Evening star., 1949-11-23
|Czechos|ovakia Starts
Trial Of 70 on Charge
OF Espionage for U. 5.
~ the Assoejoted Press

~ me ASSoetoteo rfeS8
PRAGUE, Czechoslovakia. Nov.
23.-Twenty Czechs charged with
espionage for the United States
went on trial today before the
Prague State Court in Pankrac
Prison.
1t was the third such trial in a
week at Pankrac.
The trials were part OF the
Communist controlled. govern
ment's intensified campaign to
crush internal opposition after po-
lice roundups OF recent months
in which thousands Of persons
were seized.
Last Friday the Pankrac court
dealt stiff prison sentences to SIS
Czechs accused as members of
two espionage rings working for
the West and seeking to UNDER
mine the government. The leader
of one group received death
sentence commuted to life and
other sentences ranged up to IS
years Imprisonment.
First 5 Defendants Heard.
The trial which began today
was open for hearing Of the first
five defendants. then continued
in secret. Most trials on espio-
mage and subversion charges are
held secretly and the sentences
are made public only In isolated
cases.
Accused as leaders Of the group
were four men who, the state
charged, had fled to Western
Germany and then been sent back
"as agents Of the American
CIC (Army Counter Intelligence
Corps"
The state charged their assign
ment was economic espionage.
Among the defendants were
three women.
The trial was expected to last
several days.
Drive on Farmers Begun.
Meanwhile. an intensified drive
against Czechoslovaki's well-to do
farmers, which informed observ-
ers believed might be a prelude to
collectivization. was reported in
the Communist press.
According to press reports these
farmers were being prosecuted
for boarding, blackmarketing and
prof1teering. They have also been
accused of economic sabotage
and non-co-operation for the pub
lie welfare.
The Communist Party news
paper Rude Pravo reported that
special commissions were going
through the countryside to search
the larger farms for produce or
livestock which might have been
withheld from delivery to the gov
ernment under prescribed quotas.
Marriage Law Approved.
The Czechoslovak government
yesterday approved a new mar
riage law and family code
which DEGREES that church mar
riages will not be legally zecog-
nized in this country after Janu-
ary /.
The law provides that only civil
ceremonies performed before the
national committee Qoo&l gov
erring bodies) wilft beTo legal.
Church ceremonies may be held
afterward but they. will have no
legal basis. ..at - sbaj i
Cabinet approval Of the law is
expected to be followed by quick
ratification by Parliament.
Other major provisions Of the
new law are:
1. Divorces shall be granted
only for serious reasons-"where
there is no hope Of the marriage
fulfilling its social function.
2. Registration Of children as
illegitimate is abolished and chill
dren of unmarried parents are
granted full legal and social equal
| ity.
8. The wife is granted equality
with her husband, especially in
the matter Of property accumu-
lated after their marriage.
4. II the innocent party. after
divorce, is incapable Of self
support, the other must provide.
This means that women may be
obliged to support their divorced
husbands.