Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-07-31
Embassy Party
Compliments
Journalists
Woman Writer
Takes Spotlight
BY Elisabeth Manure

1t was pleasant surprise to find
Nine. Hurban and her husband, the
former Ambassador of Czechoslo-
vakia, at the Embassy party yester-
day given in honor of four visiting
Journalists from Czechoslovakia
The Hurbans had just returned
from Atlanta, Ga, and said theyi
were sailing for home on the 10th
on the Washington.
Charge dAffaires, Mr.. Josef Hanc,
greeted his guests yesterday after
noon in the French drawing room.
There was no receiving line as it
was small cocktail party, and the
unusually interesting group of peo-
pie there made comprehensive con-
VerSation inevitable for any one who
set foot in the room.
The visiting journalists were Miss
Alena Bernaskova, Is, feature writer
of Svobodne Noviny, an independ-
ent newspaper; Mr.. Frantisek Me-
loun, 80, assistant editor in chief
and managing editor of Svobodne
Slovo, Czech Socialist newspaper:
Mr. Karel zieris, 49, editor of Pravo
Lidu, Czech Social Democratic pa
per, and Mr.. Jan Trachta, 80, edi-
tor in chief of Narooni Obroda, or
gan of the Slovak National Council.
Center Of attraction was Miss
BernaSkova. Snatches of her story
could be caught from time to
time, but there were always six or
more people who wanted to meet
her. The three men journalists good
naturedly said they were quite used
TO taking back seat.
Needless to say each one of the
four had a story to tell that would
hold one spellbound for hours. and
1t was like putting a full course din
ner into tiny capsule to take it all
In during the cocktail palaver.
Miss Bernaskova was most gra-
cious and stimulating to talk to. Her
father is a Well-known playwright
in Prague, and although their style
of writing is quite different, Miss
Bernaskova said they manage to
work hand in glove, each helping the
other with ideas.
Educated in Prague English
Grammar School and Charles Uni
versity, Miss Bernaskova speaks per-
feet English. She has acted in plays,
written scripts and short stories, and
during the occupation she taught
school. She is now in charge of the
press room of the Czechoslovakian
Foreign Press Association in Prague
OF course, every one wanted to hear
about the period of occupation in
CzechoSlovakia, and one could
plainly see in the faces of these
visiting journalists that it was a
period they would never forget.
Miss Bernaskova said the last
frenzy of battle, from May 1st to the
9th in 1945 was the worst. During
this time German woman she had
been on speaking terms with for over
two years took a shot at her through
a window. She said the fighting was
so thick she lost her sight and lost
her hearing, and felt that she was
nothing as she ran along the streets.
AlHV &O4
The Gestapo questioning was
something few escaped The young
journalist in telling of the time
she was cross questioned said the
''softening up period was the hard
est. For three hours the Germans
sat around smoking and entertain
ing each other while the victim
stood rigidly straight with his face
to the wall. If he slumped, his face
was pushed into the wall. When
asked if her face had been pushed
against the wall, Miss Bernaskova
said mo, was only beaten" as
though that were not unusual.
Listening to the radio over short
wave, of course, was verboten, and
all short wave wires were removed.
The people got around this, it was
explained, by carrying short wave
coils in their pockets which they
called ChurchillS. When the door
bell rang at any time of the day
it was an automatic thing to switch
over to Prague before opening the
door. Miss Bernaskova said even
now when the door bell rings, if
she is listening to radio, she
reaches to switch over to Prague.
Miss Vera Klima, daughter of the
Counselor and Mrs. Stanislav Klima
who was at the party was a class
mate of Miss Bernaskova in gram
mar school. Other guests were Mr.
w. T. Stone; Mr.. Eric Bellquist;
Mr.. and Mrs. Noel Macy; Mr.. and
Mrs. Stephen P. Dorsey; Mr.. Ken
meth Ives; the author of Paper
Bullets Mr.. Leo Margolin; Mr.. and
Mrs. Jack c. McDermott; First Sec
rotary, DR.. Vladimeir Houdek; Mr..
and Mrs. Alois Vymetal, Mr.. Bar
tow Underhill; Mr.. William Gaia
gan, and Mrs. Rose C. Loving.