Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-05-18
Oats Arrives
In New York.;
Wife al Airport
Newsmun Released
From Czech Prison
Faces Inspections

By the Associated Press
NEW YORK. May 18.-Wil-
liam N. Oats returned to the
United States and his wife's
arms today from more than two
years in prison behind the Com
munist Iron Curtain.
The Associated Press foreign
correspondent arrived at Idle
wild Airport at los pm. (EDT)
aboard a Pan American Anyways
plane from Frankfurt, Germany.
Mr.. Oats spent Is months in
Prague prison. Czech authori-
ties held that he was a spy.
Then. suddenly, they released
him Saturday.
Mrs. Oats flew into New York
yesterday from her st. Paul,
Mimi, home to be at the airport
to greet her husband.
Mr.. Oats had to clear the
customs, health and immigration
inspections and was expected to
face intervieWers and photog-
rapherS at tine airport afterWard.
Reds every Efficient"
The 39-year-old newsman was
freed by Czechoslovakia's gov
eminent Saturday after being
pardoned from a 1O-yea sentence
for reporting effectively about
the Red regime-the Czechs
called it "eSpionage"-while
working as an Associated Press
correspondent in Prague in 1851.
Before leaving Frankfurt last
night, Mr.. Oats said the Czechs
gave him psychological" treat
ment before his trial, in which
he confessed guilt.
He was not terrorized or mis-
handled, and the Czechs did not
try to irdoctrinate him with
communism. he insisted. He
went on, however:
They were very efficient in
their methods and preparation
for my trial. It would be very
difficult for me to describe what
happened so that I could be un-
derstood by any one not familiar
with such proceedings or with
what is done individually.
Reciting Something.
II think you could call it more
psychological than anything else.
IF what I was heard to say or
reported to have said during the
trial sounded like I was reciting
something, why that's the way
it was"
The newsman from Marion,
Ind, was thin, pale, a bit bewil-
dered by his sudden freedom, but
in seeming good health. He said
his treatment by the Czechs was
generally good"
Mr.. Oats explained his accu-
sstion by the Czechs this way:
las a newSpaperman I have
always acted or tried to act as
best I could on the proposition
that a news story, to be fair.
should present all essential sides.
During the time I was in Prague
found there were quite different
ideas about what constituted OBJ
jectiVity in news reporting.
Fair Job Not Understood.
Many people, especially peo-
pie in charge of the Czech gov
eminent, do not see things as we
do in the United States or other
countries where freedom of the
press exists.
Il found that an American re-
porter, trying his best to do a job
as fairly as he could, was not I'M
derstood."
OF his prison life, Mr.. Oats
said:
II don't know what was done
generally with prisoners. My
observations were limited. But
/ was not subjected to special
pressure after my trial and con-
viction. mean political or
theological pressure.
Il was subject, of course, to
rigidly controlled routine. from
$50 in the morning until taps
$50 at night. There was
rarely any deviation in our
schedule. We lived each day by
strict schedule-and each night.
too.
Arms Outside Blankets.
For instance" Mr.. Oats con-
tinued, leach night we had to
spread our things on the floor,
Just so, and most prisoners had
always to sleep with their hands
and arms outside the blankets.
no matter how severe the
fCoa NATTTC Dooo AON