17 FEBRUARY 1939, Page 2

Czecho-Slovakia, Austria and the Nazis Since Munich the Czech Government

has made sincere efforts to come to agreement with Germany, despite the disagreeable sacrifices this involves ; the attempt has been unsuccessful. On Sunday, Herr Kundt, who represents the German minority in Czecho-Slovakia, declared that under M. Beran's Government German-Czech relations have gone from bad to worse and that the position of the German minority has become " untenable." Among the acts which have offended Germany is the banning of the Stunner in Bohemia and Moravia. Herr Kundt's statement is the more revealing because M. Beran and his Government took office after Munich in the belief that relations of confidence and co-operation could be established between Germany and Czecho-Slovakia ; the past few months have done much to disillusionise them. The aggressive tone adopted by Herr Kundt has caused much alarm, and further demands on Czecho-Slovakia are expected. In Austria, German methods have been no more successful than in Czecho-Slovakia. Last week the Nazi Commissioner, Herr Biirckel, announced that six party leaders had been dismissed ; his action is evidence both of the corruption in the party and of the popular resent- ment against its methods and personnel.

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