Evening star., 1948-03-22
BY A. |. Goldberg
Assoeioted Press staff Correspondent


PRAGUE, Czechoslovakia, Mar. %.
Premier Klement Gottwald said
today he foresees little opposition
to the Communist government pro-
gram in Czechoslovakia.
He said elections to be held 'in
accordance with the terms" of the
law will confirm the victory of the
people and the defeat of reaction"
The Premier's statement was
given in answer to questions sub
mitted by the Associated Press
March g. The reply was delayed by
the death Of Foreign Minister Jan
Masaryk. 1t is Gottwalds practice
to give written answer to written
questions. He bans personal inter-
views.
The Premier foreshortened several
original questions and Jumped sew
eral questions in one answer. Fol-
lowing are the questions and an
swers as released by the Premier's
Office:
@. When will there be elections to
the National Assembly and what
significance will they have?
A. Elections will be held in time
and in accordance with the terms
stated by the law. There is no doubt
that it will have great significance.
Elections have to say the last word
on the February events and to. CON-
firm the victory of the people and
the defeat of reaction.
Confident of Election Outcome.
@. What does the Communist
Party expect from the elections?
:. A. The Czech Communist Party
looks forward to elections trustfully
and with selfconAdence. The ire
mendous increase In its organization
shows the Czechoslovak people un-
derstands its leading role in mobiliz-
ing the nation against the intrigues
of dissenters for the solution of the
government crisis. Surely the people
will value the merits of the Com
munist Party in the elections, too.
@. Do you expect there will be
strong opposition to your program?
From what circles is the greatest
opposition to be expected?
A. All those who expect strong
opposition against the government
here will be disappointed. There
cannot be strong opposition because
the opposition elements have not
any hope Of gaining the sympa-
thies of the people. Our people
we'll feel that the aims OF the op-
position elements are against the
people itself, while the govern
ment program is for its benefit.
The honest work of the govern
ment will convince, also, those
groups of the nation which do not
yet have enough trust in it that
they were wrong. We must, how
ever, count on certain opposition
non constructive and intriguing.
That opposition will be recruited
from those people who were justly
convicted by our law-by former big
capitalists. landlords, persons who
are compromised by collaboration
with the Germans, etc. It is more
than probable that a few still try
to spoil the success of our work,
but our people. taught by events
of the past, will be watchful.
Little Student Opposition Seen.
@. How strong do you believe
student opposition is?
A. Student opposition" is strong
only in the eyes of our nation S
enemies. The number of students
who we're affected is comparatively
few. We think that the remainder
of the students, seduced by opposi-
tion slogans, will in time recognize
that their standpoint was false.
Besides, the February events showed
most of the students were led and
seduced by irresponsible adventures.
@. You have stated that in
Czechoslovakia there will be no
Kolkhozes collective fsrmsA How
will the level of production be main
tanned or increased with smaller
agricultural units?
A: When definitely arranging
ownership Of land, our principal