Evening star., 1938-10-02

structure. A constitutional assembly
was called and at noon on November
IA, 1918, it was proclaimed that "the
Hapsburg-Lorraine dynasty has lost all
rights to the throne Of Bohemia" At
the same session Prof. Masaryk was
acclaimed President of the new Czech
oslovak state. Seventy years of active
agitation finally had brought about
success.
Post Var History.
The territories comprising the post
war Czecho- -Slovak state were ceded by
two treaties. The treaty of Saint
German Of September 10, 1919, be-
tween the allied powers and Austria
among other provisions stated that
the former Austro- Hungarian mon
archy ceased to exist, prohibited the
union Of Germany and Austria and
granted to Czechoslovakia Bohemia
Moravia and parts Of Lower Austria
and Austrian Silesia. The treaty of
the Trianon of June 4, 1920, between
the allies and Hungary gave to the
new state Slovakia and territory tc
the south and east of the Carpathians
Czechoslovakia was forced with other
states to sign minorities treaty pro-
viding guarantees for the protection
OF racial minorities within her bor-
ders. These groups were further pro-
tected by the constitution of 1926
which guaranteed to them equality
regardless of race, language or re.
ligion. Special provisions were made
for the use of minority languages in
special areas in government and edu-
cation. BY the constitution there was
established seven-year presidential
term, Senate and a Chamber OF
Deputies.
Early Problems Serious.
OF the early problems of the state
the most serious concerned land
reform, relations with the church
foreign affairs and the minorities
question. As to foreign affairs, two
schools Of thought had developed ever
prior to the establishment of the state
Karl Kramars had advocated a policy
recognizing the Pan-Slavic interest
Masaryk and Benes preferred to lool
toward the west rather than the east
The latter policy prevailed Whether
the choice was wise. it would be worse
than academic to debate at this time
In agreement with the general prin.
ciple Czechoslovakia became a sup.
porter Of the League and of the post.
war treaty structure and in larger
matters generally followed the leac
Of France. At the beginning Czecho.
slovakia was generally friendly with
Austria and the Little Entente, mott.
waited largely by the fear of Hungarian
reprisals.
The minorities problem speedily be.
came q major one. Within Czecho-
slovakia's territory were 3,500,000 Ger.
mans. 100000 Magyars and 100000
Ruthenians. From the beginning there
was trouble with both Germans and
Slovaks. The latter were accused by
the Czechs of cherishing separatist
ambitions looking forward to eventual
reunion with Hungary. The problem
Of the German minority was equally
insistent and became progressively
more critical with the advent of Hitler
and the Nazi regime.
Rise of Adolf Hitler.
Adolf Hitler, the son of a minor
civil servant, was born in German
Austria in 1890. Disappointed in his
ambition to pursue an artistic career
he made living as craftsman and
decorator. Moving to Munich, he en-
listed in the Bavarian Army at the
outbreak of the World War. The Ger
man revolution and the republic which
emerged he viewed with repugnance,
In 1928 he appeared first in the lime
light with Ludendorff in the unsuc-
cessful "beerhall putsch" For his
part in this uprising Hitler was SEN
fenced to jail for five years, but was