DEATH STRIPS CAMOUFLAGE FROM COMMUNIST TYRANNY.

Chronicle (Levin), 11 March 1948, Page 5

DEATH STRIPS CAMOUFLAGE FROM COMMUNIST TYRANNY.

Received Thursdav, 1.10 a.m. LONDOX, March 10. • Reuter says that people in diplomatie eircles said Masaryk 's siticide has strippod the eamoufbige t'rom the new Uzech (lovernnient. liis .eontinued presenee in t'lie Foreign Office was the main evidenee pleaded by liberal-minded suppoi-ters oi' the new'regime to suggest that legality and constitutionality had governed the •. recent changes. Clrities of events in Prague who coneluded that the Ozeeboslovakia of Thomas. Masaryk ffilie Uzeebs' national hero) was dead j will not l)e surprised that his son did not ontlive il for long. j The cireumstances of his death reinforee the pvesumption that ' he retained the portfolio of Foreign Affajrs and made vario'us „i public pronouneements in the last l'ortnight undeiLduress.

PEOPLE "SAGGED" WITH GRIEF When Parliament opened this afternoon, a big pile of red and wfiite iiowers covered Mr. Masaryk.' s seat. Seats of the Communists were all lilled but those of the other parties were about half full. The British United Press correspondent says he was in a restaur.ant when the Prague radio gave the news of Mr. Masaryk's suicide. "Hiners simply saggetl" he said. Weeping crowds all the afternoon gathered outside a shop window where a black-draped picture of Mr. Masaryk was displayed. An Assoeiated Press correspondent says it is revealed that Mr. Masaryk stayed behind to talk with President Benes after Dr. Benes had received the Polish anibassador, at their first eonversation since tne erisis, and it is believed to have' pjjnged Mr. Masaryk into a night / of disnair. Mr. Masaryk last apncared publicly on March 7 at the ccmmemoration in the old town liall square; of his father's birthday, when he appeJ?ed haggard and worried.