“CURSE OF NATIONALISM

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19732, 10 September 1938, Page 9

“CURSE OF NATIONALISM

CZECH DIFFICULTIES H. G. WELLS’ OPINIONS PHILADELPHIA. July 2? Mr. H. G. Wells, British novelis and sociologist who writes of Utopian worlds to come, recently survey v _ Czechoslovakia's troubles and saic “the curse of nationalism” was responsible for many of them. If the people of this post-war republic had opened their doors to refugee German culture af'.er HeAdolf Hitler's rise to power in Germane many of the present-day difficulties might have been avoided, he explained. ••But the people of Czechoslovak': me to be nraised Cor their sturdy am determined stand against the anticivilised Nazi movement. Petty localism is spoiling some of the greatest ideals in history, including those of the late President Thomas G. Masarvk, father of the Czechoslovak Republic. Nationalism is proving today to be the great curse of the world and it is the curse of Czechoslovakia. “The idea of President Masaryk was to set up a sort of liaison between the German and Slavic speaking world. Had this great idea which Masaryk held when he became the country’s first President 20 years ago been realised then German culture might have found refuge here. “Instead of that what happened" Nationalism ran away with Czechoslovakia and took the form of antagonism to all things German. German culture which might have found a haven here when it could not find it elsewhere was turned away. That I think, is the great misfortune in the history of Czechoslovakia. “It does not alter the fact, however, that the Czechoslovak people have shown themselves to be sturdy and determined people in their stand against this anti-civilised Nazi movement which is finding such self-resist-ance in this country."