Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-02-12
". S. Ex-Red Is Held by Swiss
Despite State Department Plea


ropean nationals have been JAILED
for carrying on intelligence oper-
ations, mostly on behalf of the
Cominform. Switzerland has en-
couraged profitable East West
trade operations through its
booming commercial banks, often
over American protests, on en-
bargoed strategic materials.
| But the Swiss draw firm line
| at cloak-and-dagger intelligence
work by either the Atlantic pow
ers or Russia and its satellites
The Swiss protect their special
neutrality concept by refusing to
join the Atlantic pact or United
Nations. The only secret opera
tons tolerated in the Alpine re-
public are business, including
f1ourishing international arms
exports.
Using this neutrality as spring
board, Swiss Communists are
trying to employ traitor" Davis
as a pawn, hoping to force the
Swiss courts into an anti-Ameri-
can trial bigger than the recent
anti Cominform spy trials. The
Swiss Reds want to present Davis
as a sinister American agent
compromising Swiss neutrality
instead of the weak, bewildered
broke and scared ex-Communist
that Davis actually is.
Acting on their Communist tip
Off, the Swiss police raided Davis
room in Geneva and seized all his
papers before arresting him
Among these papers was letter
from Washington on watermarked
Congressional stationery inform
ing Davis that "the Senator
unnamed-was no longer inter-
ested in renting a villa at Geneva
for use as surveillance point.
The name of this letters Wash
ington signatory, who Davis main
tains is Senator McCarthy's agent,
is still under investigation by the
State Department. The writer is
said to be unknown in senatorial
rolls and stats.
Robert E. Ward, American con-
sui general in Geneva, has been
permitted to visit Davis in his
cell in st. Antoine prison. Davis
has requested that he be sent to
North Africa, not the United
States. Mr.. Ward, however, has
arranged for Davis to be sent to
the United States by TWA plane
on his release and is holding a
physician on call to administer
to him the necessary health shots
at Geneva airport if the Swiss
relent.
American officials In Geneva
have been trying to convince the
Swiss that Senator Mccarthy is
not the chief of American intel
ligence and that Davis alleged
secondhand contacts with the
Senator do not make him an
American spy. as the Communists
maintain, but only a backslid
party member ready to market his
Red contacts.
Swiss Unconvinced.
The Swiss police, however, ap-
pear unconvinced that any United
States Senator could operate his
own private intelligence net with
out Washington's sanction or
knowledge.
Under Swiss law Davis can be
held indefinitely awaiting trial.
No attorney has yet been ap-
pointed to defend Davis because
such appointment is another step
toward open trial which nobody
wants except the French and
Swiss Communist Parties.
When seized Davis, who claims
to be a Navy veteran and is in
his late EOS, was months behind
on his room rent. Davis fell into
trouble with the American Ex-
press Co. in Geneva when he tried
to collect there a letter not ad-
dressed to him by name but which
he claimed was meant for him.
Villa Six Miles From Geneva.
The furnished villa Davis tried
to suitcase on Senator McCar-
thy's behalf is 6 miles from
Geneva and rented by an Ameri-
can economic official who is leav-
ing Geneva temporarily.
American officials in Switzer-
land are placed in the odd posi-
ton of trying to prevent Senator
Mccarthy. arch enemy of the
State Department, from being en-
barrassed by public Swiss trial
in order to avoid lending the Com
munists a propaganda weapon.
This paradox is heightened by
the fact that the American mis-
sion in Switzerland Is headed by
Ambassador John Carter Vincent,
among persons whom Senator Nc
Carthy has most severely casti-
gated for the shortcomings OF
Asiatic policy. Should the Swiss
continue to refuse to release Davis
as they have during the past three
months of secrecy. the Americans
will undoubtedly ask for a full
airing in public trial with ample
defense rights for the Negro.
Davis testimony seems likely to
redden Communist faces, as well
as revealing the names of Sena-
tor McCarthy's aides abroad and
in Washington.
Two in Rescue Squad