760F.62/493: Telegram

The Minister in Czechoslovakia (Carr) to the Secretary of State

145. My 144 July 20, 4 p.m.77 In a lengthy interview today President Beneš discussed with me the Sudeten German proposals just published. He thought the publication of the memorandum was unfortunate but did not think it important. It might actually be beneficial by making clear the character of the Sudeten demands. He added that it had not been published by the Czechoslovak authorities.

He said that the Sudeten proposals contemplated splitting up the National Parliament into racial groups. The Government will not accept that because it is not workable. Nor will the Government accept the division of the territory of the state among racial groups for the same reason. Moreover, racial subdivision of the state would accentuate the racial rivalries and differences and besides create a large number of new minorities because in each racial subdivision would be found groups of persons of other races and speaking languages other than those employed by the majority. Thus instead of solving existing difficulties these Sudeten proposals would not only fail but create a host of new problems. The Government will not agree to subdivision of parliament and state territory into racial subdivisions for another reason which is that so far as the Sudetens are concerned it would prove the first step in the separation of the German areas from the state. He added “we have to watch that.” The proposal for the practice of the National Socialist philosophy in substance or form would not be accepted in any circumstances. He [Page 535] said that in order to show good will the Government would accept as many as possible of the Sudeten proposals and combine them with their own proposals into the statutes now in preparation.

The Government would grant decentralization along lines of historic trends into four provinces, Bohemia, Moravia, Slovakia and Ruthenia. The Central Government at Praha with the National Parliament would have charge of the most important national matters including the most important legislation. Each province would have its own diet elected by the people and would legislate for itself within certain limits specifically in regard to agriculture, industry, schools and many other matters of local concern in respect to which conditions are different in the different provinces. Likewise they would have their own administration and elect their governments. Slovakia is to be included in this arrangement as an answer to the Heinka [Hlinka]78 agitation.

Within the provinces there would be small divisions called districts and corresponding roughly to counties and townships in the United States which would have their own governments and local officials elected by the people. The fullest measure of self government possible will be granted including racial proportionality of employees in the government, national and provincial, liberal provisions in regard to languages, local control of municipalities, trade, schools and other things.

It is expected that the drafts of the new laws will be ready by Monday at the latest when they will be given to the Sudeten Germans and the opposition parties for study and comment with a view to an adjustment of views before they are laid before Parliament where it is planned to invite the fullest and frankest possible discussion with the hope that the opposition parties can be induced to vote for them. The President emphasized that it was of the highest importance to afford opposition parties every reasonable opportunity to make known their views and to contribute to perfecting the proposed laws. I inferred that this may take another week or so at least.

The President spoke feelingly about statements that had been made here and abroad that he had been opposing concessions to the Sudetens and delaying reaching a solution of their difficulties. He said that the exact reverse was the truth. He had always been opposed to the highly centralized form of government which exists here and which was brought about by the law of 1927. Although then a minister he had refused to sign that law, had disagreed with the then Prime Minister about it and had advised President Masaryk to veto it. Nevertheless it became a law. Now it is necessary to return to the condition previously existing. He said that when the Sudeten memorandum [Page 536] of June 7, 193879 was received he gave it immediate consideration and he showed me his various memoranda of his reaction to the proposals many of which had “yes” opposite them. He had placed his views before the members of the Government and had exerted all the pressure possible and had found it necessary to persuade each member as well as each party leader separately to act favorably. With some he had had considerable difficulty. All of that consumed much time. He repeated that except for his insistence upon the utmost possible concessions to the minorities the present situation would be far less favorable.

Repeated to Paris, Berlin; cipher text to London.

Carr
  1. Not printed.
  2. Monsignor Andrej Hlinka, leader of the Slovak Peoples Party.
  3. Addressed to the Czechoslovak Prime Minister, along the lines of the Carlsbad demands of April 24.