Evening star., 1938-09-13

deeds) becomes unbearable for us In
that moment when great portion
Of our people, seemingly defenseless,
is subjected to unheard Of mishand-
lings, when the babble Of Democratic
phrases is raised In threats against
our fellow citizens. I am now speak
ing of Czechoslovakia.
This state Is a democracy. That
is, 1t was established according to
Democratic principles. The over.
whelming majority Of the inhabitants
of this state. without being asked,
were just forced to accept the con-
struction fabricated at Versailles and
obey them (the Czechs). As a gen.
uine democracy thereupon they began
to suppress the majority of the in
habitants in this state, mishandle
them and take away their right to live,
Holds Czechoslovakia Designed
to Attack Germans.
Gradually it was attempted to i'm
pregnate the world with the concep-
ton that this state had to fulfill q
special political and military mission.
The former French minister of avia-
ton, Pierre Cot, elucidated this re-
Gently. According to him Czechoslo-
vakia in event of war Is destined to
attack German cities and industries
with bombs
This task. however, stands in
outright contradiction to the atti-
tudes and interests of life and desire
of a majority Of the inhabitants Of
this state. Therefore majority Of
the inhabitants must be silent. Any
protest against their fate Is an attack
against the aims of this state, there
fore not in conformity with the con-
stitution.
This constitution, however, as 1t
was concocted by Democrats, is not
based on rights of the people, but on
the political exigency of the suppress
sors which required construction
which gave the Czech people sovereign
hegemony. Whoever opposes this con-
ception is state enemy" therefore
an outcast according to democratic
principles.
The so-called state people, the
Czechs. have thus been chosen by
Providence, Of which the former
creators of Versailles availed them
selves. to guard that no. one would
arise against this state.
But should some one Of the majority
of oppressed peoples raise a protest
then he may be struck down, or If
necessary or desired, killed.
If this was foreign affair which
did not concern us We might Just note
1t, as so many others, as an interest,"
ing Illustration OF democratic concep-
tions of peoples rights and self-deter-
mlnation.
But what imposes upon us Germans
a participation in this problem is
something wholly natural.
Among nationalities that are being
oppressed in this state (Czechoslo-
vakia) are 3,500,00e Germans, in other
words as many people Of our race as
for instance Denmark has inhabitants.
These Germans are also Gods
creatures. The Almighty has not
created them to be delivered into the
hands OF Versailles-made state, an
alien power which they hate.
And He has not created $500, 900
Czechs SO that they should take charge
Of or control 3,500,0O0, still less as
sault and torture them.
Blames Woodrow Wilson
For Plight.
Conditions in this state are, as is
well known, intolerable. Here, polit-
ically, over 100000 people are being
robbed Of their right Of self-determi-
nation under the self-determinatio
slogan of a certain Mr.. (Woodrow)
Wilson.
Economically, these people are being
Systematically ruined and doomed to
slow extinction. The misery Of Sude-
ten Germans is nameless misery.
Ihey want to annihilate them. HUI
manly. they are oppressed and
Inundated in an intolerable manner
When 3,500,000 members of a peo-
pie OF nearly 80,000,OOO are not per-
mltted to sing song that the Czechs
dlsapprove, when they are bloodily
beaten just because they wear stock
ings Czecha dislike to see and when
they are ill-treated because they use a
salute that displeases the Czechs-al-
though they only use 1t among them
selves-wflen they are chased and per.
secuted like helpless animals for every
manifestation of national life-it may
all be to the worthy representatives of
our democracies a matter of indif1er-
ence. Possibly they may sympathize
with 1t all because it is only a matter
OF 3,500,OG0 Germans.
I can, however, tell the representa-
tives Of these great democracies that it
Is not a matter of indifference to us