STRONG PROTEST

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 80, 16 March 1933, Page 7

STRONG PROTEST

DESPATCHED TO MOSCOW INSTRUCTIONS TO AMBASSADOR. POSITION OF VICKERS’ EMPLOYEES. By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. (Received 16, 10.40 a.m.) London, March 15. In the House of Commons the Rt. Hon. Stanley Baldwin stated that the Ambassador at Moscow had been instructed to express in strong terms the Government’s grave view of the Soviet’s proceedings against the Vickers’ employees, which it is convinced are groundless. The Soviet authorisation that Ogpu should conduct trials without restriction and impose the death sentence has increased the anxiety iu British official quarters. Sir Esmond Ovey could ask the prisoners only whether their health and the food was satisfactory and the exercise sufficient. ARRESTS OF ENGINEERS CONTINUE. (“Tinies” Cable). London, Mar. 15. “The Times’ ” Riga correspondent reports that the arrests of engineers continue, Ogpu intending a clean sweep as part of the new qrolicy of political economy. FULLEST POSSIBLE INFORMATION SOUGHT. (British Official Wireless.) (Received 16. 12.30 p.m.) Rugby, March 15. The British Government’s grave view of the Moscow arrests was expressed by the Rt. Hon. Stanley Baldwin, when he replied to a question in the House of Commons. He said that Monkhouse and Nordwell had been provisionally released on an understanding not to leave Moscow. The Ambassador had made urgent representations to the Commissariat for Foreign Affairs required to know exactly on what charge the arrests had been made and what facilities for defence would be granted them. As he received no categorical or satisfactory answer to these matters he had been instructed to press for the fullest possible information from the Commissar for Foreign Affairs, Litvinoff. EMERGENCY LAW. (Received 16, 2.45 p.m.) London, March 15. “The Times” Riga correspondent states that the Government has proclaimed an emergency law iu all Soviet republics curtailing the functions of the law courts and endowing Ogpu with the power of administering summary justice, including the death penalty. The Government alleges that widespread disloyalty and sabotage necessitates the adoption of this course. There is no appeal against this martial law, to which the arrested engineers are subject.