MOSCOW PLOT

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 124, 30 May 1927, Page 10

MOSCOW PLOT

RIFLES FROM IRELAND

-— ■ * FOE CHINESE FIGHTERS

« EMBROILING BRITAIN

(United Press Association.—Copyright.)

(Sydney Sun Cable.) (Received 30th May, 1 p.m.)

LONDON, 29th May

Dispatches from a Dublin correspondent reveal details of an extensive plot engineered by Moscow for the purpose of deceiving the Northern Chinese into the belief that Britain is arming the Southerners.

The Soviet, aware that.2o,ooo British short Lee-Enfield rifles and bayonets and 20,000,000 rounds of ammunition, handed over to the Irish Tree State when the Treaty was signed, are now available for purchase, accordingly approached a notorious German firm which has been lengthily engaged in gunrunning. This firm enlisted the service of two international adventurers, notable gun-runners and seditious agents who, provided* with American passports and unlimited finances, arrived in Londo a, where they established communicatun with a man moving in Parliamentary circles, and who is in close touch with certain Free State officials. A Dublin official went to London and arranged the agents' deal, which was carried out on a cash basis. The agents went to Dublin with £100,000 in banknotes for the deal, which is now on the point of completion. The rifles are being shipped from Dublin aboard a German vessel for Nanking with' the understanding that the bill of ladine is not to be questioned. It is pointed out that the Free State Government has not entered into the China arms embargo agreement, accordingly there is no question of the legality of exporting arms to China, particularly in view of the fact that the rifles are available to legitimate buyers but it is believed that the Free State imagines that the rifles are destined for a South American Republic. Moscow's plot aims, not at armin" the Southerners, but in the, event of a Communist rout and consequent surrender of weapons to the Northerners, the latter will discover that they are British arms, thus leading to the supposition that Britain, despite Sir Austen Chamberlain's declarations of neutrality, is arming Mr. Chen's followers. The.agents went to Belfast for the purpose of securing, further British arms m the possession of the Ulster Government Volunteers. They are prepared .to pay a further £100,000, but are not likely to be successful.