The Washington times., 1938-09-08

Vuy 4NOC a. 1CU1ONACC Ill
CZechOslOvakia?
TT SEEMS as if they have elastic precpice in
i Europe They keep moving the edge, but
how never step over However, with the Germans mobil-
ized the Czechs ready mobilize the French filling the
Magnot Line and the English holding naval
in the North Sea the time the Germans do the
precpice seems to be one step This time, may
not be so elastic
If England and France plunge in to Czechoslo-
vakia it is proper that those this side should know
exactly what they fighting for, just those the
other side should,
Sudetens and Irish: do know. If there is
Something in Common war it will be largely
a to prevent the
political and economic capture of Czechoslovaa by Ger
many and to keep three million Sudeen Germans under
the political domination of the Czechs. So far the
outer world knows, it is very much like the situation
existing when Ulster separated itself from Ireland Ere)
at the time of Home Rule.
The Sudeten Germans want to be out of where they
are They consider themselves to be present part of
an artificial state to which they don't belong by logic or
by language The Czechs, of
me MOUHLULHS' course realize that Sudetenland
Vitn1 to Tzoche occupies the mountains which
serve as barrier to keep Ger
many out If Germany takes these mountains there
is nothing to prevent her from marching right into the
rich Czech plains.
The Czechs say that if they give the Sudeten Germans
back to Germany then the Germans will have the high
lands so they'll keep the highlands Mussoni has DONE
Mussoni took the South Tyro away from Austria be-
cause If ne held the Brenner and other Alpine passes he
could keep the Germans from pouring troops down
the plains of the Pc and the rich industrial cities of Man
Genoa, etc.
The Sudetens are pretty much in the same position
as Ulster with its Scotchrish Protestant population
Both sections are on end of their respective
tries. In Catholic Ireland, this
H'O" OOIUIIOH' happened to be the rich, indus
POnc0f,J Ono trial end In Czechosovaka, it
happens to be the end of stra-
tegic value rich industraIy, but depressed
similar to our Southern sharecropper zone. Ulster
didn't want to be part of the Irish Free State Origin
ally, there were nine counties in Ulster By common
consent six of them withdrew from the Free State and
set themselves up Northern Ireland Three proved to
amcaby they remained with the Free State The maps
Page illustrate the parallel
There is no doubt that the Sudeten Germans have a
real grievance. Before the war, part of Austria
Hungary, their section the richest in the country.
Since then exports to Germany have sappeared Czechs
have taken the jobs of Germans the toy jewelry and
textile businesses have been wiped out moved into the
Czech section. The huge Skoda munitions plant has been
moved inland The Sudetens say the Czechs are starv-
ing them to death.
There is possible way out of this terrfcally comp-
Gated situation 1t is plebiscte. Such a pebiscite
worked in the Saar which voted to 60 back to Germany
w 1t worked in Danzig. There
zen MHLIOH De0O is why it should
70 ~ Wor4h T+9 not be possible to get both
sides in Czechoslovakia to
agree to the same thing. Three million Sudeten Ger
maj ham in