Evening star., 1949-05-31
EisIer Reaches
Prague by Plane
On Way 10 Reich
Voices Gratitude for
British Treatment,
But Sneers at Clark
by the Assoeie,sd Press

TShSOE, SlcClOoICfdAiA. May
3l.-Gerhard Eisler landed in
Prague today. en- route from Lon
don to Germany.
y am glad to be in Czeehoslo-
vakia and pot in the United
States" the Communist leader
told reporters as he left the plane
There was no ofiicial delega-
ton on hand to greet Eisler. Two
security police plain clothesmen
were at the airport and they took
him to q special room. where he
was not obliged to comply with
ordinary customs regulations.
Extradition Refused.
EisIer, facing two jail sentences
in the United States. fed aboard
the Polish liner Batory and was
hauled of at Southampton. Eng
land. Later, however, a British
court refused an American request
to extradite the man whom 4
congressional committee called
the top Communist agent in
America.
The 52-year-old Communist
boarded the Czech airlines plane
at Northolt Airport. England. early
today, only a few minutes before
it took of. His name had not
been on the passenger list and his
baggage bore no labels.
Eisler shook hands with the
pilot of his plane and then went
to a private room in the airport
building. A mechanic gave him
the clenched hand Communist
salute and Eisler grinned and
waved.
Terms Clark Fool"
Eisler told a newsman he was
happy with the treatment given
him by the British people and the
British court. He said he realized
"all Americans are not like that
damned fool Tom Clark" Mr..
Clark Is United States Attorney
General and tried to have Eisler
returned to the United States to
face sentences on convictions OF
ma ssport fraud and contempt of
Congress.
Eisler said he did not know how
long he would be in Czectoslov-
kia. He is reported en- route to
Leipzig in the Soviet zone Of Ger
many. where he has waiting tor
him q professorship In the uniyer-
sity.
The round faced little Commu-
mist said he came to Czechoslo-
vakia suddenly because he could
not get to Berlin any other way
without risking money business"
by American authorities. All other
planes to Berlin landed In or too
close to American installations, he
said.
There are still some important
Communists in Prague. who have
not left since the recent Czecho-
slovak Communist Party congress.
Among those who still may be here
their movements are usually
shrouded in secrecy-are g. M.
Malenkov. Soviet Politburo MEM
Der; Palmiro Togliatti. Italian
Communist leader: Andre Marty
of France, Harry Pollitt Of Eng
land and some others from Europe,
South America. China and Aus
tralia. But Eisler said he did not
know whom he might meet here.
Airport attaches said Eisler had
been given the same courtesies as
visiting diplomats get. He was
listed on the manifest as state
less"
Eisler will go from here to Ber-
lin and then to Leipzig for his
professorship and. he said. he will
"as a sideline try to advance the
Communist cause"
He expressed bitterness over the
detention of his wife by Ameri-
can authorities.
1T is just like the Nazis. who
seized parents and children OF
persons they disliked as hostages. ;"
Eisler said. Now they are hold
ing her because she does not want
to act as an FBI agent against
her husband-a woman whose
family was killed by the Nazis- /
am very glad to be in Czechoslo-
vakia and not in the United
States. mean by that. the
United States of the Justice De-
partment and the Un-American
Activities Committee.
THE attitude OF the British was
very good. even before the verdict
tSee EISLER. Page A-6J