Evening star., 1939-03-14
Prague
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call for discipline and under
standing"
-Slovakia apparently could
not survive the amputations of last
October and November. when large
parts of a one thriving republic
were taken by Germany, Poland
and Hungary.
Steps Leading to Dissolution.
These were the steps today that
led up to the announcement of dis
solution:
President Hacha. under pressure
from Hitler, convened the Slovak
Parliament.
The Slovaks declared themselves
an independent state with DR..
Tiso as the new premier.
The Czecho-Slovak cabinet of
Premier Rudolf Beran drew the
consequences from this secession
and resigned;
The Czech Unity party was sum-
moned for conference to decide
what to do next in the thoroughly
confused state
Tiso sent message to Hitler for
mally advising him of the independ-
ence declaration and asking his
support for the new state-as an
advocate of self determination.
Hungarians penetrated a reported
Is miles into Carpatho- Ukraine,
easternmost section of Czecho-
Slovakia
From German lanuage isles
sections within the Czech part of
the republic where German is the
chief language-came appeals to
Hitler for delivery from the Czech
terror"
All this happened just year after
Hitler joined Austria and Germany.
Thus Hitler, who year after year
has surprised the world during the
month of March, used this month
to change the map of Europe still
further and to extend German DOM
ination eastward. -
Reich Troops Begin March.
While Czecho-Slovakia was con-
vulsed with her internal crisis Ger
man troops began to march toward
her borders-ready to enforce Hit
ler's will by arms.
The. were clogging the main
military roads leading from Dres-
den and Leipzig toward Bohemia
and from Vienna toward Bratislava
and Brno.
Jews in Bohemia and Moravia-
the section of CZecho- -Slovakia un-
der domination of Prague-were
asking whether they had better get
out in hurry before Hitler took
charge.
Quarters close to the Czech gov
ernment said Hitler had asked four
things from Prague:
l. That no obstruction to Slovak
independence be made;
2. That Bohemia and Moravia
form customs and monetary union
with Germany;
3. Complete disarmament of
Czecho-Slovak military forces;
4. Introduction of Germany's
Nurnberg anti-Jewish laws.
Wants Slice of Moravia.
These same quarters said Hitler
had promised Tiso support for Slo-
yak claims for large slice of Mo-
ravia, apparently with the object of
providing the new Slovak state with
some industries.
The territory would include Zlin,
where the great Bata shoe factory
is located
Meanwhile. in Germany itself, the
public was being prepared for a
German expedition into Bohemia
and Moravia. German life, the peo-
pie were being told by press and
radio, was no longer safe in the
little neighbor state.
Hitler. as protector of Germans
everyWhere-so the argument ran
could not stand idly by. His task
was described as insuring German
security.
Before Munich, the postwar
o-Slovak republic which
was created from the former Aus
Hungarian empire had 54.244
square miles of territory and 49,
100000 population.
(The Munich dismemberment
and subsequent adjustments gave
Germany 10000 square miles and
100000 population; Poland, 400
square miles and 241,0OO popula-
ton. and Hungary, 4,495 square
miles and 1,027 900 population.
CThe republic emerged from
this dismemberment with third
Of its territory and third of its
population gone.
(Today it lost 14,600 square
miles and 2,450,00O population.
Of Carpatho- Ukraine also Is
lost to Prague-4,206 square miles
and 552,124 population-the re-
naming Bohemia -Moravia area
of 1888 square miles would have
population of 6,804,876.
(The Czech state would have
about third of its former area
and not quite half its former
population.
(Of the three parts of the re-
public, Bohemia -Moravia came
from the old Austrian empire,
Slovakia and Carpatho- Ukraine
from the kingdom of Hungary