BREEZE IN LORDS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 97, 27 April 1933, Page 7

BREEZE IN LORDS.

MOSCOW TRIAL DEBATE

Labour Peer's Bitter Attack on

Government.

A SPIRITED REPLY.

(United P. A.—Electric Telegraph—Copyright)

(Received 1 p.m.)

LONDON, April 26.

Speaking in the House of Lords, Lord Ponsonby (Labour) raised the question of the Government's Russian policy. He protested against the embargo on Russian goods.

Labour, he said, had never deviated from the view that although the English engineers should have been released, there was no need for any breach of the Anglo-Russian relations. The Government had adopted the worst possible manner in handling the Moscow trial problem.

He declared that Sir John Simon had deliberately worked the House of Commons to frenzied indignation, and then had followed pure melodrama. If the Government had delayed its embargo for 48 hours Messrs. Thornton and MacDonald would have been liberated by now.

Foreign Press opinion in Moscow was convinced that without the British Government's blundering the remaining prisoners would have been quickly deported. The whole business showed that the Government's principal desire was to use the case as an excuse for a second breach of relations with the Soviet. Viscount Hail sham, for the Government, replying, said that every syllable of Lord Ponsonby's speech was calculated to prevent the release of Messrs. Thornton and Mac Donald. By some odd kink in their, mentality, British Socialists were always disposed to think their own country was in the wrong. This fallacy did not characterise Socialists in any other country. Presumably, as ' they desired such releases, the Labour members were convinced of the Englishmen's innocence, and must therefore admit that there had been a gross miscarriage of justice. Presumably Labour would have done nothing in the matter, but would simply have awaited the Soviet's pleasure not to press the sentences.

The facts did not bear out the suggestion that the men would have been liberated if the embargo had not been enacted. , He went on: "I am glad Lord Ponsonby stated that the Government desired, a breach with Russia, as it enables me here and now to state categorically that it is untri^;.

"The embargo powers . were obtained solely in order to secure the lives and liberties of our men, and there is no intention of using them for any other purpose. The embargo will continue only so long as Messrs. Thornton and Mac Donald are in prison." ' ■-■ j

Lord Ponsonby forced a division on his motion, calling for, the. papers, but it was defeated by 53 votes to 7. • ■