The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-04-23
One Year Ago
Today Reds
jailed Oats
CORRESPONDENCE
Name Has Become
A symbol OF Free
World Opposition
By EDWARD Z. BoMAR

World Opposition
BY EDWARD q. BoMAR
WASHINGTON R-One year ago
Today Communist czechoslovalia
threw william N. Oats into jail.
The Associated Press CORE
spondent's name has become q
symbol of free world opposition
10 Communist fear and oppression.
He Is still behind bars as q con-
victed spy" but it Is beginning
to cost his Red captors some two
million dollars a month In Ameri-
can trade to keep him there.
Commerce Department reports
show the economic squeeze which
the United States imposed in re-
taliation for Oats arrest has re-
duced the volume Of Czech sales
IN this country by probably 90 per
cent and Is getting tighter.
The squeeze started last 0cto-
Der. The Czechs had been selling
an average of more than two mil
bon dollars q month Of their prod
ucts In this country. The Com
merce Department said that in
January, the latest month for
which figures are complete, Czech
imports t0taled only sos, 622. In
eluded were goods kept In bond
for re-export. This contrasted with
ts,327 ,658 worth Of shipments for
The same month q year earlier.
American exports TO Cxechoslo-
vakia--c controlled BY the tight U. s.
government licensing system -
have almost vanished.
Communist secret agents seized
Datis last April q.
State Department officials said
hday they are still pressing for
his release. The evidence that the
near-boycott Is pinching the Czechs
painfully, plus other developments,
has led to hope for . break in the
Ease.
The Prague regime has limited
Il might consider freeing oatis--
now 3S--although at q price the
State Department has firmly ruled
put. Some authorities believe the
Communists have decided they
have nothing more 70 gain. in
propaganda or any other ways. by
aolding him longer.
The lanky former Marion, Ind,
reporter was told that with good
behavior" the l0-year sentence
imposed on him July would be
halved. That was after the Com
riunist-style trial staged inside
grim Pankranc Prison In Prague.
The charges were that as q re-
porter he engaged In hostile activ-
ties against the Communist state
and spread secret and malicious
Information. Three Czech employ
% of the bureau Oats headed
we're given sentences at the same
lime ranging from 1s to 20 years.
The United States government
has officially labeled the charges
! as trumped up and said Oats was
only doing his job Of reporting the
news.
There Is no information on this
side Of the Iron Curtain as to Just
how Oats Is faring. No American
has been allowed 10 talk with him
aimee his arrest.
In turning the screws, the State
Department is acting at the be-
hest Of congress. which last Au-
Gut by q vote OF 44s TO l adyo-
Gated immediate severance Of
commercial relations with Cxecho-
sloyakia until Oats Is freed. Off,
cials decided that the administra-
ton lacks legal authority to impose
an outright embargo.
Diplomatic relations have con-
tinued with the Communist.run
Czechosloyak government. Keep
Ing open the Prague embassy has
enabled Ambassador Ellis o.
Briggs 10 press for Oats release.
The Czechs' hint Of readiness 10
consider freeing the newsman
came during discussions Of q long
standing dispute over q II mil
lion dollar steel mill Cxechoslo.
vakia bought In the U. S. before
The Reds took over the govern
ment. Since that happened the
U. 5. has denied an export H.
cense for the steel min In line
with the policy Of hooking shlp-
nents Of strategic materials 20
Soviet bloc countries.
The State Department says the
Cxeehs brought up the subject az
the steel mill at time when the
Oats case was under discussion
but that no actual offer Of q trade
was made.
That Is the last official word On
Oats for the time being.
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