Evening star., 1951-10-21
By 6. (. R. Gedye

Based on erclusipe talks NTH a
number of tDeu-informed refugees
escaped from, CzechosloUakia. Mr..
Gedye, aDlho spent part OF each year
in CsechoSloDnkia as a journalist
bet,Deen 1926 and 1888, and 1oho
has reUisited it since 1945, has CON-
piled q picture OF that country
today.
Czechoslovakia seems to have be-
come the principal showroom of COM
munism. Hand-picked Western dele
cations prepared to be properly
impressed are brought there more
often than to other satellite countries.
The architectural beauties of
Prague and other ancient cities, the
up-to-date industrial plants like
Skoda and Zlin and the natural and
artificial beauties of Carlsbad and
Marienbad make an impressive back
ground which the skilled Communist
propagandist can use. Few carefully
shepherded tourists pause to think
how much they are being Influenced
by the elegance of the long vanished
Austrians, and the tremendous in
dustry of the Czechoslovak Republic
of 1918-1938.
1t is easy. for instance, to paint
a glowing picture of wage increases
in Czechoslovakia In terms of paper
crowns. The picture is less impress
sive on the basis of real wages.
Toxes Hide Seoreities
Skilled tradesmen in 1887 got
from three to eight crowns an hour
as against Is to 30 crowns today. A
pair of shoes, which cost 1900 crowns
in 1949. now costs 1.750 crowns. But
in 1887 they cost so crowns. a price
which under communism had risen
to 300 crowns by 1948. Then the
Communists imposed the arbitrary
purchase tax, from 10 to as much as
1000 per cent. 1t has the important
function of hiding scarcities, goods in
short supply being taxed out Of all
proportion to their worth.
Rationed food is cheap but insult
f1cient, and "free-market" prices are
prohibitive. The meat ration. $50
grams, or just over half a pound
month. is even lower than that al
lowed by the NaziS during the occu-
patton. 1t can be purchased at the
cost of two hours labor per kilo-
gram, but free market" meat costs
10 hours.
Clothing is rationed by points
100 per year. A suit Of poor mate
rial costs 70 points and 80-100 hours
work, a pair Of Indifferent quality
shoes, 40 points and % hours labor.
If a man buys one suit and one
pair of shoes only, he has overdrawn
his points. On the free market q
suit costs 10000 hours work, q
pair of shoes 40 hours.
My informantS gave me an inter-
esting picture Of how shortages are
explained. AS each new shortage
arises. or as prices increase, press
and radio shout that this is the work
of 'imperialist agents" At the end
of last year, grain and flour reserves
were exhausted. and for time bread
-unrationed before-was literally
unobtainable. The explanation given
was that American secret service
agents had organized large-scale
wasting of bread, and the feeding
of it to livestock. After q time,
bread reappeared-rationed. The
whole Nation laughed. 20 local Com
munist bosses were ordered to for
ward resolutions approving this move
Who Is Against?
In factories and mines, men and
women were told briefly: Comrades,
we are here to pass unanimous vote
of thanks to Comrade Gottwald. the
president, for rationing our bread.
Who is in favor2" Usually some SO
hands out Of 1000 would be raised.