Evening star., 1938-07-27
CzECHSANN0UNCE
PLANS TO PAC|FY
GERMAN Faction
Min0ritieS Statute Fails to
Touch Question of
Autonomy.
SELF.RULE ISSUE LEFT
FOR LATER TREATMENT
Law Would Make Concessions in
School Administration, Jobs
and Language Use.
BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND
Csechoslopakia, Nth $500, 900
Sudeten Germans among its 49,
100000 population, faces demand
by Adolf Hitler for autonomy of
Germans in Csechoslopakia Fol-
lotD'ng elections in May and June,
Which gaze Sudetens big increase in
representation in municipal coun-
cils, the Praha government has
undertaken to assure all its minor
tiles OF greater rights.
Ry the Associated Press.
PRAHA, A,Czechoslovakia, July 81
The Czechoslovakia government Of
Tered today plan looking toward
peace with its 3500,0OO Sudeten Ger
man minority population. but did not
deal with the paramount question OF
autonomous government.
The governments proposals, in a
new minorities statute published sud-
denly last night at the apparently in
creased prodding of Britain and
France, would grant new concessions
in school administration, government
jobs and the use of languages-all
within the framework of the Czecho-
slovak government.
Local self government and the de-
gree of its autonomy was to be dealt
with later in another statute. and un-
til that time it appeared here that a
definite settlement was unlucky.
Basis for Negotiations.
Premier Milan Hodza said the
newly-published statute was intended
to be the basis for negotiations with
the minorities-Hungarian, Polish,
Slovak as we'll as German.
1t was not at once clear how far
the new statute went toward meeting
the Sudeten German demands, out
lined in speech by Konrad Henlein
the Sudeten German party leader. on
April "a. German autonomy demands
inspired Czechoslovak fears that Nazi
Germany might take forceful hand
to aid Henlein. Recognizing the dan
ger to European peace, Britain and
France have strongly urged mediation
The statute promises "all nationali-
ties are to enjoy the same rights" and
this seemed to fulfil at least the first
point Of Henlein's eight-point program,
equality of Germans with Czechs.
Cultural Autonomy Given.
A measure of cultural autonomy is
provided-the minority languages are
put on equal footing with the Czecho-
slovak tongue in publication of laws,
schools, etc.
Each minority would have its own
schools, in proportion to its percentage
of the Czechoslovak population, and
have full administrative powers in
them.
1t was not evident, however, whether
provisions for cultural freedom ac-
cepted Henlein's demand for complete
liberty for Germans to profess German
nationality and German philosophy.
Acceptance of this would be tanta-
mount to official recognition of Nazi-
ism in Czechoslovakia
Share in Jobs.
A share in the civil state service Jobs
would be determined by the percentage
of population of each majority. Ad-
ministrative posts in the provinces
would be distributed according to the
percentage of the minorities popula-
ton in each district.
Both minority groups and officials
were reluctant to give their opinions
on the statute today, since there still
was lacking the part dealing with ad-
ministrative reform.
There was evident pleasure. how
ever, over Britain's appointment OF
Viscount Runciman as unofficial ad-
visor-mediator in the minorities' dis
pute.