RED ARMY ENTRY TO FRANCE WOULD BE WELCOMED!

Grey River Argus, 25 February 1949, Page 5

RED ARMY ENTRY TO FRANCE WOULD BE WELCOMED!

French Communist Leaders Asked to Explain Assertion (Rec. 10.40). LONDON, Feb. 24, The Daily Telegraph’s correspondent at Paris says: The French Communist leader, Maurice Thorez,. will be called on to-day in the National Assembly (of which he is a member) to explain a declaration regarding the Red Army which he made on Tuesday to the Central Committee of the French Communist Party. He told the Committee that if the Red Army occupied French soil, it would receive the same welcome from French workers as it was accorded in Poland, Rumania, and Yugoslavia. CALL ON M. THOREZ This follows the adoption, last night, by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Assembly, of a motion by a Popular Republican Party Deputy, asking the Government to make clear its attitude to M. Thorez’s statement. The motion of the Committee was carried by 21 votes to 13, the dissenting Deputies being all Communists. Great prominence was given in the French press to M. Thorez’s declaration, but, with the notable exception of the Communist newspaper, “Humanite”, the general attitude was severely critical of the declaration.

Suicides of Greek Communists

ATHENS, Feb. 23. Commenting on the suicides and attempted suicides recently by leading Communists in Greece, the Minister of Public Order, Mr Constantin Rendis, said it was evident that the Communists “are scared of party reprisals and prefer to die rather than confess.” He added that the Government was interested in safeguarding the lives of arrested Communists "because they can often give away the rpost important Communist Party secrets.” The police searched an Athens suburb to-day for two hours before they located a wanted Communist. He shot a policeman before being arrested and, while the police were struggling with him, tried to throw himself under a bus.

MORE HUNGARIANS TO BE PUT ON “TRIAL”

LONDON, February 23

The Hungarian Government’s indictment against the 14 persons who are alleged to have conspired with Cardinal Mindszentv was completed to-day, savs the British United Press correspondent. . The 14 include Cardinal Mindszenty’s archivist, Bela Fabian, who is alleged to have buried secret papers in the basement of Estztergom Palace. , The trial is expected to begin m two or three weeks.

Hungary Recalls

Minister to U.S.A.

WASHINGTON, February 23. The Hungarian Minister io Washington, Mr Andrew Sik, announced to-day that his Government has agreed to recall Mr John F. Florian, first secretary of the Hungarian Delation in Washington. Mr Florian s recall was demanded as a retaliation for the expulsion of two United States officials from Budapest. Hungary then demanded the recall of Mi Selden Chapin, United States M'nister to Hungary, who is returning to Washington for consulations..

PERSIA’S PRECAUTION AGAINST COMMUNISTS

LONDON, February 23. The Government of Persia has proclaimed a state of emergency throughout the country to prevent the revival of the activity of the Communist-sponsored Tudeh organisation, says a Teheran report. The Tudeh organisation was dissolved following the recent attempt on the life of the Shah of Pers a.

CZECH PEOPLE AND VISITORS TO HAVE MOVEMENTS RESTRICTED

(N.Z.P. A.—REISER CABLE) (Rec. 8.0). PRAGUE. February 24. The National Assembly has approved a Bill empowering the placing of limitations on the movement of foreigners inside Czechoslovakia, and also imposing strict obligc/Lions on the Czech citizens to register and to renort their movements. The Czech authorities recently withdrew Czech passports from nearly all of the holders. It is understood that the Czechs intend to follow the Soviet practice, and to issue passports only for specific approved journeys.