Evening star., 1950-04-19
sy Ne Assssistsd Prsss

PRAGUE. April ls.-The text
Of a C8echoslovak government
note today accusing the United
States Embassy and the United
States Information Service:
The activities Of the USIS.
according to official sources OF
the U. s. A.. was to inform the
Czech people about American
culture and science. For this pur-
pose. they opened the offices. one
in Prague and one in Bratislava.
under the heading United States
Information Service-Library Ad-
mission free"
Under this heading. the US1S.
however. spread hostile and ag-
gravating and false news directed
to evoke a hostile feeling Of
Czechs toward the peoples demo-
cratic regime. Moreover. the US1S
even engaged Czech nationals for
spying activities on their behalf.
For these activities" the USIS
even used the premises described
as libraries"
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs
has been noticing these activities
for some time. The last facts were
obtained in the recent trial of
two employees Of the United States
Embassy and the proclamations
made by two former employees Of
the USIS Mr.. Elbl and Miss Sou
marova. as we'll as testimonies
from witnesses.
1t was also ascertained that
these activities of the US1S were
directed by the United States
press attache. Joseph C. Kolarek,
who is covered by diplomatic i'm
munity. The above named trans
mitted untrue. imaginary and
slanderous news to the U. S. A,
which was lately broadcast by the
Voice of America" in their spe-
cial relays to Czechoslovakia.
Embassy Reported Warned.
The United States. Embassy was
asked previously more than once
to pay attention to these activi-
ties by officials of the Foreign
Ministry.
The mission of the Voice of
America" is to evoke unrest among
the rank and file and incite them
against the peoples democratic
regime.
The USIS did not consider its
activities as such as sufficient, and
tried to transform this news as
originating in the U. S. A. by issu-
ing them in the Embassy's bull
letin.
In consequence of the actions
Of the Czech government which
censored the bulletin SO as to safe
guard itself against such false
news, the USIS took necessary
steps to deceive the official au-
thorities by attaching adds" to
it's bulletin after subjecting it to
the official censor. These bulletins
were later freely distributed
amongst visitors of the USIS.
This illegal activity, conflicting
with standing Czech law. which
was known to the USIS. Is proof
of the fraudulent way of distrib-
uting the bulletin" under the ini-
tiative and direction of United
States Press Attache j. c. Kolarek.
Espionage Charged.
Kolarek was, however. not salts
fed with these activities, inducing
Czech employees of the USIS to
spy and gather news from the
Foreign Ministry.
In this manner Kolarek grossly
misused his official status of a
diplomat. safeguarded by immun-
,ity. as well as the hospitality of
the Czechoslovak people. Also the
-USIS was used to instruct its en-
ployes, Czech nationals, to anti
state activities directed against
the safety of the republic.
The Czech employees of the USIS
are mainly doubtful persons, in
many cases compromised through
collaborating with the German
Nazis and having a negative, in
some cases even hostile. attitude
towards the peoples democratic
regime.
Those employees. who declined to
participate in such anti-state ac-
tivities, were compelled - under
threats of losing their jobs-to
carry on these activities, mainly
by Kolarek.
1t should be enough, as the case
Of Elsner and Kacerovska in
dicated. that the employees were
used for gathering such informa-
ton as public opinion about the
war, propaganda. testifying about
the validity Of certain news OBJ
tanned by members of the United
States Embassy, and even trying
to find out about the security
measures Of the president Of the
republic.
Legal Rights Challenged
The Information Service is
carrying out its activities here
without legal rights, for example
without special treaty or agree
ment between the two countries.
The USIS opened its Offices in
Prague and Bratislava under the
heading of United States Infor-
nation Service Library" which