Evening star., 1938-09-17
The Gallant Czechs.

IL tIle bIlllSn respect IN others that
trait on which they pride themselves
sitting tight in a crisis-their admira-
ton for Czechoslovakia should today be
'boundless. Seldom in our time has
nation in travail given 50 sterling an ac-
count OF itself as the sturdy people
whom Eduard Benes has the distinction
OF leading at this supreme hour of their
destiny.
1t is an inspiring thing, a thing to
strengthen mems faith in the primeval
virtues to observe nations like the Span
ish. the Chinese and the Czechoslovaks
standing four square to the wind of
menace and misfortune, giving no inch
without struggle, prepared to carry
on to the bitter end. Such patriotism
and pluck, endurance, determination and
seH-restraint are of the stuff OF which
the Anglo-SaXon race likes to think it
Is made. 1t has the tang of Runnymede
and Valley Forge.
Nothing would SO effectually serve
Nazi purposes as for Benes and his
compatriots to lose their heads and be
goaded into eXcesses which would Justify
Hitler in claiming that dictates of self
defense" require him to fling his mighty
war machine into action against a coun-
try fifth the size of Germany Regimes
less self-controlled less astute, would
find ample justification for sterner ac-
ton than any of Prague's measures to
repel the calculated indignties against
Czech sovereignty and international
decencies, which Henlein under Berlin
orders, has this week offered.
His proclamation of revolt "to the
Sudeten Germans, German peoples and
the whole world" wherein Henlein open
ly declares himself rebel against the
state of which for years he pretended to
be loyal citizen, marks modern new
high in political effrontery. Nazi alibis
that Hitler's agent is doing no more than
Masaryk and Benes did, when they
worked for the liberation of Czechoslo-
vakia, are beside the mark. Their ac-
tivities were not the elimination of a
long and Systematically fomented plot by
a supposedly friendly power to destroy
another country's independence. Prague
is wholly within it's rights and acting in
accordance with established practice the
world over, in ordering Henleins arrest
on a charge of treason. jefferson Davis
offense against the United States Of
America was not of the caliber of Hen
lein's high crime and misdemeanor.
Bixies great gentleman and statesman
was no ignoble Charley Mccarthy. He
was carrying out no orders Of carpet
bag regime bent not on righting the
wrongs Of it's flesh and blood on ahen
soil, but on exploiting their grievances
for entirely extraneous purposes-in the
Sudeten case, for purposes of aggression
and aggrandizement far beyond the bor-
ders of Czechoslovakia.
In the face of Henlein's proclamation,
Czechoslovakia stands calm and un-
moved, just as it stood earlier in the week
when the government ignored the true
ulent Nazi ultimatum demanding sus-
pension of martial law in the Sudeten
provinces. Pragues answer to that i'm
pudence was to extend martial law and
to take those elementary military prepa-
rations called for when a country is
threatened with invasion by a strong
and ruthless neghbor. The world ex-
pected nothing less from the govern
ment which called Hitlers bluff on
May 81.
1t would be the crime Of the century
to permit such a people to fall into the
Unsuitable Nazi nav. Nothing they have
previously done to deserve democratic
support outstrips in appeal to brave men
and stout hearts, whatever their nation
atty the spectacle of calm resolution
which Czechoslovakia, armed, alert and
unafraid, is at this hour giving of her
self. If it be true that God helps them
who help themselves, His aid will not be
withheld from the nation which today
is bearing the brunt of the most cold
blooded, cynical assault that our gen.
Grafton has ever witnessed.
Freedom shrieked," it has been said.
"as Kosciusko fell, and Hope for season
bade the world farewell Freedoms
cause would not soon recover from the
Brutus blow it would suffer if Hitler, as
he is now reported to have told Cham
berlain is his plan, is allowed to convert
Czechoslovakia into a "protectorate"
that would mean vassalage worse than
slavery.