END OF UNION

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19887, 15 March 1939, Page 6

END OF UNION

FAREWELL WISHES

CZECHS AND SLOVAKS NEW CABINET CHOSEN HACK A TO VISIT BERLIN PR A 0 UE R ECO N STR l T OT lON (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. March 15, 1.45 p.m.) LONDON. March 14. Reports from Bratislava state that while the police controlled the enormous crowds the Slovak Diet held its :ecret extraordinary session and appointed tiie following Cabinet: Prime Minister, M. Tiso. Deputy-Prime Minister, M. Tucn. Minister of the Interior, M. Sidor. Minister of Foreign Affairs, M. Durcansky. Minister of War, M. Csatlos. Minister of Propaganda, M. Mach. Minister of Education, M. Sivak. Minister of Finance. M. Pruchinsky. Minister of Justice, M. Ftitz. After M. Sidor had explained why he had resigned the provisional Premiership, M. Tiso, reporting on his visit to ‘Berlin, said: "If the Slovaks abide by the principles of racial determination, Germany will support them. If not, it will be so much the worse for the Slovaks.”

Proclaiming the independence of Slovakia, M. Tiso said: “The Government includes the best range of Slovak people who, in this historic hour, have fulfilled the century-old ambitions to keep order and discipline and prove worthy of a happier future to which we hope to lead you. We hope that the hard-won independence will be preserved and that the developments will be peaceful. We desire to live in amity with all neighbours.” M. Sidor, after three sleepless nights, collapsed at the end of the session of the Diet. Czech troops are being withdrawn from. Bratislava and other districts. It is officially announced in Bratislava that the Czech and Slovak nations wirelessly farewelled one another. An official communique issued in Prague states: “To-day the legal Czechoslovak union disappears and each begins a separate existence. The Czechs have never shown an unfriendly feeling towards the Slovaks and hope their independence will be happy and successful, and that Slovakia wi.i be able to create all the necessary economic conditions to supply her needs. “The Czechs shall always remember the friendly association. The new dispensation cannot divide the hearts of the people who have lived together for 20 years.” The Czech President, Dr. Hacba, and the Foreign Minister, M. Chvalkbvsky, have gone to Berlin to see Herr Hitler, after which the Prague Cabinet may be reconstructed. M. Durcansky’s Slovak free corps, formed in Germany, have entered Slovakia. Fugitive Czechs and Jews congest the Bratislava-station. Hlinlca Guards are searching Jews on the roads for jewellery.