Evening star., 1938-10-02
Villages, Highways
Are Decorated
in Welcome.

of Chamberlain's policy Page 40
Nv MELVIN X. WHITELEATHER.
Associated Press Foreign Correspondent.
WITH THE GERMAN ARMY OF
OCCUPATION IN SUDETENLAND,
Oct, 1.-Thousands of Sudeten farm-
ers their wives and plump-cheekeo
children turned out today to line the
narrow dirt roads Of the Bohemian
Forest region near Krumau and well
come the peaceful invasion" of the
German Army.
"Sudetenland greets its liberator'
was the slogan everywhere. 1t was
shouted and it appeared on triumphal
arches through which detachments
of the soldiers rode and marched III
their symbolic occupation OF Sudeten
zone No. l.
The only incident reported at head
quarters occurred at Neuhof, small
village, where a Czech lieutenant and
10 men barricaded themselves in a
house and covered the road with ma
chine guns.
Villagers came to the advancing
Germans to tell them that the lieuten-
ant had sworn he would stay there
and "die honorably."
He still was there tonight and Ger
man officers said they hoped he would
evacuate voluntarily before the Ger
mans would have to march on tomor-
row.
Throw Flowers at Troops.
Mountain girls and old men and
women walking with canes and puff
ing long -stemmed pipes tossed autumn
flowers toward the steel-helmeted,
gray-uniformed troops. Houses were
decorated with flowers and festoons
were draped across roadways and vii
lage streets.
The Mayor OF one town of 400 popu-
lation appeared in his Sunday black
suit and white collar and literally
jumped up and down with Joy at the
sight of the passing column. Swastika
flags few from all houses in each
town five minutes after the Germans
took over.
Three more zones along the border
were to be occupied by October 8 and
the remainder of zone No. will come
under German domination tomorrow
Tonight the troops had penetrated
former Czechoslovak territory from
az to 9 miles, depending upon the
course Of the Moldau River, along
which the Germans halted Zone No.
runs for go miles along the Bavarian-
Austrian border. One-third OF it was
occupied today.
The mountainous section Of the Bo-
hemian forest taken over was the set
ting which Schiller chose for his fa-
NOUS play, The Robbers" The Ger
mans faced no opposition, fred not .
single shot and saw only few Czecho-
slovak soldiers.
Czech Defense Cleared.
The engineers were the only unit of
the army which got more than a ride
or hike. They were busy tonight
clearing away abandoned Czechoslovak
machine-gun nests and barricades in
the forest land. These were reminders
OF hasty preparations of the mobilized
Czechoslovaks for war. Power saws
were used to cut through the for
tresses" Of pine logs.
The main force of occupation crossed
the border precisely at p. m. g q. M,
E. s. T)-mountaineer infantry troops,
machine gunners, signal corps and ar
mored cars. No aviation was in evi-
dence but anti-aircraft batteries had
been stationed on the German side
OF the old Czechoslovak border.
COL Gen. Ritter Won Leeb command
ed the occupation force, estimated at
10000 men.
A accommodating detachment report-
ed it sighted small band of Czecho-
slovak soldiers and gendarmes along
the border of Zone No. /, but said
they disappeared promptly.
There were 20 foreign newspaper-
men accredited to the OCCUPATION
force, cautioned against stray,nv for
independent observation. but assured
OF an opportunity to see "every-
thing" No photographers were pe--
mltted to enter Sudetenland.
Tours One Part of Zone.
This writer toured one section of
the Zone today in q party escorted
by Capt. Morowski of general staff
headquarters.
We crossed over the Bavarian
mountains into the Bohemian forest,
driving upward more than 5000 feet
from the Danube Valley town OF
Passau. headquarters of the occupa-
ton forces.
As We went up the mountains our
backs were to the River Inn. Not
far down this river lies Braunau.
birthplace Of Adolf Hitler. Passing
through the fringe of German Aus
tria, our party was saluted in NaA
style: The people, added to Ger