AMERICA REQUESTS PRAGUE TO RECALL TWO DIPLOMATS

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 April 1948, Page 6

AMERICA REQUESTS PRAGUE TO RECALL TWO DIPLOMATS

NEW YORK, April 3. “The United States has asked Czechoslovakia to recall two officials assigned to the Czechoslovak Embassy in Washington,” says the United Press of America. “In addition, the withdrawal of a third diplomat of an unspecified country ‘behind the Iron Curtain’ has been requested. “In a Note delivered to the Czech Embassy several days ago, the United 'States State Department said that Mr Theo Florin, the Czech First Secretary, and Dr Egzen Syrovatda, an attache, were persona non grata to the United States Government. The State Department gave no reason for the action, but one source said that it was based on ‘very serious considerations.’ ” It is officially announced in Prague that the Czech frontier police detained 642 people attempting to leave the. country in the February crisis month. The police also proceeded in February again 276 people for “attempting to violate the republic’s security.” The Czech News Agency reports that the police have handed over the former Vice-Premier and Slovak Democrat leader (Mr Jan Ursiny) to the Bratislava District Court for trial on a charge of high treason. Mr Ursiny was deprived of Parliamentary immunity three weeks ago. The semi-official Czech newspaper “Rude Pravo” says that the Workers’ Militia (which paraded with new arms while the Communists were seizing power last month) will be legalised as a permanent auxiliary police force.