Evening star., 1938-09-19
ATTACK IN WEEK
BY H|TLERFEARED
Free Corps Is Expected to
Be Sent Over Czech
Frontier.
By WALLACE r. DEUEL.
jhicAgo Daily News Foreign Correspondent,

Chicago Daily News Foreign Correspondent.
BERLIN, sepN 10.-The chances
are that Reichsfuehrer Adolf Hitler
will act to take over the sudeten Ger
man region Of Czechoslovakia within
week, with or without English and
French consent. 1t appeared here to-
day. Events are moving with such
lightning rapidity that 1t is impossible
to predict this or anything else with
certainty, but the odds here seemed
today to be In favor Of thu. chancellor's
taking such q course.
Hitaer's first step may be to send
the so-called "Sudeten German Free
Corps" over the frontier. If and
when this is done, and If the Czechs
fght. appalling bloodshed seems in
evitabae. More or less shortly after
this Is begun, Hitler might be expected
to send the regular German army into
Czechoslovakia Ito restore order" and
ito rescue the German brothers" Of
the Reich.
10000 in Free Corps"
The "sudeten German Free Corps"
Is supposed to consist only OF refugees
who have come to the Reich from
Czechoslovakia. 1t is now being re-
cruited UP to strength of 0,O00 men,
divided into four units Of 10000 men
each. 1t Is openly proclaimed, how
ever, that the corps is being recruited,
organized, and armed on German soil
and that 1t would use the Reich as its
base OF operation against the Czechs.
The "free corps" will 60 into action
only after the Hitler Chamberlain talks
have ended, 1t Is intimated In official
quarters here. The raiders who at
tackled the border town Of Asch yes
terday and then. according to Czech
sources. ned across the border into
Germany. are alleged here not to be-
long to the corps and, In fact, all
knowledge OF the raid is disclaimed.
At the very least. however, it Is
openly asserted that the corps will
stike within the near future.
Extensive military activity on the
German side OF the Czech frontier
Is reported by Germans reaching here
today. Pull time 8. s. troops are
said to be especially conspicuous.
Whether the Free Corps" consists
exclusively OF Czechs. or also includes
s. S. troops or other units from the
Reich itself. it Is impossible to say
with certa inty.
Free Corps" May Not March.
II France and England agree to
German demands on Czechoslovakia,
on the other hand, and If the Czechs
give in and choose peaceful" dis
memberment and Hitlers other terms
without nghting, the Free Corps"
might not march and even II it did
there might be relatively little blood
shed.
Despite this faint hope however. the
outlook is so tragic that several more
American families, resident here, sent
their women and children out Of Ger
many over the week end and others are
doing so today and tomorrow. Some
foreign residents are laying in extra
supplies Of foodstuffs.
The Nazis are all the more conf.
dent here today as a result of Benito
Mussolini's speech at Trieste yester-
day. II DHce's statement that Italy's
place is already chosen in case Of a
major war, seems here to make it en-
tirely clear that if England and France
go to war with Germany they will also
have Italy to reckon with.
Copyright, 1898, by Chicago Daily News,
Inc)