DR BENES RESIGNS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26793, 9 June 1948, Page 5

DR BENES RESIGNS

President of Czechoslovakia COMMUNIST PRIME MINISTER POSSIBLE SUCCESSOR New Zealand Press Association—Copyright Rec. 10 p.m. LONDON, June 7. Dr Edouard Benes, President of Czechoslovakia, resigned .this morning, and the Czech Cabinet accepted the resignation at an extraordinary meeting this afternoon. The resignation was contained in a letter delivered to the Czech Cabinet 24 hours before the deadline for signing the new Soviet model Constitution establishing a so-called “ People’s Democratic Republic ” in Czechoslovakia. Dr Benes has been in ill-health for some time. As Dr Benes did not sign the new Constitution before he resigned Cabinet can now promulgate itself as temporary bearer of Presidential powers or can wait until the new President is appointed. Parliament will be called together on Thursday, and will be asked to set the date for the new Presidential election for next Monday. . Political circles in Prague regard it as a near certainty that the Prime Minister, Mr Klement Gottwald, will be the next President. “ Prompted by Political Motives ” New Zealand Press Association—Reuter —Copyright. Rec. 10 p.m. LONDON, June 8. Although there is no British comment so far on Dr Benes’ resignation, its timing is regarded in London as a strong indication that political motives and not ill-health were the determining factor. Forty-two Czech Deputies who escaped to London issued a statement that they believe Dr Benes resigned because he considered the Communist terror was beyond his control, and as a protest against the violent solution of the February crisis, the way in which the elections were held, and against the new constitution. Dr Jan Papanek, who was deposed as Czech delegate to the United Nations when the Communists took over the Government of Czechoslovakia, commenting at Lake Success on Dr Benes’ resignation, said: “ Between decency and the Communistic way there is no compromise. Resignation is the only way for a decent man to follow.”

Resignation Expected in Prague

The news of Dr Benes’ resignation caused no surprise in Prague. It was well-known that he intended to resign and the only doubts in most people's minds concerned the time he would choose for doing so, says the Prague correspondent of The Times. He first offered to resign as long ago as May 4, and it is therefore clear that there

responsible office to which it elected me by a unanimous vote on June 19, 1946. I thank it for its confidence. I thank the people for their confidence and love, which have been an immense support to me, and which I endeavoured not to fail.” Dr Benes hoped the Republic “ may be spared all catastrophes, that all will live and work in tolerance, love and forgiveness. Let them allow freedom to others and enjoy freedom themselves.” He concluded that he believed in the genius of the Czech people and in a great future for the Republic. Government’s Regret Mr Gottwald, in a statement, expressed the Government’s “ profound regret.” He said that for a long time he ’ had tried to persuade Dr Benes, but the President remained firm. He thanked Dr Benes for his great services to the Republic. Although leaving the Presidency Dr Benes remained forever in the history of the Czech peoples’ struggle for freedom, independence, and for a ‘‘progressive and so-cially-just State.” Mr Gottwald added: VDr Benes realised that a reborn Czechoslovakia would emerge from the war, one that would create firm guarantees that Munich could never occur again. “The first such guarantee was the close alliance with Russia, the second, a popular democratic order which would remove the traitorous classes and agrarian capitalist bourgeoisie from power. Dr Benes, in the spirit of these principles, carried on after his famous return to the country, when he himself inaugurated the idea of our new Republic being a pro-Socialist Republic. “In the historic February of this year he remained faithful to the people and the heritage of our struggle when he signed the new composition of Government which was to secure the further peaceful development of the State.”

have been long discussions to find out whether his decision was final. From the outset, he disapproved of a number of aspects of the new order and his attitude has not changed *s a result of his six weeks’ study of the new constitution. The Government is recommending, and the Assembly will certainly agree, that Dr Benes should be given a pension equal to the salary of a president and life-long use of Lany Castle. There are reports that he would rather go abroad. This is extremely doubtful, but if true, it may be assumed that he would not take part in politics. He was not prepared to lead a political opposition to the Gottwald Government during the February crisis and it is certain that he is no more disposed to do so now than he was then. Letter of Resignation Dr Benes. in a letter addressed to Mr Gottwald and the Cabinet, said: “I informed you on May 4 of my definite intention to resign and we discussed my decision in connection with the . problems of the political situation. I also told you that my physicians had recommended me to resign in view of my health. I beg you to ask the National Assembly kindly to take cognisance of my resignation from a

The Associated Press correspondent says that Dr Benes' retirement has removed Czechoslovakia's last strong link with the West.

Life-long Struggle for Democracy

The story of Dr Benes’s life reads like one uninterrupted, incredible adventure; but the hero of the story is anything but an adventurer. His outstanding characteristics, from the moment he took the political stage at the age of 30, have been sobriety, sanity, solidity; and all his activity has been dominated by one solidly founded political philosophy and one unswerving loyalty. Sixty-four years of age last month, Dr Benes is one who has fought all his life for the freedom of his country against the oppression, first of the old Austrian Monarchy, and later of the Nazi hegemony. He was born in a little Czech village, Kozlany, of poor peasant parents. Poverty, however, was no bar to education, for under the benevolent rules of Prague University, where fees were small and were wholly remitted in the case of poor students, he was able to take the faculty of philosophy. He continued his study at the Sorbonne and the Ecole do Science in Paris, and graduated a Doctor of Laws at Dijon. Returning to Prague in 1909, he was appointed professor of economics at the Academy of Commerce, and three years later lecturer, and in 1922 professor of sociology at the university. Role in First World War By 1912 Dr Benes had become one of the leaders of the Czech nationalist movement, and when war came in 1914 he soon went to Paris as Dr Thomas Masaryk’s right-hand man in an intensive drive in the cause of the liberation from the Hapsburg rule. When the Czechslovak National Council was recognised by the Allies in 1918. Dr Benes was its general secretsrv. Throughout the post-war diplomacy of Europe he was an ardent advocate of the full principles of the League of Nations, and even after Locarno had shown they were largely a dead letter he worked steadily for a nearer approach to ■ their ideals. Working always in the interests of European peace and the development of collective security, he wasjargely the instigator of the Little Entente, which was formed to provide a more solid from among the principal Balkan and Central European States against powerful neighbours. That this en-

tente failed to stand against the rising aggression of Nazism and Fascism was not the fault of Dr Benes, but rather the result of weakness of the leaders of other States in the face of insidious propaganda. On the death of Dr Masaryk, the President, in 1935. Dr Benes was the natural successor, and came into office as the tide of Hitlerian power began to disturb the political situation ol Europe. Lacking the honest backing of his wegk neighbours and only poorly supported by the fettered diplomacy of France and Britain in tl following difficult years, he nevertheless fought hard to withstand the growing cloud of Nazi designs on his country. Munich, in 1937, came as a death blow to his hopes, and early in 1938 he relinquished the post of President of Czechoslovakia and retired, to London, watching from there the eclipse of his country in the spring ol the same year. Work for Restoration With the outbreak of the war, in' 1939, Dr Benes at once became the centre- of the work for the reliberation of the Czech Republic, and was president of the Czech National Committee. which was recognised among the United Nations as the provisional Government of Czechoslovakia. Receiving the whole-hearted assistance of Britain and the United States in particular, and of the United Nations as a whole, the provisional Government, organised from Czech residents overseas considerable forces to revenge the rape of the country and restore its high culture. In 1943, Dr Benes was again President of a Czech Government recognised by the United Nations. He enjoyed an undoubted seniority among the Allied European statesmen in London, and his word carried the weight of proven wisdom and experience. Since the Communist coup in February, Dr Benes has lived the life of a virtual prisoner. He was several times announced during those crisis-filled days as being about to broadcast to the Czech people, but none of the addresses materialised. He is reported to have been. told that he could broadcast only if his speech was first recorded and handed to the Con' m uii !t ' ,c I* has also been reported that he accepted the Communist Cabinet omy unucr extreme duress.