The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-09-19
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So strong Is the foreboding that
foreigners are leaving Berlin. For
Sinstance, eight Americans In the
immediate circle Of acquaintance
Of Frederick G. Oechsner, the Unit
ed Press Bureau manager here, long
residents of Berlin, have left In the
last few days or are leaving.
a The general mass Of German
opinion Is that the Germany army
could deal with the Czechs In a
few days at most and that the man
. In the street would not be affected.
90 Nevertheless 1t was certain there
would be an outburst OF jubilation
when news Of the British French
.capitulation became generally known
both because 1t represented another
victory for Hitler and because the
German masses greatly fear the pos
sibility Of general war.
Il was strange that this morning
satlae newspapers alrnost ignored yes
tertiay's British French conference
at E,ondon-presurabl taking sur
render for granted-and smashed
the news Of Premier Benitos speech
at Trieste, broadly intimatiny that
he would stand beside Germany IN
war.
Diplomats Fw Tragedy
diplomats here had difficulty In
nlctiring the tragedy that would
result II Czechoslovakia chose 10
fight Germany. They saw no sign
that she would yield, and as regards
promises that Britain and France
would guarantee her frontiers next
time, they recalled how Britain and
France had guaranteed Austria 8
frontiers.
But they saw Prime Minister
Neville Chamberlain Of Great Brit
ain as In a position where blum.
der might start general war.
,;ss Every other consideration, includ-
Ing the moral obligation to defend
Czechosiovakia, was Overwhelmingly
overshadowed by the British French
! desire to prevent q general war.
"The World War established the
! principle OF self determination and
It would be crazy to fight another
World War TO reverse that policy by
refusing TO permit Sutenten Ger
mans to Join Germany" one diplo-
mat said TO me.
The German official News Agency
reported today that $4,000 Sudeten
Germans had now crossed the FROM
tier from Czechoslovakia and alleg-
. ed that many Of them had been
wounded by shots.
sudeten Free Corps
IT was regarded as truly remarkable
that Of this number It had been
possible In 20 hours to form q Sude-
ten "free corys" Of 10000 able bodied
men, considering that the refugees
included women, children and aged
men.
Reports OF the raid on Asch In
the early hours OF yesterday morn
ing came mostly from the Czecho-
slovak side.
They said that number Of civil
ians from Germany attacked q
customs post at Asch with revolvers,
hand grenades and machine guns,
wounded two customs guards and
xetreated. TO return later for another
brief raid.
Asch sticks into Germany like q
small peninsula. and Is so v,ilner-
able that the Czechoslovak govern
ment keeps only small attachments
OF guards there. The customs
guards retreated at the first attack
Sunday morning. They returned
at daybreak, TO find the attackers
had fed.
Berlin Might BE Raided
There was a distinct war atmos-
phere here, people speculated on
the possibility that Berlin might be
raided by airplanes. even II Czecho-
siovakia fought alone.
Hitler was ready 10 act on short
notice.
Everything Is ready except pull
ing the plug" German In close
touch with the authorities said to
me.
One German friend told me that
friends Of his, automoblling from
Breslau, had to take minor roads
! because the main roads were jam
med with military transport. Others
told Of seeing trainloads Of machine
guns and big guns, shrouded under
/ canvas covers. Another told Of my
sterious movements OF large bodies
Of men ct night. Still another saw
what he thought were commander.
ed motor buses assembled In the
court yard OF one Of the principal
j police stations.
yet there was no evidence OF
popular hatred Of Czechs, despite
in unremitting press campaign
since last February. II was not been
necessary even 10 put q police guard
IL the Csechoslovak legation. The
Czechoslovak travel bureau near the
United Pres Office still displayed
advertisements Of the beauties Of
cxschoslovakia as . vacation land.
But there Is no escaping Ger
many,s operations. Hundreds Of
thousand Of iron fences 10 front OF
houses are being confiscated for
8efnp kr0n - even fences around
esnicleries. You ask n 4 restaurant
III your fayorite waiter and mo
ia has been impressed y work %