BOLSHEVIK PLOT

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 66, 15 September 1921, Page 7

BOLSHEVIK PLOT

AT CONSTANTINOPLE

SUSPECTS DEMANDED FOR TRIAL

fUNITBD PJIKSI ASSOCIATION.—COPYRIGHT.) (AUSTRALIAN - NEW ZIALAKD CABLK ASSOCIATION^) LONDON, 12th September The Daily Telegraph's correspondent at Constantinople states that the discovery of a new plot against the Allies might suggest that Constantinople is the centre of revolution. Really complete calm reigns. The Allied occupation is universally accepted, and is bearing lightly on the population. General Sir Charles Harington (Commander-in-Chief), however, owing to the fresh conspiracy, warns the population that such intrigues may bring a more.rigorous application of the occupation. General Harington lias given, the Turks a week to hand over suspects for trial by-an Allied Court.

. In June last a Bolshevik plot was discovered in Constantinople. Commenting on the matter,-the correspondent of London Daily Telegraph wrote :—"I a,m given to understand that the full circumstances of the Bolshevik plot discovered at Constantinople are - the following : Lieutenant-General Sir 'C. Harington, on being asked to explain his drastic action,reported that he was positively forced to undertake stern repressive measures by the unbounded impudence and the increasing danger of Bolehevik propaganda. The presence of the Bolshevik Trade Delegation in Constantinople was taken advantage of by the agents of the Soviet Government and of the Third Internationale to develop an intense propaganda, among the mass of Russian refugees in the Turkish capital. From the midst of these unhappy people the Bolsheviks recruited several hundreds of able and well-paid agitators, whose task it became to prepare for a general rising of the Turkish population, strengthened by detachments of Communist guards enrolled among the refugees. For ecv«ral weeks already the British Military Intelligence Service have been perfectly cognicant of.all the ramifications of the vast plot. The plan was elaborated 'down to .the'minutest details. The murder of\Lieutenant-Gencral Harington and of several members of his staff was to serve as a signal for the rising. The Bol•sheviks had even foraeen the towing out of mines into-the Straits, with a. view of paralysing trie British Fleet. On 27th June the (greek steamer Corcyra arrived from Odessa with the usual crowd of suspect passengers provided with certificates from various Soviet institutions. The Military Police searched the luggage of these people, when whole bales of printed propaganda, were discovered. The leaflets were,printed in Turkish, Russian, and Greek. The latter were especially obnoxious. They contained a-n appeal tf> soldiers of the Greek army to turn their aims against their own officers and against King Constantin*. Durin? th» night detachments of British Military Police, accompanied by Turkish and French officials, made a sweep of all snsnected persons.. Iti their number were included the members of the Bolshevik Trad a Delegation, whose chief. Kudish, •had had the foresight to leave a few days befoTe for Enelancl. where he now is to 'be found at Krassin's office. The 'specialists' attached to the mission were also tput rmder a.rrest. In all about 200 susroeets were swept in and put on board a British steamer. The premises occurred by the Bolshevik mission were searched, and whole lorry-loads of documents taken awa-v for 'inspection, which is now proceeding, and even now, I understand, has given extraordinary interesting results. It seems that the existence of the plot is not only proved, but also its wide ramifications, extending; to Angora- and Sofia, can bo easilj traced."