GERMAN GAINS FROM CZECHS

Southland Times, Issue 23773, 22 March 1939, Page 5

GERMAN GAINS FROM CZECHS

Gold, Weapons And Equipment SCHEMES TO WIN POPULARITY (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received March 21, 10.50 p.m.) LONDON, March 21. Germany acquired from Bohemia and Moravia £17,000,000 in gold and foreign exchange belonging to the Czech banks, says the Berlin correspondent of The Times. She also acquired small quantities of ammunition and a limited number of modern aeroplanes' from the 1500 confiscated. •

Germany’s greatest gain is in agricultural, armaments and industrial equipment, which is superior to the Austrian equipment. The raw material gained is worth £250,000,000.

The Daily Express says» that 1000 Czech aeroplanes escaped German seizure and flew to Poland, Rumania and Yugoslavia. Russian officers carried out sabotage of the fuel tanks at air ports. Formulas for steel alloys and a special concrete for fortifications and blueprints of a new automatic rifle and of many other secret Skoda productions were taken from the country, though the swiftness of the German occupation was intended to prevent this. An Independent Cable Service message from Prague says that the Germans have demobilized 49,000 men of the Czech army. There are 35 field kitchens in the city, but they are being boycotted to a great extent by the Czechs.

It is understood that the Germans are preparing to break up the big estates and distribute the land to the peasants in the hope of winning their support. Simultaneously they will launch “a drive against corruption in high places” and will bring many Czech agrarian and manufacturing leaders to trial on charges of enriching themselves at the expense of the people. In case these tactics fail to win popular support, plans are ready to move

100,000 of the most brilliant Czech workers to different parts of Germany and replace them with Germans.

An official German statement says there are no concentration camps in Bohemia or Moravia, that suicides since the German occupation do not exceed normal and that the arrests number between 600 and 700.

The Prague correspondent of The Times says that arrests continue, and it is estimated that the total is now 18,000, a large proportion being communists.

It is officially announced in Prague that equality of the German and Czech, languages has been established. Amalgamation of the Czech National Bank and the Reichsbank is now complete. The banking reorganization proceeds, and several directors of the larger Czech banks have been replaced.

NAZI TREATY WITH SLOVAKS

(Received March 21, 6.30 p.m.) BRATISLAVA, March 20.

It is stated in official quarters that Herr Hitler and the Slovak President (Father Tiso) have signed in Vienna a treaty by which Germany guarantees Slovakia’s frontiers for 25 years. Slovakia will be independent, with her own army, money and diplomats. The German troops will withdraw when the Czech soldiers evacuate the new republic.