Czech Coup Forces NSA from IUS; Students Discuss Communist Regime

In the face of new developments in their homeland, University Czechoslovakians met last night at Phillips Brooks House with F. O. Matthiessen, professor of History and Literature, to discuss the new Communist-dominated government of that country, but arrived at no concrete conclusions.

Speaking informally, Professor Matthiessen defended the right of the Czechs to choose their own form of government, but asked that further statements be kept off-the-record, since he will discuss the situation more fully tomorrow night at 7:30 o'clock in Eliot House Junior Common Room.

Among the 20 students and outsiders attending the meeting was Vaclav Eduard Benes '50, grandnephew of the present Czech president. Young Benes deplored the fact that he was unable to throw any light on reactions to the new government, since his most recent letters home remained unanswered.

Students Read Letters

Excerpts from a letter from the daughter of Thomas Masaryk, first president of Czechoslovakia, were read at the meeting. The letter compared Czech acceptance of the Communist government to "parched lips trembling at an imaginary well, cool under the palms."

Another recently-arrived note from a Czech contact point described how Communist poice fired on demonstrating students from Prague's Charles University, and how Boy Scouts and Rotary Clubs throughout the country were disbanded.

The students unanimously condemned the recent curtailment of their national press and the government challenge to the freedom of Charles University.