Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-07-15
U. 5. Envoy Is Told
ToPress Czechs Again
For Release Of Oats

-
For Release Of Oats
Continued From First Page.)
since 1887, except for four years
In the Army during World Wa
II, had been in Prague less than {
year before his arrest. The arrest
itself did not become known unit
April 20. nearly 70 hours after hi.
disappearance from his Office ane
lodgings.
Then the American Embassy II
Prague was informed that Mr.
Oats. who has an enviable recorc
as q persistent and objective re.
porter. had been seized by three
Czech agents on charges of hostile
activity toward the Communist
regime. and would be tried or
spying charges.
The trial itself. despite legal
trappings. was a typical Commu-
mist proceeding. It was marked
by what has become the accepted
pattern of a trial in Communist
countries confession" It re-
suited. too. in the usual "convic-
ton" and Mr.. Oats was sem
fenced to 10 years in prison. The
State Department bitterly de-
nounced the trial as "a kangaroo
court staged before the kleig
lights of propaganda.
Resentment Mounts.
Since the trial and the sentenc-
ing of Mr.. Oats on July 4-this
country's Independence Day-re-
sentiment and indignation have
been mounting in this country
against the Czech Red regime.
Numerous suggestions have been
offered as to what the United
States should do. One of these
came from Senator Jenner, Re-
publican. of Indiana. who said the
Air Force or the Marines should be
used to rescue Mr.. Oats from his
Czech prison cell.
Other and more temperate sug-
gestions called for immediate
withdrawal of trade and tariff
concessions and for a voluntary
and private embargo by the Amer
lean people on the purchase of
any goods made in Czechoslovakia
and shipped to this country.
1t was indicated that several
courses Of action were possible
despite the narrowed range of
relations with the Communist
dominated Czech Government
which preclude some of the more
obvious diplomatic steps. For the
most part they involve termination
of trade and tariff concessions to
the Communist satellite.
Czech Activities Here Limited.
The State Department is re-,
stricted since Czech consulates in
this country already have been
closed and there are, it was said,
no Czech newspapermen or bust
nesSmen in the United States
against whom restrictions could
be imposed; moreover, such a
course Is repugnant to this coun-
try's principles of decency and
justice.
There are no Czech air flights
to this country and that precludes
another possible course of action:
There are, however. Czech fights
to Western Germany. Any action
to curb those would require, to
be effective, the cooperation Of
Britain and France as the other
occupying powers, a possibility
which is being fully explored. II
Trade with CzechosloVakia is oil
more substantial benefit to the
Prague regime than it is to the
United States. Czechoslovakia EasI
more to lose than the United
States should it be1cut of. u
At the current level of COM
merce, CzechoSlovakia has been
selling to the United States about
ST million worth of goods per
quarter. The goods include such
things as burlap, costume jewelry
hat frames, shoes, hops and al
variety of other things produced
by the Czech economy-all of
which we can do without.
American exports to Czechoslo-
vakla have been reduced since
this country imposed an export
licensing system to prevent the
shipment behind the Iron Curtain
OF any materials having any war
potential use.
Curbs Studied Previously.
The matter of terminating tariff
and trade concessions to Czecho-
slovakia already was under con-
Sideration before the Oats case
arose to place an added strain on
American relations with Soviet
Russia and her satellite countries.
That resulted from a provision
written into the 1851 Trade Agree
ments Extension Act by Congress
requiring the President "as soon as
practicable" to withdraw any re-
auctions on tariffs on imports from
Russia and the satellite countries.
Only last week President Tru-
man announced through the State
Department that in accordance
with the congressional mandate
steps were being taken to deprive
several Communist and Red
dominated countries of trade bene-
fits by cancelling tariff concessions
Czechoslovakia was not included
in that list despite mounting Off
cial and public wrath over the
Oats case. This was due to the
fact that Czechoslovakia is one of
the contracting parties to the Gen.
eral Agreement on Tariffs and
Trade (GATT) entered into by
the United States and more than
30 other countries.
Czechoslovakia is the only Com
munist satellite that is a member
-