Evening star., 1938-10-05
Holds Continuance
Obstacle to New
Conditions.
The European Situation:

10 JOIN In guarantee OF CzechoSlovak
boundaries Page Al
PREMIER EDOUARD DALADIER is
voted decree powers by French Sen
ate and Deputies. Page Al
FREE CZECH HOSTAGES, Britain
asks Reich; Chamberlain demands
vote of confidence. Page Al
GERMANY TO DEMAND that
Czechoslovakia pay reparations for
''injustices" to Sudetens. Page Al
COMMUNIST INTERNATIONAL AC-
T1VITY reported spurred by cooling
of Soviet French relations. Page Al
By the Associated Press.
PRAGUE, Oct. 5.-Eduard Benes.
target of Adolf Hitler's enmity, re-
'signed today as President of Czecho-
slovakia, he said, My remaining in Of
flee might constitute an obstacle to the
new conditions which now confront
this state"
The resignation was accepted unani-
mously by the full council of min
listers.
The little chief of state, who for 20
years had helped hold Czechoslovakia
together as foreign minister. premier
and for the last three years President,
bowed to the pressure of events which
were dismembering his nation.
Syrovy Acting President.
Gen. Jan Syrovy, one-eyed war vet
eran Premier, was expected to exercise
the Presidents functions until a sue
cessor to Benes Is chosen by the Ma
tional Assembly.
Gen. Syrovy in broadcast said:
"Our policy will aim at friendly re-
iations with everybody. In order to
live in security it is necessary to culti-
vate good relations with our neigh
bors.
I'VE shall do everything in our
power to give satisfaction to the justi-
Carpathian Russians Ruthenians)
Gus state will be based on equality of
the three peoples"
Resignation Not Unexpected.
Benes' resignation was not unex-
pected, although 1t had been denied
several times recently that he intended
to step down.
Benes became president of CEecho-
slovakia in December, 1885, succeed
ing the founder Of the republic, the
late Thomas G.. Masaryk.
The Munich agreement of the four
big powers, compelling Czechoslovakia
to cede the Sudetenland to Germany,
represented complete failure of the
foreign policy with which Benes had
been closely associated since the found
ing of the state 20 years ago.
The pressure of Britain and France
to compel Benes and his government
to accept submission to the terms
OF Hitler proved tremendous blow
to his hopes.
Informed persons felt that Benes'
departure from office-and possibly
from the country-might remove the
current acute situation and make COL
laboTaE5on with Germany possible.
Target Of Hitler Attacks.
Benes had been the target for bit
ter attacks by Hitler and other Ger
man leaders and for a scathing CAM
paign of denunciation j., the German
press.
The election to choose a new
President will be conducted by
the National Assembly, composed Of
the Chamber of Deputies and the Sen
ate sitting together.
Benes prepared to broadcast his
farewell address to the world tonight
Some sources said that Benes' res
3gnation followed renewed German
pressure based on Hitler's personal
antagonism to the Czechoslovak Presi-
dent.
1t was reliably reported that Hitler
had indicated he would be more gen.
erous in his negotiations with the
new Czech state if a president more
acceptable to Germany were named.
Tackles Minority Problems.
Meanwhile, the new cabinet moved
swiftly in an attempt to solve minority
problems still threatening the re-
publics existence.
At its first meeting it decided no
Czech officials should be appointed in
Ruthenia without the approval of Ivan
Parkany, minister without portfolio,
who is native of Ruthenia, Czecho-
6lovakia's farthest eastern section.
Government representatives also
were named for two commissions, one
to settle details of the Polish frontier
controversy and the other to seek
resolution of Hungarian demands.
At the same time the cabinet began
consideration of a concrete plan to
solve the Slovak appeal for an
autonomous administration, pointing
toward the possible establishment of
. special ministry
Chvalkovsky Welcomed.
Political circles-even Germans
greeted warmly the appointment of
Frantisek Chvalkovsky as foreign min
lister to succeed DR.. Kamil Krofta.
He was considered acceptable to
Germany and his appointment was
hailed by German radio broadcasts as
the possible beginning of an era of
improved relations between Prague
and Berlin.
It was disclosed that Propaganda
Minister hugo Vavrecka was en- route
to Berlin to attend meeting of the
international commission regulating
German occupation of Sudetenland.
1t was reported that Poles and Hun
garians both had approached the Slo-
vaks with offers of assistance, but so
far the Slovaks were understood to
have turned them down for fear ac-
the Czechoslovak state.
, A band of several hundred irregu-
lars was reported to have crossed into
Czechoslovakia from Hungary and at
tackled municipal buildings at Fele-
dince. Shots were said to have been
(See PRAGUE, Page A-6.)