WAVE OF TERROR

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 13 June 1927, Page 5

WAVE OF TERROR

MASS ARRESTS REPORTED. # RED REGIME IN RUSSIA. “PERISHING IN VIOLENCE.” By CABLL- PRESS ASSOCIATION COPYRIGHT LONDON, June 12. The “Sunday Express” Warsaw correspondent states that niartlial law has been proclaimed at Minsk, owing to the assassination of the local chief of the political police.' A wave of tenor is sweeping Russia. Mass arrest© are reported, and new executions are expected. Shooting has been heard on toe frontier, where the Red Army is demonstrating against Poland. The “Sunday Express,” editorially, says: “Eor some time instructed opinion has forecasted a decline' of the Red oligarchy. Russia is gradually adjusting herself to the outside world. The murder of M. Voikoff has plunged the terrorist©' into a panic. The butchery of twenty political prisoners was an act of despair and a proclamation of bankruptcy. The Red regime, like other ire volutions, is perishing m violence.”

SOVIET EXECUTIONS." REGARDED AS ACT OF REVENGE. CHARGES AGAINST BRITISH REPRESENTATIVES. LONDON, June 12. The Soviet executions aire universally regarded as an act of revenge. Many newspapers use the word “massacre.” The “Daily Telegraph’s”. Riga correspondent affirms that most of those executed had no connection w.ithi political activity. Thev were merely victims of the Soviet political police, and were sentenced to death and shot without trial or inquiry. The “Telegraph’s” diplomatic correspondent says that the unfortunate victims of the Bolshevik blood lust were arrested long ago and detained with many other suspects as hostages in .accordance with the Soviet practice, which does not hesitate to seize as hostages even women and children of exiled; opponents. Prince Dolgorakoff, aged 65. was well known in London. He formerly was rich, but was ruined by the* revoluYevreinoff married an English woman, and lived in England after the revolution, but eventually secured permission to return and work for the State Bank. “Fantastic and utterlv without foundation.” js how Sir R, M. Hodgson describes the Soviet’s accusations thatthe British: mission employed the victims just executed by the Soviet Government’s orders. Equally fantastic were other allegations of illicit practices, emanating from Moscow, which Sir R. M. Hodgson declares cannot be allowed to "O unchallenged. He refers to M. Rvkoff’s recent quotation from a letter which Mr Preston wrote M,r Perram, the British missioner in .Moscow, regarding the trade in chemicals, in which the writer said he feaired that the Russians making inquiries exposed them to the risk of being hanged, drawn and quartered for spying. Sir R. M Hodgson asks: “Were Mr Preston’s apprehensions justified?’' a-ndi adds: “M. Rvkoff’s statements show they were, because he mentioned the case of Peshkoff and; Filin, who were shot for slippering military information to the British missioner at Chamock.”

Sir 11. M. Hodgson points out that Peshkoff was never an officer in Kol chak’s army as M. Rykoff declared, but was a naval officer. When Sir R M. Hodgson arrived in Moscow in 1921, Peshkoff. who was an old acquaintance, was placed in communication with 'him by a woman named DaiM, a .secret agent of the jolice, after which Peshkoff was employed bv the Canadian Pacific Railway at Moscow. Afterwards he was arrested, with' his wife and others, on a charge of organising a counter-revolution in Siberia. "Under Sir, R. M. Hodgson’s instructions. Peshkoff applied to Karakhan. whose investigations showed the charge to be a mare’s nest. Peshkoff and the others were liberated, and he was reemployed bv the Canadian Pacific, but was arrested again ini 1925 on the old charge, with friends for whom he had found employment. Sir R. Hodgson comments: “It stands to reason that, after the Dahl incident. Peshkoff was not likely to act. as a spv. Tt. is also most unlikely that. T should apply to him for information.’’

MURDER OF VOTKOFF. FUNERAL OF THE VICTIM. WARSAW, June 10. Fifty thousand people, chiefly Jews, viewed" M. Voikoff’s body lying in !sUtL ' MOSCOW, June, 12. M. Voikoff’s coffin, was accorded a reception by Ministers, who lifted it out and placed it on the gun carriage and then walked in piocession to Red Square, where the body was interred. BERLIN, June 12.

It is understood that the Soviet, Instead of the extradition of Kowerda, intends to demand that Poland shall suppress all Russian counter-revolu-tionary organisations and deport the speci fled lea ders.

ATTACK ON POLISH LEGATION. LONDON,'June 11. The “Daily Mail’s” Warsaw corxespoiulent snvs that it is reported from 'Moscow that a big crowd attacked the Polish Location. Troops dispersed the crowd, and are now guarding the legation. _______