Evening star., 1938-09-19
CZECH DEFENSES
READY FOR WAR
Better Than Maginot Line,
Officers Say-Fortresses
Cover Mountains.
Nv the Associated Press.

nv the ASSOCi6tcQ EIeS0s
ON THE GERMAN -CZECHOSLO-
YAK FRONTIER NEARCHRASTAVA,
Sept. 19.-Tens of thousands of young,
well-fed Czechoslovak soldiers, afraid
in formidable fortiflcations In readi-
ness for shots which may signal new
European conflict.
Miles and miles of reinforced concrete
and steel fortresses stretch across the
mountain range which for centuries
has been the national boundary be-
tween Bohemia and what is now Nazi
Germany
Czechoslovak officers said proudly,
Our defense line is stronger than
Frances Maginot line. 1t is newer
and more modern in construction"
Border Lightly Guarded.
Beginning at the frontier. which it.
self is only lightly guarded, the de-
ense positions spread in all directions.
They cover mountain SUBMITS, steep
slopes and level, fertile valleys.
In some places soldiers guard field
gun emplacements-with guns already
In place and ready for action-while
peasants with long scythes cut hay q
few yards away.
From one particularly high peak q
long line of anti-tank defenses stretches
as far as the eye can see. Firmly
embedded III the ground are cast
iron cross bars which look something
like carpenters saw horse. These
are placeo side by side, their tops
and Bottoms held firmly together by
rivets, In two lines about 8 feet
apart. these bars are intertwined with
heavy bsrbed wire.
The Czecnoslovaks say that in tests
these barriers have demonstrated their
effectiveness in halting tanks
Maze of Machine Gun Nests.
In front Of these lines and behind
them are what appear to be lines of
wheat shocks and haystacks. Closer
inspection, however, discloses that
they conceal a maze Of machine-gun
nests. many with cement emplace-
ments and others with new Czecho-
slovak-manufactured weapons set in
the bare ground. Sentries with rifles
guard these emplacements night and
day.
The only traffic permitted on coun-
try roads IN this area is by wagons
Of farmers who have special permits
to pass.
War materials of every kind have
been assembled in hidden munitions
depots deep in the forest, where only
an occasional hiker might penetrate
Secret flying fields for emergency mill
tary Use are hidden under cover of
wooded estates.
One such field can scarcely be seen
an eighth of mile away. 50 carefully
have the army engineers blended their
construction work with the surround
ing terrain.
Highways Barricaded.
Bridges and roads are mined, block
houses dot the landscape, and sentries
everywhere demand precise informa-
ton before allowing travellers to enter
the fortified zone identification must
be given again when travellers leave.
Main highways near the fortifica-
tions are barricaded in hundreds Of
places. The usual method is to back
three or four dilapidated farm wagons
into the center of the road, leaving a
lane only wide enough for one car at
time.
Guards on both sides of the barri-
cades halt all traffic. Motorists who
cannot prove their identity beyond 4
doubt are told firmly "the road is not
open to general traf1ic" If a guard
has the slightest suspicion, the trav-
eler must explain his presence to the
officer at the nearest headquarters.