EISLER FREED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27093, 30 May 1949, Page 5

EISLER FREED

EXTRADITION REQUEST REFUSED AMERICAN CASE FAILS NZPA—Reuter—Copyright LONDON. May 27. Gerhard Eisler, the German-born Communist fugitive from the United States, was freed in London to-day after the Bow Street Court had rejected the United States request for his extradition. -Sir Valentine Holmes, representing the American Embassy, told the court that he was unable to prove that the man in court was the man whose conviction in America had led to the extradition demand. The magistrate. Sir Laurence Dunne, said: “It is abundantly clear that in no circumstances can the offence of which Eisler was convicted in America be brought under the technical head of perjury in this country. In those circumstances the United States as a requisitioning Power has failed to show that Eisler has been guilty af an extraditable crime.” Eisler said later that even in London he was afraid of further American action being taken against him. He said he was surprised by the decision of the magistrate in refusing the extradition warrant, and added: “ I have been treated with justice In Britain.” The United States Embassy said: “We will record the decision of the court in the Eisler,case, and abide by it. We expect a statement from the United States State Department in a few days.” According to legal authorities, Eisler is now free to resume his journey, and Eisler said he was going to Leipzig to take up a professorship in economics which had been offered him ther.e.

A Washington message says'the At-torney-general, Mr Tom Clark, said to-day that the United States has not tiven up its efforts to get Gerhard iisler back from, England to serve his prison sentences. Commenting on the action of the London court in rejecting the American demand that Eisler be ektradited, Mr Clark said: “The Bow Street decision appears to be based on the most narrow technical grounds. We shall exert every effort to secure the return of the fugitive.” There was no amplification from Mr Clark or other officials on what the next move would be.

Eisler, described as America's No. 1 Communist, boarded the Polish ship Batory in New‘York as a stowaway, and then paid first-class fare to Gdynia. He was forcibly removed from the ship at Southampton by the British authorities. It was reported previously from the United States that the authorities had asked Scotland Yard to arrest Eisler, who, it was reported, was “ wanted by the United States for making false statements under oath tantamount to perjury within the meaning of the Extradition Treaty between the United States anrj Britain.