ARMED UPRISINGS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26704, 25 February 1948, Page 6

ARMED UPRISINGS

Discovery in Czechoslovakia NATIONAL SOCIALISTS’ PLANS Communist Claims Denied New Zealand Press Association-Copyright Rec. 8 p.m. PRAGUE, Feb. 23. The Communist Minister of the Interior, M. Vaclav Nosek, announced the discovery of proof that the Czech National Socialist Party was preparing armed uprisings and military occupation of public buildings. M. Nosek claimed that the 11 party had placed its members on the alert for a putsch timed for February 21 and the plans envisaged gaining control of army ; garrisons and national security services. M. Nosek added that the police had arrested two Czechoslovak army officers and a number of civilians. National Socialist Party headquarters denied knowledge of the alleged preparations and suggested that the Communist-controlled police placed the alleged incriminating documents in the party’s files when they occupied headquarters earlier to-day. Dr Edouard Benes, the President, after conferring for two hours with the Ministers who resigned, announced that he was taking steps to have all parties seek agreement in order to renew co-operation of the whole national front.

The Czech Socialist Party headquarters stated that the police arrested six party executives and the Catholic People’s Party announced the arrest of its youth leader. The Czechoslovak Parliament has postponed its session to-morrow indefinitely.

.Communists in Slovakia threw out non-Communist in the provincial Cabinet and divided their posts among Communist Ministers. Typesetters on the Slovak Democratic newspaper at Bratislava refused to set articles criticising the Communists, while the Communists elsewhere urged printers not to handle material opposing Communist or trade union policies. Czechoslovak airline pilots were prohibited from taking off to-day following the new travel regulations. The Communist Prime Minister, M. Klemcnt Gottwald, announced that a new Government .‘would be formed in the next few idays, or even within a few hours?. ~M. Gottwald added that his and Dr ,’Benes’ viewpoints “had come closer” within the past 48 hours •and he believed that Dr _ Benes would accept the Ministerial list which he would present. The Czech Social Democrat Party announced that it accepted the Communist invitation to form a new Government, but insisted that negotiations must respect the principles of parliamentary democracy. The pary also decided to permit members to join “Action Committees” throughout the country, which the Communists have sponsored. Five thousands students marched to Prague Castle, where Dr Benes is living, shouting: “ Down with terror. Long live Dr Zenk.” (Dr Zenk is the National Socialist deputy Prime Minister.) The Social Democrat Party denied that the Communists issued an ultimatum to join M. Gottwald’s Cabinet or to face the consequences. Trade unions told civil servants to participate in a one-hour token strike tomorrow and the Social Democrat Party decided to allow its members to take Eart. Nationalised newsprint factories ave refused to supply the Czech Socialist newspaper with paper. Dr Benes will broadcast to the nation tomorrow. Communist authorities in Czechoslovakia made two swift moves to-day against non-Communist political parties. From mid-day, armed police occupied the head?[uarters of the Socialist Party for wo hours, says the British United Press correspondent. Armed police guards were later posted outside Parliament House, and foreign embassies and radio stations in Prague. Police were also posted in Bratislava, the principal city of . Slovakia, outside the offices of the Slovak Democratic Party and Communis't Party, the post office and radio station.

The second move came when the State Security Office launched a prosecution against the former vicePremier, M. Jan Ursini on charges of having helped agents of a subversive organisation to obtain State and military secrets. When the police lifted its occupation of the National Socialist Party headquarters, party officials reentered the building and from the balcony led the crowd in cheers: “Long Live Dr Benes.” The Ministry of the Interior issued no explanation for the •seizure of the party’s headquarters.