Evening star., 1938-08-29
SOLDIERS FILL BOHEMIA.
Warlike Atmosphere Prevails a
Runciman-H -Henlein Talk.
Ry NJ, W. FODOR,


Ry NJ W. FODOR,
Chicago Daily News Foreign Correspondent
TZ-SCHOENAU. Aug. 29.-1n
this beautiful district of Northern Bo-
hemia everything seems to suggest that
war is just around the corner And
the chief topic of conversation among
the people. especially the sturdy
Sudeten S. S. men-an organization
like the storm troops in the Reich
is der tag since they are convinced
Adolf Hitler will soon come with his
mighty army to liberate them.
Needless to say, the Czechs have
adopted necessary counter measures
and this district is literally full OF
soldiers as it was in the case Of May
81, when the threat of a German inva-
sion hovered over the republic Forts
are fully manned and soldiers con.
stantly emerge from well-camou.
naged pill-boxes.
1t is in this warlike atmosphere
that Great Britain's peace maker
Viscount Walter Runciman, came tt
spend the week end He stayed al
the old and somewhat dilapidatee
castle in Teplitz-Schoenau of Prince
Alphonse Clary-Aldringen, whose
grandfather, when premier under the
late Emperor Francis Joseph. hao
tampered with the privileges of the
Czechs in Bohemia. 1t was Prince
Clary- -Aldringen's annulment of Czech
rights that heralded the re-estab blish.
ment Of German supremacy in the
Czech region. His grandson is a mem.
Der of Conrad Henlein's party and the
castle flew both Czech flags and thu
Henlein banner.
Conference With HenIein.
At 5 O'Clock yesterday afternoon
Lord Runciman. accompanied by hi!
rjght-hand man, Frank Ashton.
Gwatkin, just returned from London
motored to Rothenhaus. nearby castle
of Prince Max Hohenlohe. Here 6
one-hour conference between Lore
Runciman and Henlein, Sudeten Ger.
man leader. took place. Prince Ho.
henlohe acted as interpreter.
1t is believed that Lord Runcimar
informed Henlein of the newest pro.
posals of the Czech government a.
regards minority rights. At the samt
| time he warned the Sudeten leader
most energetically to show a con-
ciliatory spirit and make construc.
tive effort toward acceptance of thu
| liberal Czech concessions.
AS result of Fridays cabinet
council and other political conference.
in Praha, Czechoslovakia's lates
offer to the Sudeten Germans appear.
in clearer outline. 1t is a suggestion
for introduction of a new admin.
istrative subdivision such as this cor.
respondent has suggested in earlier
dispatches. This involves the addi.
ton of % autonomous department.
to Czechoslovakia's political compo.
sition, with various German subdlvi.
sions joined into three or four auton.
omous units
That unquestionably is considered
to constitute a far-reaching offer and
observers assert, if Germany is anx.
ious to obtain rights for her Sudeter
kinfolk, and is not using this con.
f1ict as pretext for expansion ane
for theological struggle, then this pro.
posal should be acceptable to the Ger.
mans.
Altogether the situation is consid-
cred here as very grave indeed since
it is known that the Germans inteno
to go to the limits in their bluff, ir
which case, of course, the most ap.
palling consequences can result.
Clashes occurred over the week enc
between Czechs and Germans in
Praha. Rothau Leitmeritz and else
where. Numerous participants were
wounded. Obviously. these clashes
contribute to keep the tension high
tCopyright, 1898. by Chicago Daily News
Inc