Evening star., 1938-06-12

Strength OF German element behind
Konrnd Henlein in Sudeten areas
of Csechoslopdkia. In poting May
% and 29, Sudeten German party
made big gains in number OF seats
in municipal councils. Forces un-
der arms guarding against inDasion
from Germany increased before
first bdllottnq and haze remained
nobilized since then.
BY tie Associated Press.
PRAHA, Czechoslovakia, June IL
The Czechoslovak government ap-
proved tonight the presence of British
observers in Sudeten German (Nazi)
districts so they could get clear pic
ture should disorders develop during
Sundays municipal elections.
While an estimated 100000 trained
Czechoslovaks were under arms, ready
for rapid transport to any threatened
center on the frontier, the presence
of the neutral men was welcomed in
view of recurrent rumors that the elec-
ton week end would be rough"
The visitors, Maj. Sutton Pratt,
British assistant military attache, and
Peter Pares, British consul at Reich
enberg, had started their preliminary
tour tonight.
Last of Three Elections.
Defense was the keynote in other
ways, too, as residents Of 8,170 COM
munities, including more than 1,000,-
900 Sudeten Germans, decorated their
buildings and streets in preparation
for the voting, the last of series OF
three communal elections.
: A nationwide appeal asked volun-
stary contributions to a billion-crown
: 1886, ,0000o0) defense fund. Boys and
girls took street collections for the
air force.
Shops bristled with military dis
plays. The Smetany Museum opened
an exhibition entitled Our Ally Soviet
Russia" to show the Czechoslovak
public pictorial evidence of Russian
capacity for action in case of need.
The preparedness spirit also domi-
mated conferences of the Czechoslovak
Ministers to Berlin and Paris with
Premier Milan Hodza, Foreign Minis
ter Eamil Krofta and President Ed
aard Benes.
Minority Settlement Topic.
Among the topics believed discussed
was Great Britain's desire that Czecho-
slovakia settle the problem of minor
ity rights. about which Konrad Hen
lein's Sudeten German (NazD party
and Father Andreas Hlinka's Slovak
group have been clamoring loudly.
The elections, larger than those of
May % and %, will involve 1880 pre-
dominantly German localities, in
which Herr Henlein's tickets for town
officers are virtually unopposed.
The voting will give Herr Henlein
opportunity to press for an end to
armed occupations of the Sudeten
area, for his candidates previously won
uuQueSIlOleU support. oJIleT sec
tions, as before, were expected to rally
20 the Governments policy of relying
on Western democracies in foreign re-
lations and on its own strong army.
Climax is Imminent.
A climax was considered imminent
in Czechoslovakia handling of the
Sudeten German problem and in her
relations with Germany, whose in
spired newspapers today leveled bar
rage of attacks on this little postwar
republic. A Sudeten German party
statement warned that developments
depend on how the government met its
demands and said draft of the gov
ernment's proposed minority statute
was expected probably Tuesday"
;, But Praha foreign Office spokes-
man, asked if the government planned
TO withdraw the bulk of its troops from
the Sudeten German area after to-
morrow's balloting. replied, Most de-
cidedly not-they will stay where they
are"