Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-22

alleged slight on their state in Czecho-
slovakian territory, and the following
day the HungarianS would retal1ate by
arresting a Czech for alleged espionage.
! The recent trial of DR.. Bella Tuka, Slo-
vakian autonomiSt leader, grew out of
allegations of espionage and led to his
being sentenced to a stretch in prison.
1t must be said in all fairness that
most of the catastrophe plumbers in
Slovakia were perpetrated by subordi-
nate officials who acted in accordance
with the wishes Of the great masses OF,
their countrymen. The Czechs have no
conception of the seriousness of the
Slovak situation and they cannot grasp
Slovak mentality. 1t is q tragic situ-
alton that so many of the leading
CzechS have a clear conception of the
dangers ahead and yet they are power
less in the face of the tremendous mass
opposition of their unenlightened
countrymen.
Masaryk Seeks Peace.
President Masaryk-to take the most
striking eXample-has done everything
that Is humanity possible to redeem the
pledges he made on behalf of the Czechs
regarding the treatment of the Slovaks
of whom he considers himself one, and
the national minorities. He has set his
jingoiStic excuses, but he was soon
given to understand that even the
power Of president as highly respected
and beloved as he is cannot be of any
avail against the crushing effect Of
chauvinistic propaganda.
1t was only the other day that
President Masaryk gave expression to
CZeehoslovakias willingness to consider
revision Of the Hungarian frontier,
adding that all such changes were mat
tiers for parliament to decide. The
president meant this statement as a
trial balloon. The reaction was prompt
and left no one in doubt. The Czech
chauvinists Immediately declared ruth
less war on their president, and one Of
| them. Senator Dyk, recommended that
in the future all statements by the
president should be countersigned by
the premier before publication. This
would be tantamount to censoring the
presidents words. The premier fastened
to repudiate Prof. Masaryk by desig-
mating all hopes Of rectification Of the
| Hungarian frontiers as baseless and out
Of the question.
Masses Seem Doomed.
That the Slovakian problem has not
assumed even more alarming proper
| tons is due to political conditions in
Hungary, where a dictatorship has been
in power for the last 10 years. Under
its rule the landed magnateS have pros
pered and the land proletariat has been
marching to its doom. Even the
Magyars of Czechoslovakia. except the
most extreme jingoeS, would be deferred
| by the prospect of coming under the
| heels of the military aristocratic rule
Of Budapest.
The Slovakian problem will develop
its real strength and will cause no end
of new complications as soon as the
present regime in Hungary is replaced
by a democratic government which,
! through its liberal land and taxation
policy, will continue to exert the fasci-
nation on Slovakia it has exerted for a
thousand years. Yet, the ultimate aim
of Slovakians with highly developed
natural consciousness is to live in an
autonomous state, which may be con-
nected with Bohemia on a federal basis
and in which they will be the masters
of their own destinieS.