Herr Henlein's Claims The speech in which what were described
as the minimum demands of the Sudetendeutsch in Czechoslovakia were set out last Sunday was delivered by the Sudetendeutsch leader Herr Henlein, but the voice was unclisguisedly that of Herr Hitler. For the leader of a minority representing a third of the population to demand that at its behest the whole foreign policy of Czechoslovakia should be changed, i.e., that the understandings with France and Russia should be abandoned, is obviously preposterous, and it is clear that it is from Berlin that the demand comes. The Czechoslovakian Government can no more agree to that than to the accompanying demand that the German minority, whose home is the frontier adjacent to Germany, should be given full autonomy. That would mean putting the frontier defences into hostile hands. Most of the other demands, for equality between Germans and Czechs in various fields, are reasonable and can and should be met. The question is essentially a national one, but Germany, without the smallest warrant (for the Sudetendeutsch were never German citizens) is making it international. Therein lies great and obvious danger. But the Sudetendeutsch themselves are not united. The German Social Democrats, though they have come out of the Government coalition, have not joined the Henlein Party—for obvious reasons, since Herr Henlein has now definitely declared himself a Nazi—and their leader, Herr Jalcssh, has drafted a settlement scheme which embodies all reasonable and omits all unreasonable claims. Since Dr. Benes and Dr. Hodza are prepared to go to the utmost lengths compatible with national security and independence to secure a settlement, catastrophe is not inevitable. * * * *
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