followers to obey the law.

The Sudetens' spokesman at Prague stated that the ultimatum was final.

They would not resume negotiations until the extraordinary measures were withdrawn. They had already extended the ultimatum to 1 a.m., and, if it were not satisfied, action would be decided on at Asche, where the Henlein Party is in session all night. The Council of Ministers at Prague held a long meeting, but made no decisions. However, the situation seemed to be a little easier:

It is learnt authoritatively that the Czech Government intended to mobilise immediately if Herr Hitler demanded a plebiscite, says the Australian Associated Press

Mr. J. Masaryk, Czech Minister in London, informed Sir Robert Vansittart, Chief Diplomatic Adviser to the Government, that if Britain and France insisted on conceding the plebiscite demand, the Czech Government would resign. ,