ENGLISH OR RUSSIAN?

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1194, 1 August 1911, Page 5

ENGLISH OR RUSSIAN?

CASE OF MISS MALECKA. Bγ Telegraph—Press Association-Copjricht (Hec. July 31, 9.50 p.m.) St. Petersburg, July 31. Tho Foreign Office has informed Great Britain that Miss Malecka, who was arrested by the secret police in Warsaw some mouths ago, is a Russian, and not a British, subject, but out. of friendliness for England tho Russian Government promises to hasten her trial. I COMPLICATED NATIONALITY. About four months aj?o Miss Malccka, a pianist well known in London, was arrested in Warsaw by order of the tecret police, and incarcerated in the Alexander Citadel. She hail been living in Poland for some months before her arrest, and had occupied herself by giving music lesson«. Miss Malecka's mother was an Englishwoman and her father a Polish emigrant, and a naturalised British subject. Hence, according lo English law, Miss Malccka is a British subject, and has the right to expect such help and protection ns the British Government can afford her.

According to Russian law, Mr. Malccka remained a Russian subject, in spito of naturalisation in England, an act in which the Russian Government refuses to acquiesce except in rare instances. Hence the Russian authorities assume that Miss Malecka is a Russian subject. They are apparently not aware (says the London "Daily News") that the marriage, of her parents was, according to.Russian hw, null nnd void. Tho ceremony was performed in an Anglican church, although Mr. Malecka was a Roman Catholic, llussian law rajnircs thnt a. Russian Catholic be married by a Catholic priest. Miss Malecka, therefore (contends tho "News"), according to Russian law. takes her mother's nationality, and is a British subject.