Evening star., 1948-06-14
Czechs Elect GottwaId
President With 296 Of
300 Parliament Votes
BY fhs Asso<iofsd Press

wv UlIl0lIIVIIl vVIVS
BY the Assoeioisd Press
PRAGUE, June 14.-Czechoslo-
vakia's first Communist Presi-
dent was elected and took ONCE
today.
Premier Klement Gottwald was
elected by show Of 296 hands in
. public parliamentary election held
In 18th century Vladislavsky Hall
and was hailed by Speaker Oldrich
John as "a socialist president in
q socialist country"
Apart from Gottwald and a
woman deputy who resigned three
days ago, only two voters were not
accounted for among the 300 men,
bers OF Parliament, who include
ala Communist Party members.
Greeted by Archbishop.
The new President swore al
legiance to the peoples democracy
constitution, went into the Hrad-
cany courtyard to review troops
and police and then crossed back
into the courtyard where Catholic
Archbishop Josef Beran greeted
him and Mrs. Gottwald at the door
OF St. vitus Cathedral
The archbishop, clad in brilliant
scarlet robes, shook hands heartily
with the presidential couple end
then escorted them into the church
for tie deum thanksgiving mass
sung to an ambrosian choral.
An audience which packed the
ancient VladiSlavsky Hall applaud
ed the election long and loud and
chanted:
"Atzje President Gottwald-long
live President Gottwald." They
joined in singing the national an
them.
u. s. ambassador Attends.
The British, French and United
States, Chinese and Russian Am
bassadors headed the diplomatic
corps present. Twice the Czecho-
slovak radio commentator noted
that Laurence Steinhardt, American
Ambassador and dean of the corps,
was present.
Military and Naval Attaches OF
Embassies also attended in uniform
Eduard Benes, who resigned as
President a week ago, was not pres
ert at the election Of his successor
After the election, Anton Zapo-
tocky, trades union leader who is
the new Premier, escorted Gottwald
into the hall for the oath of alle-
glance. The presidential flag was
run up, 2l-gun salute was fired
church bells toned throughout
Prague, and military planes scared
overhead.
The cathedral ceremony was the
first Roman Catholic rites for the
election of a Czechoslovak presi-
dent, the official newspaper Of the
Catholic Peoples Party said.
The archbishop and the govern
ment. have clashed. The archbishop
and bishops of the country are on
record against priests taking part
In the present government, which
seized power in a coup led by Gott-
wald last February.
Nine conferences have been held
by government oflcials and church
committee. Numerous compromises
have been announced by the gov
ernment, including the continuance
of parochial schools and freedom Of
religious instruction.
There has been no announced re-
treat from q statement by Catholic
bishops at Olomouc May 3 that
priests who were deputies in Par
lament had voted for bills with
which no Christian, let alone
priests, could agree"
The Olomouc declaration forbade
priests from taxing part IN any
political group, even in action COM
mitteeS.
The fate OF the Rev. Josef Plojhar,
Minister OF Health in the GottWald
cabinet since February. is in the
balance. 1t will be known tomor-
row when Zapotocky presents his
new cabinet to the new President.
A reception for the diplomatic
corps was held early this afternoon.
This was to be followed by re-
ception for the common people in
the palace courtyard at which Gott-
wald was to make talk addressed
TO the nations workers.
Tomorrow President and Mrs.
Gottwald will lay q wreath on the
grave Of Thomas G. Masaryk, first
President of the Czechoslovak re-
public.
Gottwald, who has been Czecho-
slovakia's premier since July 8, 1916,
was the only candidate and thus
became this nations third presi-
dent Sixteen years ago he stood
for the presidency against Mr.
Masaryk. but received only hand
ful Of votes.
Gottwald is 81 years old, native
of Moravia and a former carpenter.
He engineered the February coup
which gave the Communists full
contol Of Czechoslovakia. He has
been a Communist for decades and