Evening star., 1951-12-26
By Gornett D. Horner

The United States was believed
ready today to pay the $4,000
in fines" demanded by Com
munist Hungary for the release of
four American airmen.
The ransom likely will be paid
from Government funds despite
a growing wave of offers from
private citizens over the country
to raise the money.
Officials said they understood
the State Department has no au-
thority to accept money from
private donors without an act of
Congress even if it should like to
do so.
Michael j. McDermott, depart
ment press officer. said at noon
that a statement on the problem
would be made at about 4 pm.
today.
No Provision for Use.
Legal experts added it would
be impossible for privately-con-
tributed funds to be turned over
to Hungary.
1t was explained that a Govern
ment agency cannot accept money
from private citizen unless there
is a specific provision in law for
doing so. No such provision could
be found to cover the offers COM
ing in for release of the flyers.
The legal experts recalled that
the State Department is author
lied to accept certain gifts for the
foreign service-such as a paint
ing to hang in an embassy. But
in such cases, the experts said,
a special act Of Congress would
be required before the gift would
be turned over to another gov
Iernment.
No Official Word.
There was no official word on
what the Government has decided
to do in response to Hungary's
toffer to release the flyers for S120.-
600. But it was considered yir-
tually certain that the Govern
ment would pay the ransom rath-
er than let the flyers stay in a
Communist jail or risk starting a
world war by trying to force their
release.
1t was understood that the State
Department is awaiting a reply to
inquiries asking the Hungarians
exactly how, where and when the
flyers will be released If the money
is paid before taking any definite
action.
The imprisoned airmen are
Capt. John j. Swift of Glens
Falls. N. Y, Capt. Dave H. Hem
derson of Shawnee. Okla.
IT/Sergt. Jess A. Duff of Spokane.
Wash, and Sergt. James A. Elam
OF Kingsland, Ark.
They were flying supplies from
Germany to the United States
Embassy in Belgrade, Yugoslavia.
on November 19 when they got
lost and strayed over the Hum
garlan border. Soviet fighter
planes forced them to land their
unarmed CAT in Hungary.
Scattered Private Drives.
The Hungarian government an
nounced Sunday that a military
court had convicted the flyers of
violating the Hungarian border
and fined them 100000 forints
(about $30.000) each, with the
alternative of spending three
months in jail.
In the absence so far of any an
nouncement of what this Govern
ment is going to do, private citi-
ZenS in scattered areas across
the country promised to raise
promptly the money to pay the
fines through public subscriptions
and one organization offered to
PebJ o1AC W11O1C dlIlUQllG.
Robert Vogeler. an American
who was prisoner of the Hun
garian Communist regime for
two years, said he will seek to CO.
ordinate private efforts to raise
the $1,000 in fines levied against
the four flyers.
Cites Possible Embarrassment.
Il can understand any official
ransom payment by the Govern
ment might be embarrassing to
the United States" Mr.. Vogeler
told a reporter in New York. "But
think this way we might &C
complish the same thing without
embarrassment to the Govern
ment."
Mr.. Vogeler, a European repre-
(See FLYERS, Page A-4.)