SOVIET TRIAL

Hokitika Guardian, 20 April 1933, Page 5

SOVIET TRIAL

appeal lodged

COMMUTATION OF SENTENCES.

{United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph— Copyright.)

‘ MOjIUOW, April 19. M. Ulrich has announced that the deported accused would not be allowed to return to Russia for five years. Monkhou&ei, Nordwall,.. Cushny, and probably Gregory, will leave Russia to-night.

Tne Metro Vickers Company are still represented here by nine men, who, pending instructions, will continue the business as usual.

It is now announced that an appeal is being lodged against the sentences imposed on Thornton and MacDonald. It is believed that their sentences may be commuted.,

As similar sentences previously have occasionally been commuted,'there is a ray of hope that Thornton's and MacDonald’s appeal may • be successful. The deportees consider it inadvisable, at (present to comment on the tral, but were deeply .affected foy their comrades’ sentences. \

Madame Litvinoff is to-night giving & dance to which diplomatic and press representatives are’ Invited, which is construed as nn -indication of the .authorities’ nnxiety to resume friendly relations with foreigners after the strained situation during the trial, when many Russians refused to shake hands with foreign friends for fear of becoming involved with the “British, spies.” /

eighty per cent embargo.

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.)

- (Received this day at 9 a.m.) LONDON, April 19. A proclamation, becoming effective on April - 26, prohibits eighty per cent, of the Soviet imports," including butter, grain, cotton, petrdleum'and timber.

BRITISH VIEWS OF THE TRIAL

OPINIONS VOICED IN PRESS

: . ... LONDON, April 19. ' In an official statement the Vickers Metro. Company, re-affirms...its complete confidence : ; wh'at -if term fi “the victims of this travesty of justice.” The directors of the Company have no faith in the validity of the alleged confessions.

The “Daily Mail’s” Paris correspondent' says; “Russians ther© declare that Gusev Is it polite informer, who has figured previously a& tlie recipient t>f sentences,, but who simply played a role, .hciig, fully assured that the Q.G.P.U. chiefs would arrange for his aofety and subsequent reward. Mr Cholerfcou, the “Daily Telegraph” correspondent says: “Russian women are better in a crisis than men. Little Madame Kutusova was splendid. She spoke longer than any of the others. In a ringing voice, full of challenging anger, she scornfully rejected the suggestion. against her moral character. She declared that she had worked 20 years for "the State, and had done more for th.» Five Year Plan than citizens who were continually boasting of what they had done.” Owing to the lateness of - the news few of the morning papers comment on the Moscow, sentences editorially. As the news spread there was everywhere a general feeling of relief, as the sentences were much lighter than 6eemed to be likely from th© hitter spirit manifested at the trial.* The “Daily Telegraph” says: Though they lighter than was feared, the sen tenges , .on Thornton and MacDonald were' injustice, for the charges ,were absurd to the point of imbecility. The so-called trial has been an affront to the universal conscience. The British Governmen must make every, effort to procure commutation of the sentences. The effect of the trial must be far-reaching, :and is hound to effect the whole of the Soviet’s relations with civilised mankind. The “News Chronicle” says: The British Government cannot be expected to accept the sentences without a protest. Their relative mildness suggests that if the Soviet were properly approached, it may be induced to commute them. Everything depends on the form of approach. Threats will be useless. An embargo will be worse than useless. It should be possible to close the entrance of an,- Anglo-Rus-•son quarrel from which both parties have much to lose.and nothing to gain.

The “Daily Express” says: Thornton’s and MacDonald's imprisonment is an outrage to the whole British nation. The cause of it all (says the paper) was because tho, Five Year Plan failed.

The “Morning Post” considers the sole directing influence of the trial has Ibeen political, but that before the trial had gone far, Moscow saw clearly that it stood to lose much more than it could possibly gain. By assuming it? sudden lenity, which really indict? its sensational procedure, the Soviet now tries to avert the consequences of its blunders, among which is tlie censure of the world.

£200,000 Pi’ ID TO VICKERS COY.

LONDON, April 19

The Soviet has paid tbe Vickers Metro. Company twenty thousand sterling duo on April 15, according to a jnpssago from Moscow,