Czech Purge

Czech officials snapped like kindling under the purge ax. After arresting former Foreign Minister Clementis as a "spy," Czechoslovakia's Red bosses went after his appointees. The Czech ambassador to India, Bohuslav Kratochvil, refused to go home, instead chose freedom in Britain (TIME, March 12). Less smart were three of his colleagues. When called to Prague for "consultation," they obeyed, and were promptly shunted to minor jobs. The three:

P:Vladimir Outrata, ambassador to Washington, a well-groomed, wealthy drawing-room Communist. His wife, a longtime Communist who had guided her husband into the party, had her first indication of trouble when her car was summarily taken away from her, her chauffeur dismissed. Last week in Washington, she was preparing to follow Outrata to Prague with their two small children.

P: Rudolf Bystricky, ambassador to London, veteran Communist and economic expert. After his recall, his wife vainly waited for news of him, last fortnight received orders to come home. Last week, apparently undecided about whether to put herself at the mercy of Prague, she shut herself into her London house (a servant answered the telephone with a nervous, "Madam is out. . ."). P: Adolf Hoffmeister, ambassador to Paris, suave, witty writer and cartoonist. His wife, announced the embassy, would "remain in Paris for the time being."

Other reported victims of the Czech purge:

P:Artur London, deputy foreign minister. P:Bedrich Reicin, deputy defense minister. P:Josef Pavel, deputy security (i.e., police) minister.

P:Josef Smrkovsky, deputy agriculture minister.

Last week, a government spokesman reported the elimination of a "whole group of functionaries" in Czechoslovakia's Communist Youth Organization.

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