Evening star., 1951-09-26
Oats Talks Barred by Czechs
Until u. S. Drops Trade Curbs
By Gornett D. Homer

liam N. OaClS.
Czech Ambassador vladimir
Prochazka made this clear yester'
day during a marathon news con.
ference at which he assured
Washington reporters the i'm
priSoned Associated Press Core
Spandent is quite we'll"
His remarks indicated thai
Czechosiovakia is smarting under
the economic pressure put on BY
this Cover nment and the wide
spread protests in this country
against the jailing of Mr.. Oats
or trumped-up spy charges.
There was no indication thai
the pressure would be relaxed
from this end, however, until Mr.
Oats freedom actually is won
The United States recently put in
effect a complete embargo against
shipment of American goods tc
Czechoslovakia and is seeking ap.
proval of other members of the
General Agreement on Tariffs ano
Trade for ending its benefits tc
Czechoslovakia.
O'Conor Offers Plan.
Senator O'Conor. Democrat, O.
Maryland, expressed the hope to-
day that the United States will
not bargain" with Czechoslovakis
for the release of Mr.. Oatis.
Principles cannot be COM
promised" Senator O'Conor sale
in statement. "Decency is no
the subject of barter. Justice ano
fair play are not salable commod.
tiles to be offered on the auction
block"
Senator O'Conor is one of sew
eral members of Congress who
have called for drastic steps by
this Government to bring about
Mr.. Oats release. He said the
indicated willingness of the Czech
government to deal" in the mat
ter now emphasizes that positive
measures rather than mere words
or diplomatic representations
offer the only hope of obtaining
release of the correspondent.
He added:
Instead Of yielding now to the
Communists on such measures as
have been put into effect, this
country should redouble such
For instance, exports to
CzechoSlovakia have been stopped
and this action undoubtedly has
hurt that country's economy. Let
us tighten that economic pressure
by stopping all imports from
Czechoslovakia which, under exist
ing law, can be done by executive
order. Time and again, and most
recently in Korea, has it been
shown that the only thing the
Communists listen to is force. Let
us continue to use that method
which apparently is proving effec-
tive"
Won't yield to Pressure"
Insisting that his government
will not yield to pressure, the
Czech Ambassador said no sue
cessful negotiations are possible"
for freeing Mr.. Oats under the
present circumstances.
Before any negotiations. he told
questioners, it would be necessary
to clean the atmosphere" so
opinions could be exchanged "un-
der much calmer circumstances"
Would relaxing the economic
pressures help clean the atmos-
phere?" he was asked.
II think So" he replied. "but
it is impossible to go into details. "
At another point, however. he
said Czechoslovakia is not de-
removal of the pressures
as ransom for Mr.. Oats.
Other Possibilities Seen.
He reiterated that the Oats
case is closed" from legal point
Of view, but said there are other
possibilities" for Mr.. Oats release
He added that "it' is not up to me
to look for these possibilities"
There is no situation in the
world where there would not be a
way out" he told another ques-
toner.
Mr.. Oats was arrested last April
and sentenced in July to 10 years
in prison after what the State De-
partment calls a "phony" trial.
Mr.. Prochazka, who has tried te
dodge interviewers since he came
here as Czech Ambassador last
called reporters to his EN-
bassy at 2349 Massachusetts, Ave-
nue. NV. yesterday to explain his
country's position" in the case
He complained that both sides
have not been reported fully here
The news conference was un-
long-it lasted for an houl
and SO minutes.
Reads Prepared Statement.
For more than a hour Mr.. Pro
read a prepared statement
claiming that Mr.. Oats had q
fair trial. was treated justly ac-
cording to Czech laws and COM
planning about American economic
pressure.
Then he had the Is reporter:
present listen to a wire recording
of part of the Oats trial. Mr.
Oats understanding rehearsee
was heard saying that he en-.
gagged in espionage "only because
I listened to the wrong kind o.
orders from abroad" and Il an
sorry for all this"
After the recording was played
the Ambassador left the room fol
five minutes, explaining that HI
was tired" Then he returned