IRON CURTAIN IS FALLING ON CZECHOSLOVAKIA

Wanganui Chronicle, 25 February 1948, Page 5

IRON CURTAIN IS FALLING ON CZECHOSLOVAKIA

Frontiers Partially Closed: Communists Seizing Control (N.Z.P.A.—Copyright.) Received 755 p.m. LONDON, Feb. 24 The iron curtain seemed last night to be Lalling on Czechoslovakia. Its frontiers were partially sealed, armed police were parading the capital and Communist action committees were forming in towns and villages, says the “Daily Mail's'* Prague correspondent. Communists were going around saying openly: “Our time has come at last!” President Benes last night appealed to the country for calm, saying that he was striving to settle the crisis on a constitutional basis. He will broadcast to the nation today.

What he will say is not known, the “Daily Mail’s” correspondent adds, but a pointer may be seen in a statement by the Communist Premier (Mr. Gottwald) that a new Government in a few days, “or even hours,’ would end the crisis. The President, he added, would “certainly’ accept” the list of Ministers he (Mr. Gottwald) was going to present. TWO SWIFT MOVES Communist authorities in Czechoslovakia made two swift moves yesterday against non-Communist political parties. From mid-day, armed police occupied the headquarters of the Socialist Party for two l ours, says a British United Press ccrrese indent Armed police guards were ter posted outside Parliament House, 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 arid Communist Party, the post office and radio station.

A second move came when the State Security Office launched a prosecution against the former vicePremier, Jan Ursini, on charges of having helped agents of a subversive organisation to obtain State and military secrets. when the police lifted the occupation of the National Socialist Party headquarters, party officials reentered the building and from the balcony, led the crowd in cheers of “Long live Benes.” The Ministry of the Interior Issued no explanation for the seizure of the headquarters. The seizure followed the arrest of Doctor Zdenek Marjanko, employee of the Ministry of Justice which was headed by Drtina, a National Socialist. and one of the anti-Communist Ministers who resigned. Marjanko had charge of the Ministry's investigation oCthe September bomo plot against Drtina and two other Ministers for which five Communist Party members are now awaiting trial It is reported that Ludwig Rajmann, a member of the Socialist Party and Ransdorf, president of the student body of the Charles. University were also arrested. The People’s Party , reported several of their provincial j offices had been searched.