Evening star., 1949-05-16

| ing 70 60 70 Mexico, p0t et lTl0'
idad was diverted TO the United
States. He said American author.
tiles never allowed Eisler u
proceed to Mexico.
Collard declared Eisler had beer
in custody or under court charge.
most of the time.
He termed Eislers arrest fore
ible abduction from the ship OF q
friendly country and an unprece-
dented breach Of international
law"
Collard maintained the offense
alleged against Eisler. which was
described in the court as perjury
was an "ofIense of q political ma
ture" and declared the fugitive
could not be extradited on it.
A statement issued by the Polish
Embassy yesterday lashed out al
both American and British au-
thorities for their actions against
Eisler. who slowed away on ths
Batory in New York and jumped
$23, 500 bail. Eisler was fret
pending appeal of prison sen.
tences on two separate criminaI
convictions in the United States
Seizure Threats Reported.
The statement charged the
State Department had threatened
to seize the Batory unless her
master surrendered.
Eisler himself also issued a
statement through the Polish
Embassy. He labeled himself 1.-THE
first prisoner Of the North At
lantic Pact" and said. he had
been kidnapped"
A Polish Embassy spokesman
who said the statement was issued
after consultation with the Com.
munist- dominated Warsaw gov.
ernment, said 1t took a serious
view of what it regarded as q
fragrant violation Of Polish SOW
ereignty.
He asserted that at one stage
of the eight hours Of negotiation
aboard the ship the captain was
virtually held prisoner by Scot
land Yard officers.
Albert Morski, counselor OF the
embassy, said that during the
protracted conference. q state
ment from the State Department
was read.
He said the statement threat
ened seizure Of the Batory If she
should ever return to American
waters unless Eisler was sur
rendered. The embassy statement
said other measures were threat
ened which implied the closing
of the Gdynia American Line
(owners of the Batory) in the
U. 8. A."
Lambasting the British. the
statement said they had violated
internationally accepted princi-
ples of law and order and human
rights"
Eisler Charges "Kidnaping."
Il It said British police deprived
|the captain, his officers and rep
|resentatives Of the Polish govern
ment Of their freedom OF move
ment and made 1t impossible fol
the captain to carry out the order
Of the Polish government to leave
British waters without surrender
ing Eisler." u, sa
A British Foreign ONCE spokes-
man said the Batory was In Brit
|ish waters and 1t was within oul
Jurisdiction and within our com.
petence" to arrest Eisler on extra
dition charges.
IT am being kidnapped by the
British authorities by force and
violence, acting as gendarmes 1ol
American reaction, from Polish
boat"
He said he had been kept In
the United States against his VIII
and described himself as "a
political refugee. an anti-Naz1
German"
"The British authorities" he
declared, "for the sake Of the Un-
American Activities Committee
have brutally violated the old
British tradition Of asylum for
political emigres, fighting for
freedom and progress"
Was Sentenced for Contempt.
Eisler was cited for contempt by
the House Of Representatives and
sentenced to a year in prison for
refusing to testify before the
House Un-American Activities
Committee unless first permitted
to read 4 statement.
The House described him as the
No. / Communist agent In the
United States and lone Of the
most dangerous men ever to set
foot on American soil"
He later was convicted Of pass
port frauds in q Federal court and
sentenced to one to three years.
He was charged with using false
names and concealing his Com
munist affiliation in order to enter
and leave the country.
His wife is held on Ellis Island
in New York. She was arrested
Friday and questioned about her
husbands flight. She had been at
liberty while under . charge Of
being In the United States IL
legally.
Communist groups and news
papers In Poland, Britain and
Germany leaped to the defense Of
Eisler.
The London Daily Worker said
Parliament should take instant
action to see that Eisler Is free
to return to Germany"
Polish newspapers termed the
case an international scandal