Evening star., 1946-05-27
Communists Emerge
As Strongest Party
In Czechos|ovakia
BY the A.soeioted Press

-s A'Aey tAC will
raunlsts emerged today as the
strongest political party in
Czechoslovakia on the basis OF
substantial returns from yester-
days parliamentary elections.
They won plurality in Prague
Returns yet to come in from out
lying districts held the answer OF
whether the vote of the Communists
and other extreme leftists would be
Sufnclent to gain a majority in the
new constituent assembly of 300
members.
The moderate National Social
ists-the party of Eduard Benes un-
til he became President-polled a
strong vote, though it was not as
heavy as expected The compare
lively Conservative Peoples Cath
ollc) party made striking gains. For
instance. the Peoples Party polled
100000 votes in Prague compared
to $1,000 in the last free election
before the war.
Veers Farther Left.
With about half the nations T.
100000 votes counted. political writ
ers made these observations:
Czechoslovakia, by giving more
votes to the Communists than any
other individual party, showed that
1t had veered farther left. This
indicated that the provisional gov
ernment's policies such as nationali-
zation of industries, social expert
ments, and expulsion of Germans
and Hungarians are basically pop
ular. In effect, the election repre-
sented vote of confidence in the
government.
Consequently, there probably will
be few changes in the cabinet. The
vote suggested that even Prime Min
lister Zdenek Fierlinger might re-
tain his post, although his Social
Democrats finished in the ruck. He
is popular with the Communists,
who may want help from his party
informing a powerful left wing in
the Assembly.
The striking feature of the elec-
ton was that the National Social
lists, ordinarily considered a strong
party in the cities. trailed the Com
munists in Prague, Pilsen, Kladno
and Moravska Ostrave. although
they carried Brno by slim margin
Reds Weak in SIovakia.
Another feature was the weakness
of the Communists in Slovakia
where the Democratic party won a
80 per cent majority.
The assembly is expected to con-
vene, re-elect DR.. Benes president
and start drafting new constitu-
ton. DR. Benes is widely revered as
one of the founders of the country,
which was born after the World War
from the breakup of Austria Hun
gary.
One oddity of the election was
that voting was compulsory for all
except DR.. Benes. A former Ma
tiopal Socialist, he was regarded as
neutral by virtue of his Office He
did not vote.
(The Prague radio gave this
standing for the parties at 8:l5
am. today:
Communists. 2,2l7,711 votes,
or 31.15 per cent of the votes
counted.
Czech Socialists, 1,303,463,
1881 per cent.
Catholic peoples, l,126,7o7,
1882 per cent.
(Slovak Democratic, 9s2,924,
1881 per cent.
Social Democrats, a62, ,4s4,
l2.l1 per cent.
(Slovak Freedom, 1851, 0.S4
per cent.
(slovak Labor, 4e,7eo, OF per
cent
BLANK ballots, 3l,l5s, 0.45 per
cent?
Final unofficial figures for the
capital gave the Communists 240,-
900; National Socialists, $4,000;
Peoples (Catholic) party, los, 900,
and Social Democrats, $1,000.
In Slovakia, with 100000 votes
counted, the Democrats won 50 per
cent of the total and the Commu-
nists 80 per cent The Democrats
are equivalent politically to the
PeODle'S marty in Rohemia -Morayia