SOYIET POLITICAL TRIALS

Hawera Star, Volume L, 10 January 1931, Page 5

SOYIET POLITICAL TRIALS

“UNMASKING” WHITE RUSSIANS.

ALLEGED INVASION PLOTS

/United Brest. Association —By Electric Telegraph

Copyright.) LONDON, Jan. 8. The “Times” Riga correspondent, says the Soviet has completed the. chief arrangements for a second series of great political trials, which are being staged to “unmask” foreign politicians who are allegedly planning to myade Russia. The trial is being held at Minsk, capital of the White Russian Soviet. Full details of the indictment have not been published but the principal charges are against White Russian intellectuals with nationalist, democratic leanings who were arrested in December for having plotted against the Soviet with the White Russians of Poland and for having sought Polish military assistance. The names of the prisoners selected as most suitable for trial have not. been announced but the Soviet authorities have announced to Moscow 200 Red journalists, teachers, professors and factory delegates from White Russia for a five-day discussion of the plot. Felix Cohn, known as the oldest Polish Communist, is. haranguing _ the delegates, emphasising that White Russia is a specially important position in the Union of Soviets as an advance post in the coming war. A cable message received on December 5 stated: Representatives of the O.G.P.U. at Minsk have arrested 80 former members of the White Russian Refpuh'Vci for ajUegedi plotting, with financial assistance and military intervention by Britain and Poland, to arrange for White Russia’s succession. The O.G.P.U. is also preparing three trials of engineers and technicians and a trial of officials, in connection with alleged anti-economic plots of White Russians at Nijninovgorod, Siberia. The White Russian plot allegedly embraces official economic establishments.

The Nijninovgorod men, mostly electricians are charged with sabotage at the power station and with crippling local industry. The are charged with disorganising timber exports.