U.S. DEMANDS RECALL OF CONSUL

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25580, 23 August 1948, Page 7

U.S. DEMANDS RECALL OF CONSUL

Soviet Teachers’ Cases

MR LOMAKIN SAID TO HAVE BOOKED PASSAGE

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 9.30 p.m.) NEW YORK August 21 “The Soviet Consul-General in New York (Mr Jacob Lomakin), whose recall has been demanded by the United States State Department, has booked a passage for Sweden in a liner leaving New lork next Saturday,” says the United Press. dlsc, " sed by the Swedish American Line, which stated that he would sail in the liner Stockholm with his wife and two children. He made his reservations several davs ago by mail.

Mr Lomakin would not comment to-day on the announcement by the Swedish American Line that he had booked passages by the liner Stockholm, but Mr Zot Chepurnykh the Assistant Consul-General, said Mr Lomakin had booked’two months ago for “a routine visit home.”

Mr Chepurnykh astounded reporters who were asking him about a possible successor to Mr Lomakin when he said referring to Mr Lomakin, “I think he is going to stay.” State Department officials, commenting on the possibility of Mr Lomakin remaining in the United States, said: “It is a hypothetical case as it stands. Mr Lomakin has not said he will not leave. But if he decides to try to stay, he will be deported anyway. It is now up to him to decide.”

Earlier, the United States, in a Note to Russia, had demanded the recall of Mr Lomakin because of his conduct in the cases of three Soviet schoolteachers in New York.

Russian assertions that the three teachers, Mrs Oksana Kasenkina and Mr Mikhail Samarin and his wife, were kidnapped with the connivance of American officials were denied “categorically” and rejected. [The State Department announced to-day that the Russians’ formal protests had changed the previously accepted spelling of Mrs Kasenkina’s name, “Kosenkina,” and the United States had followed suit.] The Note said that the teachers had declared their desire voluntarily to remain in the United States and that Mrs Kasenkina “jumped from the window of the Consulate-General in order to avoid having to return to the Soviet Union.” Alleged Abuse of Prerogatives The Note continued: “The United States Government considers that Mr Lomakin’s conduct constitutes an abuse of the prerogatives of his posi-

tion and a gross violation of the internationally accepted standards governing the conduct of foreign officials.’’ The Note said that the State Department would request President Truman to revoke the credentials issued to Mr Lomakin, and it was requested that- he leave the United States within a reasonable time. The Note was delivered to the Soviet Embassy in Washington on Thursday and the text was released by the State Department yesterday. The demand for Mr Lomakin’s recall was in reply to various Soviet protests about Mrs Kasenkina and Mr and Mrs Samarin. The American Note said: “The United States Government must categorically reject the charges and insinuations contained in these Notes, which have been found to be at complete variance with the facts.” The State Department asked also to be given a photostatic copy of a letter which the New York police found m Mrs Kasenkina’s room at the Soviet Consulate after her leap, and which was returned unopened to the Consulate. “Highly Improper Conduct” .The American Note, which was signed by the Deputy-Secretary of State (Mr Robert Lovett), said that in the Soviet protests, as well as in statements to the newspapers by the Soviet Ambassador (Mr A. Panyushkin) and •Mr Lomakin, “charges of a most serious nature were made, not only against

individuals in this country, but also against the Government of the United States and State and Federal officials. Reports of investigations which are being made by competent United States authorities and received by the State Department, not only clearly demonstrate that these charges are unsHJsS.^an^a^ed. hut also indicate that officials of the Soviet Government have been engaged in conduct which is highly improper.” The State Department insisted that Mrs Kasenkina and Mr and Mrs Samarin were staying in the United States at their own volition. It was categorcicflly denied that the Tolstoy Foundation, with which Mrs Kasenkina took refuge, was in any way connected with the Federal Bureau of Investigation; that the New Nork police force their way into the Soviet Consulate in New York illegally; or that the Soviet Government was entitled to demand the return of the three teachers. “The United States Government cannot permit the exercise within the United States of the police power of any foreign Government,” the department said.

Mrs Kasenkina’s Position The department also said that Mrs Kasenkina was completely free to see any Soviet official, “but this Government will not compel her to do so, nor will it turn her over against her will to the Soviet authorities.” The department said that the New York police inspection of Mrs Kasenkina’s room in the Soviet Consulate was carried out in Mr Lomakin’s presence.

“The Consul-General has made or issued statements to the newspapers which, in view of all ' the evidence available, the State Department cab only conclude were deliberately designed to mislead the American public regarding a serious charge involving the United States Government,” the department added.