Evening star., 1938-09-14
The Pattern.

To understand what is happening in
Czechoslovakia, with it's sudden revival
OF war danger, it is necessary to recall
how the invasion and annexation Of
Austria. exactly six months ago this
week, were stage-managed. German
agitators, who had been doing their SUBJ
versive best to harass Schnuschnigg
into facilitating the Nazi penetration,
finally contrived series of disorders
which fell just short of civil war
In Vienna, Linz and other centers,
conditions steadily became more men,
acing. Finally, though the Austrian au-
thorities never lost control of the situa-
ton, pro-Nazi ministers, whom Hitler
had forced upon Schuschnigg, notified
Berlin that the government was no
longer master in its own house Where
upon good neighbor Germany was in
Nted to come to the rescue, in the name
OF law and order and for protection Of
the oppressed blood brethren" The
rest is history.
Der Fuehrer's thunder at Nurnberg
was still reverberating through Sudeten
Czechoslovakia when resultant turmoil
involving eight fatalities impelled Prague
to place eight disaffected districts under
military rule. As the consequence OF
this urgent and normal precautionary
recourse Henlein's henchmen announced
that negotiations with the government
had been broken off. In further accord
ance with a palpable plan, a Nazi
spokesman at Berlin, talking the Ian
guage of Hitler on Monday, branded the
Czechs' action IAN outright provoca-
ton and sudeten party headquarters
proceeded to present an ultimatum at
Prague demanding the lifting Of martial
law in six hours" If that were not
done, Sudeten leaders "disclaimed all
responsibility for future developments.
The ultimatum expired last evening
with no indication that President Benes
would bend the knee. At Berlin 1t was
said that Sudeten leaders would 60 to
Prague this forenoon and require an
immediate answer to request for
the right OF self determination" BY
this is apparently meant the plebiscite,
at which Hitler limited Monday, only to
dismiss it as inadmissible because there
could be no assurance that the Czechs
would permit an honest vote.
If these tidings accurately depict the
situation, it would seem as If the Czecho-
slovak kaleidoscope had taken a new
turn, and this time one indubitally
serious. That the disorders" which pro-
voked martial law were of Naz manufac-
ture is strong presumption. The Sude-
ten provinces swarm with agents pro-
vocateurs. Their Job is to stir up trou-
BILE wherever and whenever Berlin de-
sires it. That technique did the trick in
Austria, and the Hitlerites clearly be-
lieve it will work in Czechoslovakia.
DR.. Benes, notoriously under British
pressure, has gone the limit, and, as
many of his people think, beyond the
limit, of concessions to Germany for the
sake of peace. But If he submits to
plebiscite, he will yield up about all the
sovereignty he has left. Such refer
endum would have but one result-an
overwhelming vote to turn sudeten-
land into Nasi province. The doom
of Czechoslovakia would be automatic
ally sealed
Are the powers which have pushed the
Czechs into committing national suicide
piecemeal going to stand idly by while
Hitler carries out his latest bluff, or does
the mobilization Of the French Army and
Of the British Navy mean that halt Is
at length to be called on Nazi preten-
sions? The next few hours may tell.