THE SOVIET DENOUNCED

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 18 September 1934, Page 5

THE SOVIET DENOUNCED

Swiss Delegate’s Fierce Attack at League Meeting RIGHT OF ADMISSION QUERIED NO CONFIDENCE IN RUSSIA United I’reao Aa&jciatlou—By Electric T *legrapb Copyright.) Received 2.15 p.m. to-day. GENEVA, Sept. 17. The League’s political committee, by 38 votes to 3, with seven abstentions, ■approved of Russia’s admission after a stormy debate launched by M. Motta (Switzerland), who, amid applause, fiercely attacked the Soviet, asking whether a Government which proclaims and practises expensive militant Communism fulfils the conditions of admission to the League.

M. Motta denounced Communism as the most radical negation of everything vital to existence, and recalled the Soviet’s anti-religion campaign, adding that churches throughout the world felt smitten in spirit and flesh for Russian religious sufferers. Russian Communism aimed at world revolution. Switzerland was determined So maintain non-recognition of the Soviet, as the Swiss legation at Petrograd was pillaged in 1918 and an official murdered, but the Soviet had not even apologised, while when an attempted general strike in Switzerland nearly plunged the country into eivil war a Soviet mission had been forcefully expelled because it had participated in the agitation.

Switzerland had no confidence in Russia and could not co-operate or act in conferring a new prestige on the Soviet, although its hope was that its misgivings were excessive.

Preliminary negotiations in connection with the question were completed on Saturday, when the invitation to the Soviet Union, signed by the representatives of 30 States, was despatched and reply accepting the invitation received! by the president of tljO Assembly from M. Litvinoff. Meanwhile the council, in a seciet session, unanimously adopted a resolution that Soviet Russia should be appointed a permanent member of the council on admission. Argentine, Portugal and Panama abstained from voting.