The New Zealand Herald AUCKLAND, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1945 REBIRTH OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25346, 30 October 1945, Page 4

The New Zealand Herald AUCKLAND, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1945 REBIRTH OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA

Czechoslovakia is the strategic heart of Europe. It could beat strongly for peace. Equally its flutterings can keep Europe in a state of unrest. Which it shall be, strong or weak, depends on the vision of the people, more especially on the far-sightedness of their leaders. All are resolved on making the nation a geographical and ethnological entity. The ambitions are understandable, but their realisation is beset with the greatest difficulties. The frontier problems are not made less by Dr Benes' reference to them as small claims for rectification. One in particular, the coalhearing area of the Teschen district, is as volatile as the coal it contains. It has all the ingredients of a perpetual dispute between Czechoslovakia and Poland. Dr Benes' wish "to live and work in peace with our neighbours" is healthy. But the neighbours who will sit on the very doorsteps of Czechoslovakia will include the Sudeten Germans and the Hungarians, who are being expelled across the frontiers and whose property is being confiscated as reparations. That these people deserve the fate that has overtaken them is a sound argument. They betrayed Czechoslovakia. Just as sound from the viewpoint of the peace and prosperity of Czechoslovakia, and hence of Europe, is that a good neighbour policy requires goodwill on both sides of the fence. In 1919 the founders of Czechoslovakia were warned of the consequences of including strong minority groups within their frontiers for the sake of the strategical features involved. Similar dangers may arise from congestion immediately over the frontier —not immediately but in the days to come. Two of Dr Benes' safeguards are "a better, more democratic and more modern army," and a Carthaginian peace for Germany. Others are the strength of Russia and hopes of the United Nations.

It cannot be argued that these matters are solely Czechoslovakia's concern. It is impossible for her to avoid the responsibilities her geographical position imposes upon her. The Czechs cannot avoid all responsibility for their former difficulties with the Slovaks. The Ruthenians, no doubt at the behest of Russia, have thrown in their lot with their brethren of the Russian Ukraine. Now a new Constitution for the revived State to be inhabited only by Czechs and Slovaks is to be prepared. There is promise of a democratic Parliament to be elected by secret national suffrage. The Western Powers, especially Britain, could help Czechoslovakia in attaining this end. Dr Benes and several other leaders have had intimate experience of the operation of democracy in Britain in peace and war. The British system is applicable to their country. Yet there can be doubts whether it will be applied. Once Czechoslovakia looked to the West. Today she looks to the East. Once she prided herself on being the bridge between East and West. Today this conception is a most unrespectable heresy. The tragedy of Munich, naturally, remains fresh in Czechoslovakian memories, but Russia does not share the blame. Russia's triumphant part in the war has invigorated the old Pan-Slavist tradition, always strong in Czechoslovakia. The alliance signed with Russia a ago was welcomed throughout the nation. No dissenting voices were raised when the Prime Minister, Dr Fierlinger, said in September that the country must consider itself an outpost of Russia. The Soviet Union has the greatest influence of any foreign nation in Czechoslovakia today. Her leadership in Eastern Europe is accepted. !Czechoslovakians are grateful.to her | for supporting their claims against 'the Poles over Teschen, a matter on | which Britain so far has refused to | take a side. Yet Czechoslovakia can|not be blind to incidents in other i countries where the Soviet Union is more or less paramount. As th'ey prepare for their own elections by secret national suffrage, they must have noted the interference of the Russians in a similar poll in Hungary. It is possible the limits imposed on free choice by the electors in Hungary accord with Dr Benes' ideas of a "new party system comprising only three parties: a party of the Left, a party of the Centre, and a Conservative party." He has had time since his return to find out how deep is the distrust of democracy and of the parliamentary system occasioned by the tragedy of 1938. On the other hand, if the Czechs, in the midst of their newfound liberty, feel they are being deprived of a basic .right they will fight for it. Another recent experience may also influence Czechoslovakia. An agreement was made with Austria for an exchange of coal for oil when Russia prohibited it from coming into operation. The Soviet Union can guarantee their territorial integrity; but can it give them economic security 1 Czechoslovakia may accept Moscow's predominating influence in default of the good neighbour policy on which she had set her hopes. On the other hand, as the most western-minded nation among the Slavs, the Czechs should not sever their links with Western Europe. Czechoslovakia must strive to he the bridge between East and West. LEAGUE TO ORGANISATION The new United Nations Organisation is found following the lead of the old League of Nations in many directions. That is not surprising because the League had the same general purpose as the Organisation. Its failure was not so much due to faulty mechanism as to the infirm will of those who should have operated it. Yet, in establishing the new system, the preparatory commission has to take care that it should not seem to derive too obviously from the old. There is a/ past, to live down. Russia lias not forgotten how promptly she was expelled from the League in 1939 upon the charge of jaggression against Finland. She felt : that discrimination had been used I against her, j* natural feeling when

the League's earlier and nerveless dealings with Japan and Italy are remembered. Therefore the commission is cautious in recommending the transfer of the League's functions to the Organisation. The latter must not begin to appear as the lineal descendent of the League. In particular political questions are not to be handed down. It may be hoped, however, that many of the beneficent activities of the League will be taken over by the new Economic and Social Council. These had to do with control of the drug traffic, the protection of women and children, the tight against disease, and the elimination of slavery and forced labour. The last-named subject will pose thorny problems in -post-war Europe but should not be dropped merely because it raises difficulties. The move to make the International Labour Organisation completely autonomous gathers strength from Russia's objection to association with a body that includes employers' as well as workers and States' representatives. The vitality exhibited by the 1.L.0. and its proved value should enable it to thrive apart from a parent body. FACTION IN CHINA Even at this late hour it can be hoped that the Chungking Government may succeed in reaching an accommodation with the Chinese Communists. It would be tragic if China, exhausted after eight years of war with Japan, should plunge into the horrors of civil war. While the two parties have fought the common enemy, the relations between Chungking and Yenan have never been better than those of an armed truce. The fear has been that, once the foreign enemy was overthrown, they would fly at each other's throats. To avert this final disaster, negotiations have been in progress for a year past to reach a settlement. American diplomats and soldiers have worked hard as intermediaries. The Soviet's treaty with Chungking, ignoring the pretensions of Yenan entirely, should also have helped by impressing the hard logic of the situation on General Mao, the Communist leader. One difficulty appears to be that it seems as impossible to deal with the Communists in China as with those elsewhere. They ask for undertakings but themselves offer none. They want to take all while giving nothing. So there are widespread and ominous signs of the armed truce turning into open civil war. It is sad but often true that family feuds are the most savage and unrelenting.