negotiations or disputes either internal or international, as a result of events in the course of the war. I myself conducted all negotiations between the Czechoslovak Republic and the Holy See from 1919 and I recall how difficult it often was. I should be unwilling for this to be repeated. After long and difficult discussions I achieved, not only complete agreement with the Holy See but, in particular, an approval by the Czechoslovak people and Parliament of the settlement of the 17th December,1927, known as the modus vivendi and gladly accepted by all Czech and Slovak Catholics. I consistently saw to it that the terms of this settlement were kept, and thus in the period from 1927 to 1938 the individual, conditions of the modus vivendi were successively put into effect. In my view our simplest course would be to revert, before the end of the war, to the former relationship without any further compltcations, discussions or settlements, by merely renewing the former normal diplomatic relations between the Holy See and |