Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-05-10
Dr.. Benes, Confident
And Untiring, Plans
Listen Trip 10 U. 5.
Veteron Leader of Czechs
Holds Friendship Of
All Allies in London
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
LONDON. May 10.-Eduard Benes,
untiring president of the provisional
Czechoslovak government. empna-
sized today that his forthcoming
trip to the United States would be
only semi-official.
II am going there to see my
friends and listen to what they have
to say about American opinion on
questions facing the world" DR..
Benes said in an interview.
He added. however, that he ex-
pected to see President Roosevelt,
Secretary of State Hull and other
Government leaders.
DR.. Benes, deep lines carved in his
face by his never ending work sched-
ule. declared his visit would have no
connection with the Russia-Polisn
break or any other issues confront
ing central European nations.
Except how to rid ourselves Of
Hitler" he added quickly
Sees N&zis Near End of Rope.
The Czech leader said he believed
that problem to be almost solved.
He expressed complete confidence
that the NaZiS were near their end.
Americans who knew Dr. Benes
when he toured the United States
and lectured in Chicago in 1899, will
see the deep lines in his face for
the first time, lines engraved there
by a relentless schedule which he
has maintained since his arrival in
England.
The expression of implacable
courage that has blazed in his eyes
from the fateful days of the Sude-
ten agitation, beyond Munich and
through long series of Allied mill
tary defeats is still there.
But there is a new look Of con-
fidence, a look he could not have
had in 1889. 1t has appeared al
most imperceptibly within the last
year.
Keeps Up Killing Pace.
He is thoroughly confident now.
But he refuses to ease the killing
routine that fills all of his days and
nights, and when he does relax. it
is only for the chance to renew his
strength.
DR.. Benes has been living in
big house in the London suburbs
with his wife and two nieces. The
women, too, have been plunged into
tough pace, taking DR.. Benes'
dictation and preparing digest re-
ports.
DR.. Benes said he had not been
able to make use of six dogs at
the house.
His day starts at 6 am. when
he reads the newspapers-not only
English and American, but papers
from dozen other countries. He
reads them as soon as they arrive.
He can read rapidly Czech. Eng
l.Sh, French. German, Italian, Rus
sian. He goes through some 100
newspapers and periodicals every
week.
Then he turns to the big sheaf
Of official kilograms and commune
cations sent daily from his Govern
ment's offices in London.
He has direct telephone line
that keeps him in touch with his
rlght-hand man, tall. bull shoulder
ed Jan MaSaryk, Czech Foreign Min
lister and son of the late Thomas
Masaryk, father of Czechoslo-
vakia'
Jan Masaryk and Eduard Benes
are perfect team
Popular and Practical.
Jovial, outspoken, Mr.. Masaryk is
supremely popular in diplomatic
circles. He is a master of practical
politics.
Together, they have needed the
Germans into high fury with their
radio broadcaStS-more so than any
other leaders of eXpatriated govern
ments.
Barely three hours after their last
broadcast. the Germans had begun
to imprison all persons near Benes. ="
DR.. Benes has given up tennis
and riding and takes his sole eyer-
else in walks. which he combines
with interviews when at home. He
neither smokes nor drinks. But
eometimes-the occasion is rare
Mr.. Masaryk coaxes him into taking
glass of beer with lunch.
Win Friends for Government.
Dr.. Benes is proponent of a mid
european confederation But any
suggestion that such a union should
be directed against any particular
hatlon is an anthema to him
The Czechs have no territorial
problems as such. They will insist
on the restoration of Ruthenia and
Teschen, taken after Munich BY
Hungary and Poland, respectively.
But they profess no other ambi-
tons.
The result is that the Czech gov
eminent is on excellent terms with
all others in London. Their rela-
tons with both the Soviets and the
Poles are so good that some OBJ