Montana labor news., 1937-06-24
CzE(h0SL0vAkIA
A SECOND Spain!
Federated Pictures
By DIR. HANS GLAUBAUF

line open intervention Oh FaSclSJ
forces in Spain with no effective re-
sistance on the part of the demo-
cratic powers has given much en-
couragement to Hitler and Musso-
lini. People are asking themselves:
Who is coming next? Will it be
Czechoslovakia?
There is no question about the
keen interest Hitler has in Czecho-
slovakian affairs. This small coun-
try, with less than twice the popula-
ton of New York City and 1000
miles of unprotected borders with
Germany, is a tempting morsel for
Hitler. Not by open war, since the
small republic, last remainder of de-
mocracy in central Europe, is pro-
tected by treaties with France and
the Soviet Union, but by a we'll
staged Fascist upheaval following
the Spanish example.
Already a man is being groomed
to lead the instruction: Conrad
Henlein, the Turnverein Franco. He
is backed by big business and espe-
cially by the German Nazis. He has
been able to arouse political interest
among starved peasants, middle class
people and a small section of work
ers in the German districts of
Czechoslovakia. Fascist broadcasts
have got a million voters goose
stepping behind this man. The ma
tional chauvinism of some of the
Czechs has helped turn some of the
100000 Germans in the country to-
ward Henlein. Several hundred
thousand Hungarians in Slovakia
also are being worked up by Fascist
agents.
There has been serious talk of a
putsch early this summer. This
seems to be exaggerated. The lex
perience of Guadalajara" has by no
means been an encouragement for
Fascist promoters of intervention.
And while the scheme might seem
to work better in Czechosolovakia
than in Spain, since Germany could
operate from its own military and
industrial base, sending in several
hundred thousand well-armed SOL
diers at a moments notice, there are
other forces to take into account.
Pres. Benes has done his best to
create friendship and mutual under
standing between Czechs, Germans
and Hungarians, bound by a thou
sand years tradition to living to-
gether in the same country. He is
trying to purge the administration
of harmful chauvinism. He has just
returned from a trip to the most
crisis-stricken German districts,
showing everywhere the under
standing and sympathies of a true
democrat for the suffering of the
people.
Progressive groups have made a
remarkable effort to dissipate the
Fascist myth of a happy life in the
Third Reich" and heavy inroads
have been made in the Fascist camp.
Finally, Fascism, properly speak
ing, is weak among the Czech popu-
lation, which won independence in
a fierce democratic struggle against
the old Hapsburg autocracy. Only
a minority of the existing parties is
ready to come to an understanding"
with Hitler through a peaceful ac-
ceptance of Fascist dictatorship and
foreign influence. A majority pre-
fer to mobilize against these dangers.
Spain has been an object lesson.
There are still many old-fashioned
people, even in the labor movement,
who believe in struggling against the
reds" first and Fascism second. But
every day makes it clearer that the
only way to avoid the terrors of for
eign Intervention is the combining
of all anti-Fascist forces against Hit
lerism.
The situation is serious. The pas
sivity of the British and French di-
plomacy in Spain has created a grave
peril for Czechosolvakian independ-
ence. But the people are beginning
to understand. And the slogan here,
too, becomes: mo pasaranl"-They
shall not passl