The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-03-16

Greater Germany had taken over Czechia and Slovakia in accordance with the law oi "self preservation" Hitler acted from behind the thick walls of ancient Hradzin castle as the dissolution of the postwar republic became com plete with a series of rapid-fire de- velopments that shook every nation of eastern and central Europe.
 Josef Tiso, president of Slovakia appealed to Hitler to take his newly independent sate under Nazi pro- tection and the Fuehrer replied that q herewith take over protection of the Slovakian state."
 Hungarian soldiers battled their way through the snowy highlands ot Carpatho-U Ukraine to decide the fate of the remaining easternmost tip of the dissolved republic.
 Appeals To Rumania
 But as they fought against Ruthe- nian separatist troops, the govern ment of Carpatho- Ukraine staged a dramatic hour surprise by appeal ing to Rumania to incorporate the entire territory in the lands of King Carol, whose armies are massed on the frontier and who has long wanted 8 score of towns on the Ruthenian border.
 Rumania declined officially to ac- cept the offer by Premier Augustin Volosin to take over Carpotho- Ukraine, and the premier fled into Rumania, leaving the state to the Hungarian troops which fought to crush the remnants of Ruthenian separatist resistance.
 Three or four thousand political prisoners seized by Nazi secret police immediately after German accupa- tion of Czechia Bohemia and Mora vial were reported taken an contra tion camps in the Reich.
 100000 Jews Hiding
 Probably 100000 Jews in Czechia and other thousands of Socialists and Communists were in hiding, seeking to leave the country or in hopeless despair as the Nazi anti Semitic and Communist laws were enforced in the newly seized country. Large numbers fled the country, including many men prom inent in the Czechoslovak republic.
 Hitler, who slipped into Prague 1o of 1,inIf of ffny N$ Mo 1; troops and secret police occupied the city, made brief appearance on the balcony, of the old castle this morning to be cheered by German residents in contrast to the jeers and misses of the Czechs when his troops marched in. Severe repres- sive measures were taken to prevent public outbursts of hostility.
 With the extension of Greater Germany to include both Czechia and Slovakia, the Nazi Fuehrer has added 75,000 square miles to the Reich since he came into power six years ago and taken on an additional population of about 25,00O,000, in- cluding non-G Germans whom he had said in public speeches he never wanted to see within the Reich.
 The assumption of rulership over Slovakia came suddenly and umex- pectedly when Tiso, who had started the break up of the Czechoslovak republic by demanding Slovakian independence under Nazi pressure telegraphed to the Fuehrer:
 "In full confidence in you Fuehrer and Chancellor of the Great German Reich, the Slovakian state places itself under your protection The Slovakian state requests you te assume his protection. Tiso."
 Hitler replied:
 T confirm receipt of your tele- gram of yesterday CMarch 15) and take over herewith the protection of the Slovakian state."
 Thus, with no more than an ex- change of telegrams, such as might confirm small commercial deal the Nazi leader brought into his ter ritory state of 14,OOO square miles in the heart of Europe and agri- cultural country needed in the Reich's shaky economic structure.
 German Troops In There
 German troops already had occu- pied the Slovakian territory, which sticks like 8 sharp knife eastward into the thin line of buffer" states btween the Reich and the Soviet Ukraine. The Soviet frontier, to- ward which Nazi eyes have long been turned, is only about 15O miles away.
 The surprise of Hltler's action re- garding Slovakia was illustrated by the fact that Poland and Hungary already had recognized the Tiso government, but now it became ob- vious that there never had been any intention of permitting a free Slovak state and that Tiso had cooperated with Hitler to undermine the Czechoslovak republic, after which he turned over Slovawia to the Fuehrer.
 Nazis admitted that the develop ments of the last two days had violated some of the principles pre- viouSly laid down, but they argued that Slovakia, for instance, was part of the old Austro- Hungarian em- pire and therefore logically as much a part of greater Germany as is Bohemia.
 The exact degree of autonomy which will be permitted the rem nants of the Czechoslovak republic was uncertain but it was indicated that Hitler would keep an iron grip on the territory which is now definitely Reich territory.
 The Czech parliament is abolished and fortified as a barrier against Soviet Russia.