Evening star., 1951-07-18
honroney Asks Break
With CzechosIoyakia
Unless 0atis Is Freed
BY the AsseeiG,ed Press

BY the Associated Press
Demands multiplied In Con-
gress yesterday for drastic action
against Communist Czechoslovakia
for the Imprisonment of Asso-
ciated Press Correspondent Will
liam N. Oats.
Senator Monroney, Democrat,
Of Oklahoma. a former newspaper
man, introduced a resolution call
ing for complete diplomatic and
economic break between the
United States and Czechoslovakia
unless Mr.. Oats is freed within
80 days.
At q press conference today
Secretary of State AcheSon said
that this country is awaiting word
from the Czechoslovak govern
ment on our representations in
the Oats case.
Ambassador Ellis o. Briggs has
conferred with the Czech foreign
minister on instructions from the
State Department and Mr.. Ache
son said today that the minister
had reported to the cabinet in
Prague.
Calls II "Gangsterism."
The Oklahoman denounced Mr..
Oatis' conviction ON espionage
charges, and sentencing to five to
ten years in prison, as "persecu-
ton" and international gang
sterisrn." Mr.. Oatis was sentenced
July after being held incom-
municado since April. At his trial
his actions as foreign correSpon-
dent were interpreted by the court
as spying.
Earlier in the day Senator
O'Conor. Democrat, of Maryland
introduced a resolution to bar all
foreign Communist newsmen from
the United States and to halt
Czech United States trade. so long
as Mr.. Oats is held. Senator
O'Conor asked further that Mr.
Oats case be taken before the
United Nations.
Both resolutions were referred
today to the Foreign Relations
Committee.
At his press conference Mr..
Acheson declined to comment on
the resolutions.
Sees Blackmail Attempt.
Senator Monroney told the
Senate in a brief speech after in
PRODUCTION of his resolution that
zone Of the greatest crimes
against the United States and its
nationals has occurred in the
false arrest and Imprisonment" of
Mr.. Oats.
Here again." he said, Eve see
an attempt to blackmail the
United States by the Iron Cur
tain countries through the; ar
rest and imprisonment on false
charges Of our nationals.
TN this case, Mr.. Oats was
one of the most respected news
papermen in the foreign field.
His arrest was framed"
Senator Monfoney said that $50
long as we leave untouched the
profits from Czechoslovakia,s IS
commercial relations with the
United States" and submit with
out retaliation to their indigni-
ties and prosecutions of our peo-
pie, this gangster method of ar
rests, abuse, false trials and i'm
prisonment win continue and will
grow worse"
Hoping to Save Hvasta.
Meanwhile. State Department
officials said they still hope to
arrange the release of 24-year-old
John Hvasta from a Communist
prison in Czechoslovakia. Mr..
Hvasta is a former seaman and
,naturalized American who is Serv-
ing a 10-year sentence on con-
viction of spying.
He is the son of Mr.. and Mrs.
Michael Hvasta of Hillside, N. j.
Born in Czechoslovakia in 1927,
he was brought to this country
by his parents in 1899. He served
in the Navy from September, 1945,
to August, 1916. Eighteen months
after his discharge he returned to
Czechoslovakia.
Shortly after arriving there in
March, 1948, he went to work as
an interpreter for the United
States consul at Bratislava. In
July, 1948, according to State
Department officials, he was dis
charged. but decided to remain
In Czechoslovakia.
Treated as Czech National.
Three months later was arrested
on charge of military treason"
as an alleged spy. Both the
charge and the nature of the
sentencing showed that the Czech
government treated him not as an
American. but as a Czech citizen.
The trial was secret, but the
sentencing on July /, 1949. was
done openly. He was given three
years.
Mr.. Hvasta appealed his SEN
tence. But the Czech Supreme
Court, instead of reducing the
sentence, increased it to 10 years.
81 W.