Author Institution: University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohi

Ludmer, Henry

The Ohio Journal of Science

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THE OHIO JOURNAL OF SCIENCEVOL. XLIX MARCH, 1949 No. 2CZECHO-SLOVAKIA — THE BRIDGE BETWEENEAST AND WEST1DR. HENRY LUDMER,University of Toledo, Toledo, OhioRecently the attention of the world was focused on Czecho-Slovakia becauseof the communist coup d'etat there and she still is in the news. Most peopleknow very little about Czecho-Slovakia and therefore draw wrong conclusions.Having lived there for 25 years I feel able to discuss the geopolitical, economic,cultural, and military implications of the communist coup d'etat in Czecho-slovakia in a more competent way.1. THE GEOPOLITICAL IMPLICATIONSCzecho-Slovakia, about 600 miles long and 100 miles wide, lies in the heartof Europe bordered by Germany in the west, Russia in the east, Poland in thenorth and Austria and Hungary in the south. A rather precarious position. Thecoup d etat means a consolidation of the Pan-Slavistic space and a further advanceof the Russian sphere of influence towards the West. Russia's one party systemwas copied when the Social-Democratic Party was absorbed by the CommunistParty and the entire government adopted a single list of candidates for the Mayelections. Dr. Benes resigned in June. Com. Gottwald took over the presidency.Czecho-Slovakia is somewhat larger than Ohio (Cz. area 49,358 square miles,Ohio's 41,222 square miles), but her population is more than twice as large (Cz.population 14,447,000, Ohio's 6,907,612). This discrepancy is another basicreason for the Czech, troubles. In addition there are two extensive mountainsystems: the Carpathian in the eastern part of Moravia, Slovakia and CarpathianRussinia and the Sudeten in the western parts of Moravia, Bohemia and Silesia;leaving only about 35% of the country's area for farming. But intensive agri-culture still is the predominant occupation claiming about 40% of the population,especially in the east. Wheat, rye, barley, oats, potatoes, sugar beets, corn andhops are grown in abundance. After World War I the number of peasants wasgreatly increased by the sequestration of all large estates formerly owned by theAustrian aristocracy and by the land reform for the benefit of Czech, legionnaires.This trend continued after World War II after the expulsion of the SudetenGermans and now is in full swing with regard to all other estates and foreign-owned land. Only small-scale farms up to 120 acres a family, are permitted toremain in private hands. This land reform may be politically expedient, but it isnot economically sound because it means a split-up of well established argiculturalunits and higher operational expenses to the new units.Czech, mineral wealth is great and comprises both soft and hard coal, iron,graphite, garnets, uranium, silver, copper, lead, and rock salt. On October 24,1 Paper presented before the Geography Section of the Ohio Academy of Science at theannual meeting held at the University of Toledo on May 7, 1948.4142 DR. HENRY LUDMER Vol. X L I X1945, all mines were nationalized and now they are called "national enterprises''(narodni podniky).The famous subterranean caverns, lakes, ice caves, labyrinths, etc., as well asthe Czech, pass and mineral springs used to attract many American, British,French, etc., tourists who may prefer to stay home now.2. THE ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONSMinister of Industry, Fierlinger, estimated last month that under the nationali-zation decrees already legalized by the Czech. Parliament, 90% of Czechoslovakindustry is in the hands of the state. The law provides for state ownership of allexport and import, commercial banks, insurance companies, public utilities, defenseindustries, steel plants, the Bata shoe factories, manufacturing concerns of drugsand phonograph records, glass and chemical industries, paper industries, spinningand weaving mills, clothing factories, hotels, wholesale trade, printing establish-ments (except small outfits not using rotary presses or similar equipment) andof every other establishment employing more than 50 persons. It means that thegreat majority of Czechs and Slovaks not on farms will have to work for the stateor state enterprises. At the same time, the government inaugurated a large-scaleprogram designed both to reorganize industrial units into more effective combina-tions and to concentrate production in the most technically competent areas.2To wipe out deficits of the nationalized industries the government adoptedOctober 28, 1946, a Two-Year Plan. The overall goal is to raise production ofboth capital and consumer goods 10% above 1938 by the end of 1948. To thisend the government is spending $1,397,000,000 in all phases of Czechoslovakeconomy.3This planned industrialization of Czecho-Slovakia is closely linked to a similarplanning in Poland. In July, 1947, the two countries signed a five-year tradetreaty. This treaty provides for extensive development of communicationsand transport between the two countries and "regulated relations" betweentheir respective industrial and agricultural systems. A bilateral Council ofEconomic Collaboration was set up and trade exchanges planned for the periodJuly 1, 1947, to July 30, 1948.4The only effect the communist coup d'etat has on foreign trade is the completenationalization of all foreign trade.6The Czecho-Slovak economy is dependent on foreign trade both as an outletfor the products of industry and for supplies of raw materials. Before the war75% of exports were finished goods and more than 50% of imports were rawmaterials. Postwar trade is following a similar pattern.By value the principal imports are raw cotton, wool, iron and other metallicores, mineral oils, and chemicals. Principal exports are iron and steel products,machinery, textiles, glass, timber, pulp, and paper.Principal imports from the United States before World War II were cotton,fruits and nuts, machinery, copper, and petroleum. Principal exports to theUnited States were textile fabrics and products, leather wares, glass and glassware,malt and hops, and wood pulp.Total trade during 1946 amounted to about 24.5 billion crowns (490 milliondollars), of which imports totaled 10.2 billion crowns (204 million dollars) andexports totaled 14.3 billion crowns (286 million dollars). The trade picture withthe United States is very dark—in 1947 there was a deficit of imports over exportsof 1.9 billion crowns (38 million dollars). Russia's challenge to the United States,"Foreign Policy Reports, (April 1, 1948), Vol. 24, p. 19.3Current History, (November, 1947), Vol. 13, p. 272.^Foreign Policy Reports, (April 1, 1948), Vol. 24, p. 20.5New York Times, (March 7, 1948), Gregor Speech, p. 10.No. 2 CZECHOSLOVAKIA 43Great Britain, etc., is that of a country which, because of its boundless need for allkinds of products after the wartime destruction suffered, offers a huge marketfor the exports of other nations. In this respect, Russia has and may continueto have a greater power of attraction for the countries of Central and EasternEurope and the Balkans than the United States, which has been more concernedin increasing its own exports than in encouraging imports from actual or potentialcustomers. Like other countries of Central and Eastern Europe, Czecho-Slovakiahas conducted its foreign trade since World War II mainly on the basis of short-term bilateral barter agreements subject to renewal. By April, 1948, Czecho-slovakia had such agreements with 25 countries in the East and West, but hadnot yet completed a trade agreement with the United States. Despite its presentdependence on bilateral agreements, Czecho-Slovakia has constantly professeda desire ultimately to return to a system of multilateral trade proposed by theUnited States, once conditions are favorable to such a development. She hasparticipated in the European Economic Commission as well as in the negotiationsfor the Trade and Tariff Agreement of October 31, 1947, and signed the Charterof the International Trade Organization on April 2, 1948, i.e., after the communistcoup d'etat. Russia did not sign it. In May, 1948, the U. S. granted Czecho-slovakia the tariff concessions in accordance with the agreement of October 31,1947.The official rate of the Czech, crown is 50 crowns to one U. S. dollar. Recentlythe black market rate rose from 150 to 340 crowns to the dollar. This develop-ment indicates less confidence in the Czech, crowns and a considerable increasein the desire for U. S. dollars.3. THE CULTURAL IMPLICATIONSThe Czech, government is pledged to maintain "practical" cultural relationswith the Soviet Union. The Czech. Minister of Education is a communist. Heremoved Rector Karel Englis, internationally famed economist and ex-ministerof finance, from the presidency of the Charles University of Prague—now 600years old—and Bohumil Bydzovsky, leftist mathematician, is rector of the uni-versity of Prague now. Since the Communist coup, "action committees" havetaken control of the university. More than 200 students have been expelled,though 25 U. S. students still study there (the 22 who are veterans have beencut off G.I. Bill of Rights benefits). Before they take final exams, all studentswill have to qualify for "certificates of national and political reliability."6 Allthese things have not changed the University of Prague nor Bohemia as placesof Western culture. People use Western expressions. Many streets and squaresare named after American presidents. It was not possible for the Hapsburgs andHitler to digest Czecho-Slovakia; it will not be possible for Stalin to enslave theCzech, people.4. THE MILITARY IMPLICATIONSThe military potential of the Russian sphere of influence was strengthenedby the Communist coup d'etat in Czecho-Slovakia, because the cities Prague,Stara Boleslav, Lazne Belohrad, Benesov u Prahy, Boskovice, Brno, Ceske Bude-jovice, Nemecky Brod, Frenstat, Mistek, Hodonin, Velke Mezerici, Humpolec,Vysoke Myto, Hostivice, Jihlava, Jaromer, Jinec, Jicin, Josefov, Mlada Boleslav,Hrebeny, Kladno, Klatovy, Hradec Kralove, Kolin, Kralupy, Louny, Lobnik,Moravska Ostrava, Hranice, Milovice, Jindrichuv Hradec, Nove Mesto n. Mor.Olomouc, Pardubice, Pribramy, Pelhrimov, Plzen, Pisek, Prelouc, Prerov,Prostejov, Psikosice, Rakovnik, Slany, Susice, Sedlcany, Strasice, Tabor,Domazlice, Tele, Trebic, Vyskow, Vsetin, etc., have training areas and other"Time, April 19, 1948, p. 23.44 DR. HENRY LUDMER Vol. X L I Xmilitary installations. Czecho-Slovakia has eleven ammunition factories, includingthe famous Skoda Works, twelve transmitters and 8,262 miles of rails, all of ithardly damaged in World War II. The Czech. Army has 160,000 men—Russiaallotted $152,000,000 for it in her last budget. Universal military service forall men between 20 and 50 years of age was re-established in 1940 with servicefor two years. Hitler turned the Army into a labor corps, but now it isre-established. Czecho-Slovakia signed several military assistance pacts withher neighbors, the last one with Bulgaria. It is primarily because of Czecho-slovakia's fear of a restored strong Germany that the Soviet alliance is regardedby all existing parties as the proper foundation of the nation's military policy.CONCLUSIONSCzecho-Slovakia has to maintain military, political, economic and culturalrelations with the Soviet Union. Her dependence on Russia for her economicand military security, however, does not exclude agreements with countries outsidethe Soviet sphere. Czecho-Slovakia signed the Trade and Tariff Agreement ofOctober 31, 1947, and the Charter of the International Trade Organization onApril 2, 1948, after the Communist coup although Russia did not sign them.Czecho-Slovakia should remain the bridge that connects East with West andnot become the bridge which could be used by the troops of both for mutualdestruction.

Czecho-Slovakia--The Bridge Between East and West

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Czecho-Slovakia--The Bridge Between East and West

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