Evening star., 1952-02-05
us. Considering
Reca||ingEnyoys
To Red Satellites
Diplomats Session
In March to Discuss
Closing Embassies
By John A. SeoIi
Associuted Press Stoff Writer

| IlG O11GCO OLdUCS GOOdy WdS
reported reviewing the question OF
whether to close all American en-
bassies in Russian satellite coun-
tries.
A meeting Of American ambaS-
sadors to Iron Curtain countries
has been tentatively set in Paris
for the first week in March to con-
slider the problem closer to the
scene.
At the same time, oflcials told
this reporter, American diplomats
will try to devise a plan for better
protection Of embassy personnel
and private American businessmen
now in Eastern Europe.
Major Switch of Policy.
Any decision to close American
embassies would mark a decided
shift in State Department policy.
Until now it has favored keeping
them open at virtually all costs
to serve as listening posts"
Top State Department policy
makers would prefer to keep them
in operation, despite increasing
harassment from Communist
governments.
Some key officials. however
have proposed the review because
they fear the satellite govern
ments are due to subject all Amer
leans within their borders to q
campaign Of humiliation. denun-
citation and possibly imprisonment
Already two American citizens
have been imprisoned on spy
charges in Communist Hungary
and Czechoslovakia. Robert A
lVogeler. telephone company exec.
utive, was held by the Hungarians
II months and released only wher
the United States promised va
rious concessions to Hungary.
william Oats, Associated Press
correspondent In Prague, has beer
in q Czech prison since last July
2 under q 10-year sentence.
Would Remain In Moscow.
The United States now ha.
diplomatic missions in Russia
Poland, Czechoslovakia. Hungary
and Romania. The American
legation in Bulgaria was closed
February "a, 1850, after the
Communist government there de-
clared the American Minister un-
acceptable on the grounds that
he was a spy.
1t Is understood the State De-
partment would favor keeping the
American Embassy in Moscow as
a last official contact with the
Communist world.
This is the picture American
diplomats now face in Russian
satellite countries:
Romania-Travel permitted by
American diplomats only to two
summer resorts and sometimes to
coastal areas.
Hungary-A blanket edict pro-
hibits American diplomats from
moving more than 80 miles beyond
Budapest except by special per-
mission" which is almost impos-
Isihle to obtain.
Poland and CzechoslOvakia.
Poland-All American military
|attaches must give tlaree-day no.
ltices for starting ON trips, but
American diplomats otherwise
have comparative freedom.
hoslovakia-Travel restrict.
ed by need to obtain official per.
mitS. Contact with Czechs dis
couraged by campaign Of intimi-
Idation and threat against Czech
people.
In most Of these countries as
well as Russia, American person
mel are under constant surveil-
lance by secret police.
In Moscow, only one American
has been permitted to qualify fol
Ia drivers license. This came only
latter former Ambassador Allan
Kirk protested to the Russian
foreign office. Travel is permitted
on only four roads in the Russian
capital, all Of them far from the
industrial sections 0f the cifv