Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Wednesday 12 May 1954, page 5


Petrov prank

Sydney, Tuesday

HUNDREDS of University students shouted and

cheered as three of their fellows staged a mock "Mrs. Petrov" kidnapping during University

commemoration day today.

They interrupted an address by Mr. W. Went-worth, Liberal M.H.R., to stage the "kidnap."

Two male students, dressed as "Russian couriers" in long coats, hats, and sun-glasses, dragged a girl, dressed as Mrs. Petrov - minus one shoe - down the main aisle of the Union Hall (above).

Behind them carne an-other "Russian courier" with a girl dressed like Mrs. Antonov, wife of the ex-Tass representative in Australia.

Mr. Wentworth was presented with the miss-ing shoe.

He had taken time off from his election cam-paign to lecture 1,000 students on "The Pattern of Communist Subver-sion."

But he did not get around to his subject. He was greeted by a mix-ture of Fascist and Com-munist closed-fist salutes.

Live mice were turned loose on the platform, and he was told to shutup-which he did.

Later two daring "Russians" took over the U.S. Information Bureau in Margaret st., Sydney. They flew a large Soviet flag on the building for four hours.