CZECH PEOPLES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19892, 21 March 1939, Page 6

CZECH PEOPLES

GERMANS WARNED MAY YET REGRET ACTION CENSURE BY HALIFAX ATTITUDE OF BRITAIN NO DOUBT IN BERLIN (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 1.15 p.m. RUGBY, March 20. ■. During his speech in the House of' Huordls to-day the Foreign Secretary, Viscount Halifax, reviewed the situation in Central Europe and said that the Government was placing itself in consultation with other Governments on 'this question and would continue to do all in its power for these unhappy people. "I think we leiit Germany with no doubt as to the British attitude," said Lord Halifax. "Although I do not cherish exaggerated hopes as to what may he the effect, it was abundantly right that such protests should be registered." Finally he spoke with regret of the frustration of the efforts to create a better British and German understanding. The British people, he said, had not been backward in recognising that some mistakes had been made at Versailles, hut whenever there had been a chance of making progress, Germany had:.taken some action which made it impossible. Now the initiative at Munich had been frustrated by Germany's action, which had given a profound shock to world opinion, and it was difficult to see when the initiative could be resumed. Wide Issue Raised "These affairs raised a wide issue, and the events in Czechoslovakia required the British Government and every free people to think again over '.heir attitude in these matters," hecontinued. The British Government had not ''ailed .to draw a .moral from these events and had lost no time in placing itself in close practical consultation, not only with the Dominions, but with other Governments concerned upon the issues.that had suddenly been made so plain. It was not possible, as yet, fully to appreciate the consequences of the German action. "History records many attempts to impose domination on Europe, but ithese attempts, sooner or later, have terminated in disaster for those who made them and it has never, in the long run, proved possible to stamp out .the spirit of the free peoples," said Lord Halifax. World Encouragement "If history is any judge, the German people may yet regret the action that has been itaken in their name against the people of Czechoslovakia. Twenty years ago Ithe people of Czechoslovakia recovered their liberty with the support and encouragement of the greater part of the world. "They now have been deprived of it by violence. In /the course of their long history 'this will not he the first time .that this tenacious, valiant and industrious people have lost 'their independence, but they have never lost hat which is the foundation of inde-pendence—the-love of liberty, and just as, after the Great War, the world watched the emergence of the Czech nation, bo it will watch to-day their efforts to preserve intact their cultural identity and, more important, their spiritual freedom under the last and cruel blow of which, they have been the victims."