SLOVAKIA: Troubled Hero

When Adolf Hitler seized Czecho-Slovakia last March he incorporated the provinces of Bohemia and Moravia into the Reich as a protectorate, but made Slovakia a separate “dependency.” For two months France, Britain and the U. S. (among others) have refused to recognize Herr Hitler’s conquest. Last week, however, the British took the first step toward legitimatizing the Hitler grab by according de facto recognition to Slovakia. They named Peter Pares, formerly a British consul in the Sudetenland, as consul at Bratislava. Britain also was the first big democratic power to urge recognition of Benito Mussolini’s seizure of Ethiopia and Generalissimo Francisco Franco’s victory in Spain.

Meanwhile, signs that Herr Hitler was not altogether satisfied with his dependency were accumulating. Although Slovak officials hailed the Fuhrer as the “noble-minded peace hero of all humanity,” last week crowds in Bratislava gathered to shout “Down with Germany” and to show their sympathy for Nazi-troubled Poland, Numerous anti-German slogans appeared on walls. Many Slovaks were arrested.

In Berlin it was admitted that Slovakia’s “independent” days were numbered: sooner or later the Führer would figure out a “final solution” for the territory. A “solution” was suggested from Budapest: Slovakia should be returned to Hungary, after which Hungary would join the Reich’s customs union.