MEMBERS OF CZECH GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING HUSAK AND DUBCEK, LEAVE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE; CROWD IN WENCESLAS SQUARE; POLICE MOVE IN AND ARREST SOME DEMONSTRATORS.




Initials CP/VS/JH/OS



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Background: CZECHOSLOVAKIA'S NEW COMMUNIST PARTY LEADER HAS SHOWN MOSCOW THAT PRAGUE HAS TONED DOWN ANTI-SOVIET FEELINGS AS LOW-GEARED MAY DAY CELEBRATIONS PASSED WITHOUT SERIOUS INCIDENT. THE UNEVENTFUL FIRST OF MAY WAS THE FIRST MAJOR POLITICAL HURDLE FOR DR. GUSTAV HUSAK, THE TOUGH DISCIPLINARIAN WHO TOOK OFFICE AFTER THE FALL OF MR. ALEXANDER DUBCEK ON APRIL 17.

DR. HUSAK PROMISED A CLAMPDOWN ON ANTI-SOVIET ELEMENTS. YESTERDAY HE SHOWED HIS STRICT LINE HAD TONED DOWN ARDENT REFORMISTS AND AVOIDED PROTEST ACTION.

POLICE, ARMED WITH RUBBER TRUNCHEONS SCATTERED CROWDS ON WENCESLAS SQUARE AS HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE FILED TOWARDS THE STATUE OF KING WENCESLAS IN A PASSIVE MAY DAY PROTEST DEMONSTRATION.

THE PROTESTORS LAID BUNCHES OF FLOWERS AT THE BASE OF THE STATUE -- A SIGN OF PROTEST THAT HAS BECOME FAMILIAR SINCE THE WARSAW PACT INTERVENTION, LAST AUGUST.

BY MIDDAY, THE STATUE BASE WAS COVERED WITH FLOWERS AND CANDLES. IT WAS THEN THE POLICE MOVED IN. THEY SWEPT THROUGH THE SQUARE, QUICKLY DISPERSING THE CROWDS.

A NUMBER OF YOUNG PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED, AND TAKEN AWAY BY THE POLICE. THE CROWDS BOOED AS THOSE ARRESTED WERE DRIVEN AWAY.

LATER SOME OF THE DEMONSTRATORS DRIFTED BACK TO THE SQUARE.