BRITISH REDS.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18550, 27 November 1925, Page 9

BRITISH REDS.

COMMUNISTS SENTENCED. PRISONERS REFUSE PROFFERED LENIENCY. :,BT CABLE— PRESS ASSOCUTIOK—COPTBIOHT.) i (AUST3AXJAN .AND X.Z. CABLE ASSOCUTIOK.) (Received November 26th, 8.25 p.m.) LONDON, November 23. The 12 Communists arrested on October 14th were found guilty on all counts. Albert Inkpen, W. Kust, Harry Point'., Gallagher, and Hanniagton were sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment, and the others, refusing to be bouud over, were sentenced to three months' imprisonment. Each Communist prisoner wore a red rosette. The Judge, in sentencing tbem, said that it was obvious from the evidence that they -were members of "an illegal party carrying, on illegal work in England, and it must be stopped. Five, who were sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment, had been convicted before. The Judge said that he was not anxious, if he could avoid it, to scud the ofher seven to prison. Those who promised to have nothing more to do with this association would be ■ bound over to good behaviour. The Judge asked each of the sever, whether they -would be bound over, and each replied emphatically in the negative. [Twelve arrested Communist leaders were charged at Bow street with unlawful conspiracy to publish seditious libels a*hd incite to mutiny. Ju addition to Albert Inkpen, secretary of the party, John Campbell, editor of the "Workers' "Weekly," and Harry Pollitt, others rested included E.*"W. Cant, a wellknown platform speaker and a member of the Communist executive; W. Eust, secretary of the Young Communist League, and T. W. "Winteringham, as-sistant-editor of the "Workers' Weekly." The prosecuti6n held that all persons disseminating the doctrine of Communism were liable to prosecution for sedition. Communism as explained by accused was illegal because it involved the forcible overthrow of the Government, the creation of class war, and the seduction of the armed forces of the Crown from thair allegiance.] FREEDOM OF SPEECH. MOTION IN HOUSE OF COMMONS. (AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) (Ecccivcd November 26th, 7.20 j>.m.) LONDON, November 25. Messrs Ramsay MacDouald, J. 11. Thomas, Philip Snowden, and other Labourites have tabled a motion, to bo discussed in the House of Commons on Tuesday, that the acticn. of the Government in initiating tho prosecution of certain members of the Communist Paity was a violation of the traditional British rights of freedom of speech and j the publication of opinion.