ESPIONAGE CHARGES

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 April 1933, Page 7

ESPIONAGE CHARGES

AGAINST VICKERS ENGINEERS SOVIET’S NEW ALLEGATIONS [BY cable—press assn.—copybight.] LONDON, March 31. The “Daily Telegraph’s” Moscow correspondent reports: New, and far graver, charges have been laid against the six British Vickers Company engineers, who now face allegations of espionage, for which the maximum penalty is death by shooting. “BOURGEOIS ACTS.” (Received April 1, 11.10 a.m.) LONDON, March 31. The Vickers engineers are comprehensively charged with “acts calculated to assist the international bourgeois,” punishable by death. The charges are based on documents, including regular reports to London, describing Russian conditions. JUDGES APPOINTED. (Received April 1, 10.10 a.m.) MOSCOW, March 31. In addition to M. Ulrich, the Judges will be Professor Martens, Director of the Diesel Institute, and M. Dimitriev, Director of the Thermo Projecting Trust, ’with M. Zelikov, President of the Electrical Workers’ Trade Union, as relief judge. The Public Prosecutor, M. Vishinsky, and his assistant, M. Roguinsky, will conduct the Soviet’s case.

BRITISH CABINET VIEWS. LONDON, March 31. Whitehall circles stated that Sir Esmond Ovey, British Ambassador, will return to Moscow, “unless the situation develops very unsatisfactorily.” In other quarters, it is stated that a serious view is taken of M. Litvinoff’s sneer, —having regard to the fact that Sir Esmond Ovey was previously British Minister at Mexico. The “Morning Post” described it as ‘‘an insult to our Ambassador.” The “Daily Express” says: There are two view’s prevailing in the Cabinet. One is in favour of an aggressive attitude now, in view of the Soviet’s defiant declaration. The other view is that everything should be done to settle the question by conciliatory overtures. There is a majority in the Cabinet anxious that no steps should be taken which would be calculated to put the arrested men in greater peril. A diplomatic break is not favoured, because it would deprive the accused of such help as the Ambassador can give. (M. Litvinoff, Commissar* of Foreign Affairs, told Sir Esmond Ovey, the British Ambassadr, that methods of crude pressure might sometimes be effective in Mexico, but. they were fated to fail in Russia.)' EMBARGO FORESHADOWED. CANBERRA, April 1. A hint that the British Government, having broken off trade negotiations with the Soviet, will impose an embargo on Russian goods, was given in the House of Representatives by the Acting-Prime Minister (Mr Latham), who said that he had received information that an important piece of legislation relating to trad© with Russia was to be introduced in the House of Commons, either yesterday or to-day. This action would have a beneficial effect on Australian and New Zealand trade with Britain, and might even make the proposed restriction on Australian and New Zealand butter exports to Britain unnecessarj r . ACTION POSTPONED. LONDON, March 31. In connection with Mr Latham’s conclusion, that Britain is imposing an immediate embargo on Russia, it is understood that a decision was virtually reached when some of the Ministers becoming apprehensive, urged a postponement until Sil* Esmond Ovey returned. The Press Association, however, is informed that an embargo is still possible.