ALL-ROUND DENIALS

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 55, 28 November 1930, Page 11

ALL-ROUND DENIALS

Anti-Soviet Plotting PROFESSOR’S STORY Fantastic Allegations BRITAIN MAY PROTEST By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Rec. November 27, 8 p.m.) London, November 26. Messrs. Vickers, Ltd., disclaim all knowledge of Professor Hamzin's allegations made at the trial for conspiracy against the Soviet now proceeding at Moscow. Sir John Simon, M. Poincare, and M. Briand also issue denials of the “statements which have not the slightest foundation in fact.” In his evidence, Professor Ramzin described meetings in London, at which he was assured that England would participate in the organisation of intervention in Russian affairs. Sir Henry Deterding and Mr. Leslie Urquhart, and groups of Conservatives, particularly Mr. Winston Churchill, were especially interested. In company with the engineer Larichev, one of, the accused, he met Colonel Lawrence in the presence of Mr. A. A. Simon, director of Messrs. Vickers, Ltd. “England’s Interest Declined.” After France had obtained a leading part in the interventionist plans, England’s interest declined. France’s participation was the dominating factor from beginning to end. M. Poincare was the soul of intervention, which was actively supported by M. Briand. The Intervention was originally tim ed for 1928, then 1930, which was regarded as a most difficult year for the Five Year Plan. Owing to the incompleteness of diplomatic preparation and the unpreparedness of the industrial party, intervention was postponed until 1931, when it was proposed, as a preliminary to Intervention, to organise an economic blockade of Russia. His Painful Confession. Professor Ramzin said that controversies broke out among the interventionist Powers regarding territorial acquisitions. The Deterding group and France sought concessions in the Caucasian oilfields' tantamount to annexation. It was proposed to utilise the separatist tendencies of Ukrainla and Georgia. “Therefore, despite the painfulness of confession. I must admit that by agreeing to intervention, we headed for division of the country,” concluded Professor Ramzin. Henderson Hedges. In the House of Commons, theRight Hon. Sir R. Rodd (C.) and Major-General Sir A. W. F. Knox (C.) drew attention to the allegations made by the Soviet prosecutor in the trial of the Russian professors, that England and France were plotting to invade Russia in 1931. The Foreign Secretary (Mr. Arthur Henderson), in reply, said that the documents, printed in the Russian Press, made unfounded accusations against British subjects and the Government. The majority of the accusations related to 1927-28. Some of the charges involved France and not England.. At present he did not see anything to justify a protest to the Soviet, but he would consider the question of taking action in regard to further allegations against Britain which the questioners had cited from the Russian Press. WHEAT DUMPING Huge Russian Supplies GROWN BY CONSCRIPTS (Rec. November 27, 10 p.m.) London, November 26. In the House'of Commons, Lieut.-Col-onel A. H. Gault, Conservative member for Taunton, directed attention to the dumping of foreign cereals into Britain, and moved a motion deploring the Government inactiou in this connection. He said that out of 71,000.000 cwt. of wheat imported from January 1 to September 30, Russia sent 3,500,000, at half the cost of production in Britain. This was grown on State farms by conscripted labour under a tyrannic Government. Mr. G. M. Gillett (Labour) said that the yearly Import of 6,000,000 cwt. from Russia was hardly an important factor. It was probable that all exporting countries were having to sell below the cost of production. Lieut.-Colonel Gault’s motion was defeated by 224 votes to 139.