CZECH EXPULSIONS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22582, 10 March 1948, Page 5

CZECH EXPULSIONS

SOCIALIST PARTY THREE EX-MINISTERS BENES’ BROTHER RESIGNS (11 a.m.) PRAGUE. March 0. M. Vojta Benes, a brother of President Beres and a Social Democratic member of Parliament, has resigned his Parliamentary post. fThe Czech Socialist Party action committee today expelled from the party the former Ministers, Dr. Jaroslav Stransky, Minister of Education, Dr. Prckop Drtina. Minister of Justice, and Dr. Hubert Ripka, Minister of Trade. They are among the 12 Ministers whose resignations precipitated the crisis. The two other ex-Ministers. M. Frantisek Hala, Minister of Posts and Telegraphs, and Dr, Adolf Prochapka, were expelled from the Catholic People’s Party on March 6. Fate of Purge Victims

All members of 'the Czechoslovak Constituent Assembly, whether or not they have been expelled from their parties, have been invited to a session on Wednesday at which the Communist Premier. M. Gottwald, will read the new Government's statement of policy. Observers, however, believe that most of the deputies opposing the new Government will not attend. The Prague radio said the reports that some deouties’ Parliamentary immunity would be lifted were “invented the by the Republic’s enemies.”