Central Europe Pawn in Propaganda Game

The whole of central and southeastern Europe has been subject to a well-organized campaign of nazi propaganda ever since Hitler’s victory in Germany one year ago. Czechoslovakia was no exception. Nazi agitators swarmed over the frontier from Germany until it began to look as though Czechoslovakia, too, would soon fall prey to Hitlerism. But luckily, the government realized soon enough that Hitlerism constituted a menace not only to the Jewish inhabitants of the country, but to the State itself, and took vigorous measures to put an end to this progaganda, which was particularly dangerous in view of the large German population ofthe country. These measures, thanks to the energy with which the government acted, were successful, and Czecho-slovakia, as far as the Jews are concerned, is now practically the only peaceful island in the turbulent seas of Central Europe.

It may be asked whether this is not due rather to anti-Hitlerism than to pro-Jewishness. But this is not the only sphere in which Czecho-slovakia has proved her friendship to the Jews Apart from taking a very large number of German refugees, Czechoslovakia has taken on herself the role of defender of Jewish rights in international matters. In the famed interview Prof. Masaryk, President of the Republic, gave Jacob Landau of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, he denied the Nazi assertion that what Germany did with her Jews was an internal German matter that concerned no other state. The anti-Jewish persecution in Germany, President Masaryk declared, is a matter of general concern, for they are driving a large number of jews from the country, and these refugees inevitably become a problem affecting the various countries in which they seek refuge. This interview attracted much attention, and did much to change the then prevailing attitude that other states could take no action in this connection. His point of view became the basis for the various steps the League of Nations took in connection, with Nazi persecution of the Jews.

ENDORSE PALESTINE REFUGE

At the League of Nations itself, Czechoslovakia again showed her friendship to the Jews. Her Foreign Minister, Dr. Benes, and her permanent representative at the League Dr. Ossuzki, fought nobly and energetically for the plans put forward by the various Jewish bodies, both in respect of the appointment of a League High Commissioner, and of the opening of the doors of Palestine for German Jewish refugees.

Yet these acts of friendship on the part of the government should not be taken to mean that there is no anti-Semitism in Czechoslovakia herself. Apart from the Germany population, which has been strongly infected by Nazi progaganda, various circles among the Czechosolvakian population too are by no means friendly to the Jews.