Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-05-22
CzECHS PREPARE
FOR vOTEPEACE
Reserves Are Summoned to
Reinforce Army of
10000 Today.
r. the Associated Press.

increased her armed forces and took
extraordinary precautions today to
quell disorders IN which two Sudeten
Germans were killed on the eve OF
municipal elections.
The defense ministry hastily called
to the colors one class Of army re-
serves and secondary reserves for
extraordinary duty" to strengthen
the country's 19O,000-man army.
Officials denied Budapest reports
that Czechoslovakia had closed her
borders with Poland and Germany
and four points on the Czechoslovak-
Hungarian frontier.
TRAFFIC is regular" 1t was stated.
budapest sources also reported
troops were being moved on both
sides of the Czechoslovak- German
border, the Czechoslovaks behind
sandbag barricades)
Nazi Troubles SpotliEhted.
The prediction disorders thrust
into the open the difficulties between
the government and the nations mi
nority Of 100000 Germans.
Fears were aroused concerning the
next international step Of mighty Nazi
Germany. which bounds the western
half Of Czechoslovakia on three sides
with a band Of steel.
The elections tomorrow-for local
councils-are only the first in q series
to extend until mid-June.
They do not constitute plebiscite
on the German minority's program
for autonomy but are considered sig
nificant as q test OF the minority's
strength.
Shot by Border Guards.
The two men killed early today
were members Of thu Sudeten German
party, led by stocky bespectacled Kon-
rad Henlein. They were shot by
Czechoslovak border guards near the
German border
Dispatches to Warsaw newspapers
stating seven persons were killed dur
ing riots in this war-created republic
yesterday were unconfirmed.
President Eduard Benes appealed to
his countrymen for calm and stated
Czechoslovakia does not fear for her
future. He added ''one must act ac-
cordingly to keep pace with the au-
thoritarian regimes
He described the present crisis in
Czechoslovakia as the countrys most
serious experience since the war;" but
added I'VE are prepared"
All military organizations and police
were given strict orders to see that
peace Is kept throughout the prov
inces.
Demonstrations Banned.
The government banned all OPEN
air demonstrations and parades which
had been scheduled for tonight, al
though indoor meetings were allowed.
Herr Henlein's party Cancelled sched-
uled torchlight procession.
Regarding the calling up Of reserves.
it was stated officially that the action
was necessary to bring an 'insuf-
ficient' number OF troops to full
strength in order TO guarantee peace,
order and safety in the land and to
check disorders which have grown in
recent weeks.
The summoning Of the reserves. II
was officially announced. should not
be interpreted as mobilization order
It was added that members OF the re-
serves had to be trained "in the use
OF new weapons Just as is done in other
states" The exact number called was
not announced.
Disorders Date From April "a.
The disorders underlying today's
crisis date back to April "a. when Herr
Henlein. in a speech to his Sudeter
German followers at Karlovy Vary
presented his party and the Czech gov
eminent with an eight-point demand
for autonomy for Germans in Czecho-
slovakia. revision of the nations for
eign policy and other concessions.
The demands were supported by
Nazis in Germany who felt compelled
to protect the Sudeten minority from
"injustices." This fact was pointed
out by anti-Nazis with a warning about
Germany's March Is absorption OF
Austria. which was accompanied by q
declaration by Chancellor Adolf Hitler
that Germany would protect Germans
everywhere.
According to Sudeten German
statistics. about IS have been seriously
injured and 200 persons have received
minor injuries in incidents in Sudeten
German regions during the last four
weeks.
The two killed today were felled at
Cheb (Eger). border town on Czecho-
slovakia's extreme western tip, jutting
into Germany.
The incident brought an angry out
burst from the German press over
what it termed the guerrilla warfare"
it accused the Czechoslovaks of con-
Quoting against the Sudeten Germans.
The Westfaelische LAndeszeitung,
official NaN organ. headed its account
of the fatal shooting with the line,
THE Cup Is Full"
These sanguinary attacks prove
again the Czechs' arbitrary procedure
and the hypocrisy Of Benes," the
paper said.
Government sources, meanwhile,
said that uneasiness which spread
like wildfire with the summoning of
the reserves had subsidized after the
presidents address.
Two versions Of the Cheb killings
appeared. From the government side
it was announced that the two men,
Georg Hoffman, and Nikolas Boehm,
were motorcycling down the road be-
tween Cheb and Franzensbad, which