Evening star., 1939-04-28

groups should deprive what was left
Of the state Of all capacity to sur
vive-a fact of which the founders
Of state had been we'll aware when
they planned 1t, at Versailles, since
1t was for this very reason that they
decided on assault en- other minori-
ties and had forced these against
their will to become part of this
amateurishly constructed state.
I have likewise never left any
doubt about my opinion and atti-
tude. 1t is true that as long as Ger
many herself was powerless and de-
fenseless this oppression of almost
100000 Germans could be car
ried out without the Reich offering
any practical resistance. However,
only child in politics could have
believed that the German nation
would remain forever in the state
1t was in 1919.
A Military Bastion.
Only as long as international
traitors, supported from abroad,
held direction Of the German state
could the people rely on these dis
graceful conditions being patient
ly put up with.
From the moment when, after the
victory Of National Socialism, these
traitors had to transfer their domi-
cile to the place whence they had
received their subsidies, the solu-
ton of this problem was only a
question of time
Moreover, it was exclusively a
question affecting nationalities con-
cerned, not one concerning Western
Europe. 1t certainly is understand
able that Western Europe was in
terested in the artificial state
brought into being in its interest.
But that nationalities surrounding
this state should regard this inter-
est as a determining factor for
them was a false conclusion which
was, perhaps, regretable for many.
In as far as this interest was only
directed to the financial establish
ment of this state, Germany could
have had nothing to say if this
financial interest had not been sub
iected exclusively to the political
aims of democracies. Financial re-
quirements of this state followed
but one guiding idea, namely, crea-
ton of a military state armed to
the teeth with the view to FORM
ing a bastion extending into the
German Reich which promised to
be the starting point for military
operations in connection with in
vasions of the Reich from the west
or at any rate an air base of un-
doubted value.
Cites French Air Minister.
What was expected from this state
is shown most clearly by the OBJ
servation of the French air minister,
M. Pierre Cot, who calmly stated
that the duty of this state in case
of any conflict was to be an airdrome
for the landing and taking off of
bombers from which it would be
possible to destroy the most i'm
portant German industrial centers
in few hours.
1t is comprehensive. therefore,
that the German government in
their turn decided to destroy this
airdrome for bombing planes. They
did not come to this decision be-
cause of hatred of the Czech people.
Quite the contrary. For, in the
,ollrSo nf q thpy,cond yoorc J,,r;nr
which the German and Czech peo-
pie had lived together, there had
often been periods of close co-op-
Grafton lasting hundreds of years
and between these, it is true, only
short periods of tension.
In such periods of tension. the
passions of people struggling to-
gether in the front trenches of ma
tional position can very easily dim
the feeling of justice and thus lead
to the wrong total impression. This
is feature of every war. 1t was
solely in the long epochs of living
together in harmony that the two
peoples agreed they were both en-
Titled to advance the holy claim to
Difference for and respect of their
nationality.
I Was Only a Guardian.
But in these years of struggle. my
own attitude toward the Czech
people was never anything else than
that of guardian of the unilateral
national and Reich interest COM
bined with feelings of respect for
the Czech people One thing is
certain: If the democratic midwives
of this state had succeeded in at
tanning their ultimate goal, the Ger
man Reich would certainly not have
been destroyed. although we might
have sustained heavy losses. No!
The Czech people, by reason of its
size and position, would presumably
have had to put up with much more
dreadful and-I am convinced-ca-
tastrophic consequences.
I am happy it has proved possible,
even to the annoyance of democratic
interests, to avoid this catastrophe
in Central Europe thanks to our own
moderation and also to the good
judgment of Czech people. That
which the best and wiSest Czechs
have struggled for decades to attain,
is as a matter of course granted to
this people in the National Socialist
German Reich, namely, the right to
their own nationality and the right
to foster this nationality and to re-
vive it. National Socialist Germany
has no notion Of ever betraying the
racial principles of which we are
proud. They will be beneficial not
only to the German nation, but to
the Czech people as well.
We Didn't Mobilize.
But we do demand recognition of
a historical necessity and of an
economic exigency In which we all
find ourselves When I announced
the solution Of this problem in the
Reichstag on February %. 1898,
was convinced I was obeying the
necessity of Central European
situation.
AS late as March, 1898, I believe
that by means Of gradual evolution
it might prove possible to solve the
,roh1enn Of minOrities IN this State