WIDESPREAD PRECAUTIONS

Chronicle (Levin), 8 September 1948, Page 5

WIDESPREAD PRECAUTIONS

(N.Z.P.A.-

—Reuter,

Threat To Misuse Funeral Of Dr. Benes

Copyright )

Received Wednesday, 10.5 a.m. PRAGtJE, Sept. 7. The Mihistry of the Interior announced that it had received information that "irresponsible ^re- , actionary elements incited from abroad would misu'se Dr. Benes' : funeral tomorrow to attempt anti- , State action aird provocation." The ; Ministry ciaimed that an agitation ■ was afoot, especialiy ih the Sokol organisation, to commit "sacreligious aet§." Meanwhile, a heavily-reinforced police patrol is in Prague as : mourning crowds form a " threeinjle long queue to pay their respects to Dr. Benes, who is lying in State, The Associated Pregs' cprrespondent reported "that police quietly withdrew from the queue people wearing red and white carnations, which are the symbol Of Dr. Bene§' disbanded National Socialist Party. The Sokol organisation, with the * central action committee and trade union central council, jointly appeale'd to Czechpsioyakians tp "respeet the majesty of death" and thwart the "dark plans by reactionaries." The widespread security precautions include withholding the time of the burial service and keeping secret a section of the funeral route, while heads of offices along the known route were instructed to have no one exeept their employees in their buildings during the funeral procesgipn. Dr. Benes' body will be taken : from Prague tomorrow afternoon after the funeral service in Wenceslas Square, thence to Tabor, near Dr. Benes' villa, where the ' body will rest in the public view until burial on September 10.