Evening star., 1949-03-25
Mass Picketing Starts
Al Peace Conference
Before Il Opens
by the Asseeieisd Press

which the State Department has
labeled "a sounding board for
Communist propaganda.
The marchers carried draped
flags Of countries now behind the
iron curtain and signs protesting
the imprisonment of Cardinal
Mindszenty in Hungary. Some
wore colorful costumes of their
native European lands.
100 Policemen on Hand.
One hundred policemen were on
hand but there was no disorder
One high police official remarked
that "the best thing that could
happen would be that the pickets
would police themselves and there
would be no need for police"
From the crowd of onlookers
one well-dressed man called out,
1T would be better to ignore
them"
Another shouted, Leave the
Communists alone, don't pay any
attention to them. They thrive
on publicity"
i. Signs Portray Cardinal.
/ h One marcher carried a sign
showing Cardinal Mindszenty be-
hind barbed wire. and bore q quo
tation from the cardinal, MY
enemies can take from me no more
than my life and that has already
been given to God"
Another sign showed the car
dinal nailed to a crucifix made OF
the Soviet hammer and sickle.
The demonstration was spon-
sored by the newly formed Peoples
Committee for Freedom Of Re-
ligion.
Delegates to the conference
looked neither to the right or left
as they entered the Park avenue
entrance to the hotel. The spon-
sors Of the conference had asked
police to protect delegates from
possible interference in attending
the three-day sessions beginning
at o'clock tonight at the Wal
dorf-Astoria.
! Traffic is Slowed.
The main entrance to the hotel
was kept clear, but there were two
lines of pickets in Park avenue,
one on each side of the entrance.
AS the number of marchers grew,
police opened the block in 50th
street, between Park and Lexing-
ton avenues, along the north side
of the hotel. -
! Park avanue traffic was slowed
,tby ne demonstration and thespn-
aiookers. Policckept the spectators
moving.
Avowed purpose of the three
day session is to seek means for
furthering international cooper
alton.
Sponsors Called for Police.
Noting unofficial reports that
unrestricted picketing" would be
permitted, the sponsoring group
the National Council Of Arts, 6ci-
I enceS ard ProfeSsionS-wired Po~
lice Commissioner William p.
O'Brien:
I'VE fully respect the right OF
free assembly but we also insist
that you use the full authority OF
your ONCE to assure that the
thousands of distinguished citi-
zens as well as the renowned
artists and scientists who are the
guests of our country will be able
to attend the sessions of the con-
ference without interference"
The message was signed by O.
John Rogge. former Assistant At
torney General and now head Of
the councils Executive, Commit
tee.
Mobile First. Aid Station.
One Catholic group said it is ar
ranging for q mobile f1rst-aid-
station in the area because "the
number of persons protesting this
meeting will be extremely large"
AS the controversy over the
meeting swirled to lew heights,
conflicting reports were given out
concerning designations of several
/ conference sponsors.
! The possibility also arose that
} one speaker would voice views op-
posite to those ne expects to be
expressed at the conference.
Norman Cousins, editor Of the
Saturday Review of Literature,
said he reconsidered a previous
refusal to attend after Undersec-
retary of State George v. Allen
told him lit is important to have
some one present to the confer
ence a vigorous affirmation of the
democratic and anti-totalitarian
point of view
The Americans for Intellectual
Freedom, set up to protect the
meeting, reported yesterday eight
sponsors had withdrawn, but hve
of them later denied it.
TugweIl Denies Withdrawal.
i A spokesman for the Americans
for Intellectual Freedom ex-
planned:
/ 1--WE cannot in any way operate
with exactitude. We gave infor-
nation to the best of our knoWl-
edge. d" We got the information
from friends of theirs the spon-
sors)."
/ Those denying the protest Or
ganization's report that they had
withdrawn from the peace con-
ference were Rexford Guy Tug
we'll of the University of Chicago.
Ernest Hocklin. philosophy pro-
fesSor at Dartmouth College:
Rabbi Herbert S. Goldstein Of the
West Side Institutional Syna-
gogue. Karl M. Chworosky, Brook
lyn Unitarian minister, and Play
wright Lynn Riggs.
At Hanover, N. H.. Prof. Hook
ing said: Il have neither with
drawn nor have any intention Of
Withdrawing"
Won't Attend Meeting.
Rabbi Goldstein. saying he