Evening star., 1953-09-16


tch by AP Artist John Carlton.
wrote it to break the unity of
the congress!" ..
The second interpreter told
me. You'll talk. Everybody
talks here"
remarked that Bishop Stani-
Slav Zela had talked" in a
Prague treason and espionage
trial and got 25 years in prison.
That was because he only
talked for the court-he didn't
talk for U.S." said the little man,
with a sly smile.
began thinking in terms of a
short sentence for myself. I
hopefully recalled the Meryn
case. And I forgot something the
Boss had said-"10 years to !.
DEATH"
The next day, after the little
men questioned me into the
night, they returned to their job.
On a desk lay several little
black books they had found.
These were books I had kept in
line with my work as an Asso-
ciated Press correspondent. One
had names and telephone num-
bers of friends in Prague-for-
eign diplomats and Czechoslovak
citizens. Others contained notes
of information I had obtained
from some of these people
news and background.
had kept the books almost by
force of habit. In the United
States and Britain, where had
worked before going to Prague
10 months before, it may have
been a good habit. In CzechoSlo-
vakia, it certainly was not.
Questioned About Books.
The interpreters asked me
questions about those books
those notes, and those names.
The police called me a spy. I
regarded myself rather as a
legitimate journalist. But
knew they objected to my gath
eripg news from other than Off
cial sources. If was on the spot
for doing that, the people who
gave me such news were on the
spot. too.
owed it to my news sources
to protect them. That was a
principle Of journalism. Re
porterS in America had gone to
jail rather than testify against
their informants. But as I COM
pared my lot with theirs, was
dismayed. They had means to
defend themselves-legal advice,
public opinion and civil-rights
guarantees.
had none of those. was one
man alone against a powerful
and ruthless force. I knew the
secret police could hold pris-
oner for years without charge,
without trial and incommuni-
cado. They could hold him till
they got what they wanted out of
him. What they wanted out of
me, to begin with, was informa-
ton on my news gathering.
I'VE. want to know the names
OF Czechoslovak citizens who
gave you unofficial news" said
one policeman.
Il can't tell you that" I said.
But I felt utterly helpless.
That Tuesday was questioned
till long after midnight.
Interrogation Continues.
The interrogation went on all
day Wednesday, too.
That night, the man picked up
my address book and said,
Which of these people gave you
unofficial news?"
Il can't tell you"
why not?"
Journalistic ethics"
IF you don't tell us which
ones" the man threatened, I'VE
will arrest them all"
On the face of it, it looked this
way: If I gave in, there was a
chance some people would get
hurt, If I did not, there was the
certainty that more people
would be.
I said. "All right, I'll tell you. "
/ gave the interpreter list of
names and. with each name, the
class of data I had got from that
person-Such things as Prague
rumors" and "Brno rumors."
will this get them into
trouble?" I asked.
why should it?" he said
why, it's nothing - 'Prauge
rumorS, 'Brno rumors.''
| Another interpreter also sought
to Soothe my anxiety:
do you think we are stupid? {?
Do you think We would arrest all
those people? Do you think we
want to make enemies? There
are many people we do not ar
rest. We just call them in and
say. Look, don't be stupid"
/ / let myself be lulled by these
wordS-as I also let myself be
lulled by that same mans sly
suggestion that. once I had
given the police what they
wanted. they would expel me
from the country.
Signs First Confession.
That night I signed my first
confession.
In my notes was list of
places in and near Prague re-
norted IN he the actllal mr. r1r0-