NOT SATISFIED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23505, 20 May 1938, Page 9

NOT SATISFIED

SUDETEN GERMANS STATUTE INSUFFICIENT STATEMENT BY DEPUTY OUTBREAK OF DISORDERS (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) PRAGUE, May 19. (Received May 19, at 10.30 p.m.) Herr Ernst Kundt, Sudeten German deputy, met the Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia (Dr M. Hodza) yesterday, and is reported to have told him that the Sudeten German Party would reject the new Statute giving concessions to the minorities. Herr Kundt admitted that he had not yet received an official copy of the Statute, but he said that Herr Henlein (leader of the Sudeten German Party) had been given a good idea of its provisions while he was in London. Herr Kundt added that the Statute did not meet 5 per cent, of their demands. The Sudeten Germans, he said, demanded precisely the same rights as Czechs, including local self-government, local police end local finances. '< Clash With Czechs The Prague correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says that three Sudeten Germans and three Czechs were wounded in disorders. The outbreak occurred in the village of Crebenice, in northern Bohemia, when 50 members of the German Athletic Association marched through the streets, shouting “ Heil Hitlerl ” A clash occurred with a number of Czechs, and the disorders spread throughout the district. The gendarmerie had to intervene. CZECHS WILL FIGHT ’ IF GRANTED SUPPORT DANGERS OF SITUATION Czechoslovakia will fight to the last man if it can reasonably count on support from the democratic Powers, but if this support continues to be purely verbal it may have to sell out to Germany, says a message from Prague to the Chicago Tribune. No responsible Czech source, official or otherwise, will admit that such a course is even considered, but the Tribune correspondent was informed reliably that the course has been considered —very seriously—and that this is one reason why France and Russia have repeated solemnly their pledges of assistance to this country. The remorseless Prussianisation of Austria is for the Czechs a powerful argument against attempting to buy peace by becoming a satellite of Germany. Nonetheless, the alternative—the extermination of Czechoslovakia as a nation, with the forced emigration of the surviving Czechoslovak population—ls so terrible that a policy of surrender cannot be ruled out. Effects of Surrender. Such surrender would mean the strangling of the Czech democracy, the disappearance of the last centre of Western culture in Central Europe, now that Vienna is gone, and, of course, the same kind of purge of Jewish and anti-Nazi elements that Austria is now going through. These, however, are small matters to-day. The Czechs know that Reichsfuhrer Hitler is not particularly anxious to accept the Czech surrender, and would much prefer the complete disappearance of this country. Therefore, they figure that they have only one chance to save themselves—to become the military allies of greater Germany in peace and war. This would give the German army strategic access through Czechoslovak territory to Hungary, Rumania and Poland. Hungary and Rumania would have no choice but to join the band-wagon on the same conditions as the Czechs. Hungary, in fact, already is counted as lost, and Rumania might sell out minute even if Czechoslovakia did not. Stronger than in 1914 Since Bulgaria already is counted as an ally of Germany, Hitler then would be in a stronger position than was former Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1914. All this sounds very remote and speculative, but well-informed observers here easily see how Hitler might be in Istanbul in a few weeks. On the other hand, if France and England take a strong stand, Czechoslovakia will fight for its independence to the very end. The prospect of a World War and the over-run-ning for the time being of the most of the Czechoslovakian territory would not deter this courageous, hard-headed and invincibly patriotic people.