Evening star., 1938-04-26
Hitler's Next Move.

Any lingering doubt that Czechoslo-
vakia has been singled out as the next
victim of the Nazi drive for domination
Of Central Europe Is now removed. The
veil on Hitlers intentions was lifted at
Karlsbad Sunday by his Sudetan Ger
man viceroy, Konrad Henlein. Address
ing frenzied assemblage gathered in
the famous Bohemian watering place
and representing the 3,500000 Czecho-
slovak citizens Of German origin, Henlein
virtually presented an ultimatum to the
Prague government, calling in effect for
fully autonomous Nazi state within
the republic. His eight internal de-
mands" were uttered in terms so trucu-
lent that President Benes' government
considers that they postpone indefinitely,
if they do not entirely wreck, any hopes
of a settlement by amicable agreement
of the acrimonious differences between
the Czechs and their Germanic COM
patriots.
Hitler's henchman, who within the
month has been in conference with and
received his orders from, der Fuehrer,
abandons all pretense that he is not
fomenting a Nazi movement. He de.
clares roundly that his followers, like
Germans in every part of the world"
accept the Nazi theology. Eschewing the
role of leader of a mere minority
craving concessions, Henlein held forth
brazenly as the spokesman of the branch
OF a nation Of 100000 Germans-th
branch which happens at the moment
to be incorporated, against it's will, in
state in which majority of several
million Czechoslovaks claim the power
to rule. He declared in so many words
that these oppressed national COM
rades" Of Hitler, Goering and Goebbels
would no longer tolerate conditions
which mean for us war in time of
peace"
This avowed threat to Czechoslovak
territorial unity follows by only a week
the olive branch which President Benes,
as is now apparent, offered in vain to
a Germany clearly bent upon the Aus
trianization of Czechoslovakia in pursu-
ance of the Reich's "Drang mach Osten." ;"
Buttressing his offer OF reconciliation
with a decree granting amnesty to
political offenders, including some 1000
Of Henlein's supporters convicted OF
pernicious political activities, Benes in
sisted that peace can be preserved be-
tween majority and minority Czechoslo-
yak elements only II there is mutual
respect and III no state interferes di-
rectly or indirectly with the affairs Of
another government" The Karlsbad
demonstration clearly heralds Berlins
unwillingness to entrust the claims of
the Sudetan Germans to so pacific a
program.
That Czechoslovakia without foreign
aid will suffer the fate whichs Manchuria,
Ethiopia and Austria in turn underwent,
is almost moral certainty. Prague has
military defensive alliances with both
Soviet Russia and France. The Russians
are obligated to come to the Czechoslo-
vaks' assistance only in unison with the
French. While the French treaty con-
tains no provision for mutual assistance
by another power, before it becomes
operative, it is well understood that
France would not go to war with Ger
many, on behalf of Czechoslovakia, or
for any other reason, without assurance
OF British support. Thus, it may come
to pass that the one remaining bulwark
of democracy in the heart Of Europe will
stand or fall according to what Great
Britain decides to do. In light of the
pro-Fascist realism" now enthroned in
Downing Street, it requires some op-
timism to believe that Albion will not
prove perfdious.