Evening star., 1941-09-30
The Czechs Stir


In the increasingly volcanic at
moSphere of Nazi- dominated Europe,
a rebellious eruption of the oppressed
Czechs was bound to occur. In fact,
the Czechs have been erupting spo-
radically ever since Hitler tore up
the Munich pact in the spring of 1899
and reduced the shrunken state Of
Czecho-Slovakia to a German satel-
lite under the title of the Protecto-
rate of Bohemia -Moravia.
Though unable to resist openly, the
disciplined Czech people revived
those tactics of passive resistance
and subtle sabotage which they had
perfected as a recalcitrant minority
under Hapsburg rule. When the
second World War broke out in the
autumn of 1899, their fugitive leaders
headed by former President Benes
established a Czech government in
exile on British soil. During the
early months of the war, the pro-
tectorate was the scene of militant
unrest. Brutally punished by the
German authorities opposition went
underground during the period of
German triumphs in Western Eu-
rope, when the immediate outlook
appeared hopeless. Bit German in
volvement in a titanic new struggle
with Russia sent a fresh thrill of
hope through the Czech people, stim-
ulating them to renewed activity
against their conquerors. 1t is this
upsurge of rebellious militancy
which has caused the Reich to resort
once more to drastic measures of
repression.
The Protectorate of Bohemia Mo-
ravia has had a threefold system of
government. The outward iron"
is native administration with a
President, a cabinet, and offcialdom,
composed of Czechs, since theoret-
ically the protectorate enjoys local
government. Of course, this
essentially is sham. The Czech
officials are hand-picked for sub
serviency to the Germans, and it is
highly significant of the unreliable
ity of even these carefully chosen
tools that the Czech Prime Minister,
Alois Elias, is among those arrested
on charge of preparation for high
treason"
Behind the Czech front" stands
the German civil authority, headed
until the present crisis by former
Reich Foreign Minister, ConStantin
Won Neurath, with the title of Reich
protector. A veteran diplomat,
Baron Won Neurath has stood for a
policy of relative moderation and
seemingly has tried to reconcile the
Czechs to the new European order"
His sudden retirement on the plea of
i'll health, and his replacement by
heavyhanded Reinhard Heydrich,
spells the bankruptcy of the concilia-
ton policy and a resort to naked
force.
Heydrich is the ace trouble shooter
of Heinrich Himmler, dreaded head
| of the Gestapo, the Nazi secret police.
The Gestapo always has been active
in the protectorate, constituting the
real driving power of German au-
thority there, though usually con-
| ho1 h &c
civil administration. Heydrich has
proclaimed for the urban centers of
the protectorate the same "state of
emergency which he recently in
Stituted in Norway. This involves
drastic restrictions such as a curfew,
the closing of places of entertain
ment, arbitrary arrests and summary
executions. 1t differs from a state of
martial law chiefly in the fact that
the Gestapo rather than the German
Army runs things. This is an impor-
tant distinction, because the Gestapo
and the correlated S. S. or Elite
Guards are directly connected neither
with the army nor with the German
government. They are Nazi party
organizations, rejecting the curious
yet important separation of state and
party in the Third Reich. In a sense,
the party is a state within a state
the ultimate arbiter and energizer
of the whole.
Whenever serious internal situa-
tion develops, the party steps in,
through its appropriate organs, and
takes charge. The fact that this has
had to be done in Norway and the
protectorate indicates the gravity
of current troubles in both lands.
Scientists of the Department of
Agriculture, at presidential sugges-