REVOLT CALLED OFF: UNDERGROUND IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 April 1949, Page 3

REVOLT CALLED OFF: UNDERGROUND IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA

WASHINGTON, April. 23.

The Council of Free Czechoslovakia in Washington today reported that a desperate attempt by underground forces to overthrow the Communist Government of Czechoslovakia had been called off at zero hour. The council s said that the antiCommunist underground leaders had developed the plan and smuggled details to the council in Washington? The council immediately sent an urgent message telling the underground that the time was not yet ripe for a revolt and the situation was such that an attempt could not have any positive result. The sacrifice of brave men. would have been useless.

A spokesman for the council said that the countermanding order had gone to Czechoslovakia “very recently.” The council was established in February to form the nucleus of a Free Czech Government in exile, until the Communist hold in Prague is broken.

The spokesman said that the Czech Communist Government was threatened by two elements, —the democratic underground and “Titoists’,” oi* nationalist segments withip the Communist Party. The nationalist groups’ discontent had been increased by orders from Moscow that Czechoslovakia must concentrate on becoming a heavy industry centre for Eastern Europe. These industrial plans were, wrecking the light industries which had long been vital to Czech peacetime economy.

Official Prague radio broadcasts have indicated recently that the Government is sensitive to the discontent within the country.