Renewed Attacks Against Dubcek

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32312, 2 June 1970, Page 16

Renewed Attacks Against Dubcek

(NZ.PA.Reuter —Copyright) PRAGUE, June 1

Bitter attacks against Czechoslovakia’s 1968 reformers are continuing as their disgraced leader, Mr Alexander Dubcek, remained at the bedside of his 80-year-old mother, who is gravely ill.

Mr Dubcek arrived at Budapest by air from Ankara, where he is Czechoslovak Ambassador, and was understood to have gone on by train or car to his home in Bratislava. His arrival was ignored by the ©facial press, but it coincided with a new attack on

him in the party daily newspaper, “Rude Pravo.” The newspaper accused Mr Dubcek of receiving money from the pre-1968 hard-line I regime of Mr Antonin Novotny.

Mr Dubcek’s supporters were disturbed by a demand last week from a hard-line Communist member of Parliament, Mrs Zdena Dohnlpva, for trials against “counterrevolutionary and anti-Soc-ialist forces.” Informed sources said that after an investigation, a party commission had recommended that Mr Dubcek—whose' party membership is at present suspended—should be finally expelled. His expulsion—which would almost certainly mean recall from Ankara and enforced political obscurity might be on the agenda for the Communist Party Central Committee meeting expected in June. The only official word came from the embassy in Ankara, where a spokesman said: “We expect our Ambassador back in Ankara jin a week or two. Naturally, l while he is in Prague, he will hake the opportunity of having consultations with varijous authorities.” i A number of active liberals—including writers, journalists and students now face charges of subversion but the possibility of Mr Dubcek facing trial has so far seemed remote.