Evening star., 1928-06-17
BY FRANK ii. SIMONDS.


"EW events in recent European
- history have called forth more
general T. comment sar1, +, than .v the sy visit tbs
Foreign Minister Of Czecho-
slovakia, M. Eduard Benes. This COM
ment was evoked, not because the pur-
poses of the visit we're important, but
simply because the excursion itself
marked a stage In the progress OF Euro
pean readjustment and reconciliation.
For Czechoslovakia. like all Of the So
called succession states, which owe their
existence or their expansion to the COL
lapse OF the Hapsburg Empire and the
reconstruction of the map OF Europe
at the Paris Peace Conference, the SUI
preme problem Is that of minorities.
A state with the same area and pop
ulation as New York and New Jersey
combined Czechosloyakia includes 1000
600 Czechs and 2,000, 900 Slovaks, who
constitute the ruling majority in a total
of 100000. In addition there are
325O.000 Germans, 100000 Magyars,
100000 Ruthenians, 100000 Jews and
more than 100000 Poles.
The internal problem In this con-
glomerate state is also complicated by
the external, for these several MI
norities live in the frontier districts
which march with countries in which
their race brethren constitute the ma
jority. Thus for the Austrian Germans
the attraction of both the German and
the Austrian Republics Is manifest,
while for the Hungarians the desire to
return 10 the country to which they
belong is natural and unmistakable.
German Factor Important.
In the case Of the German majority
the problem is further complicated by
the fact that for nearly three centuries
the German element in Bohemia and
Moravia has been dominant German
has been the official tongue and the
German minority has furnished the
officials and manned the machine.
When the roles were reversed, fol-
lowing the liberation Of the Czechs and
Slovaks In 1918, it was inevitable tnat
there should be an excess OF natlonalism
on the part of the race which had long
been prosecuted and bitterness on the
part OF the Germans, suddenly deprived
of their age-long position and treated
to something of the coercion which
they, in their day, had employed Win
their Slav brethren.
From the very outset 10 was grave
question whether it would be possible
to make of Czechoslovakia vianie
state or in the end the incoherence OF
its population and the weakness OF It's
geographical situation, a vase peninsula
thrust into the mass OF the German
population which almost surrounds 1t,
would not insure its ultimate collapse
and submergence in the German re-
public, which looks forward without con-
cealment to the absorption OF Austria.
Young Republic Stable.
In 10 years. however, Czechosloyakia
fishing itself permanently. The hnal
step was taken last year when, at last,
the representatives Of the German
minority in the Prague Parliament
joined with the Czechs and Sloyaks OF
similar economic and political views in
the formation Of a cabinet which con-
tinues In power.
The unmistakabIe economic unity Of
the new country. the practical impos-
sibility OF transferring the German
minority to Bavaria or to Austria with
out drawing frontiers which did vto-
lence to all economic as well as geo.
graphical circumstances has. in the
end, exercised q decisive influence. At
the same time. too, the Slavs. after
their moment Of natural national ex-
cess, have steadily and increasingly
sought conciliation and worked for
consolidation.
Thus. that state which seemed most
impossible and least permanent in the
days Immediately following the Paris
peace conference has been the first 20
resolve, at least to a degree, the great
problem Of minorities. and gives PROM
ise of developing tomorrow into q new
Switzerland in which German, Magyar
and Slay can live side by side profitably
and peacefully
Neighbors More Friendly.
This domestic evolution has had i'm
mediate external consequences. With
Austria, Czechoslovakia has already
made tariff treaties which. in part. re-
store the old relations which existed
when both republics were integral
as the German minority within Czecho-
slovakia has become reconciled and
contented relations between Prague and
Berlin have improved.
What makes the recent visit OF great
Importance Is the fact that, like Poland,
Czechoslovakia Is bound to France by
treaty OF alliance. which compels
France to come to the aid OF the Slav
nation in case of German attack.
Moreover. this alliance is universally
recognized to enviSage common action
to prevent any reunion of Austria with
the German reich For the CZechs such
union would not merely practically
completely surround them. but 1t would
deprive. them of nearly all of their out
lets and at once break the single line
of communication with France which
does not cross German territory.
It has been suggested In many quar-
ters that Benes' visit may mark the
passing of CZechoslovakia from the
French orbit the abandonment Of the
opposition OF Prague to the union Of