RUSSIAN TRIALS

Hokitika Guardian, 12 June 1937, Page 5

RUSSIAN TRIALS

TREASON CHARGES MANY (CENERALS INVOLVED. I ;United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright). LONDON, June 11. t “The Times” Riga correspondent - says: There is still no news regarding ' the fate of General Tukhachevsky i Yakir, Üborevich and other disgraced , generals, who have simply disappeared • from the public eye, as did General - Schmidt, and General Putna a few • months ago. Generals Budenny, Dybenko and Juis byshey, who are reported to have re- : ceived command of the important Mos- ! cow and Leningrad trans-Caucasion J military, districts, were centainly not i ■chosen for their military abilities, : Indeed, they are virtually nonentities ! as Red Army leaders. They owe their |.appointments to their unquestinoning staunchness to President Stalin. 1 About half of the commanders of the thirteen military districts into which the whole Soviet Union is diI yided, have been changed since May j Day. These dismissals are not a new idea; ! but are part of Stalin’s great purge, | which was designed over a year ago. j beginning with the 0.G.P.U., and fov--1 mer opposition leaders, and embracing * mer opposition leaders in the railways and the industry, and now embractng practically every sphere. The peasantry are less affected at present, but their turn will, possibly, come after the harvest. Practically every Soviet industry has been only limping since 1936. Consequently the dilapidated machinery, has wittingly or unwittingly been, overtaxed by the exigencies of the Stakhanovist movement, to speed up the / production. This has appeared to sue- > ceed momentarily, but it lias overstrained the plant, and no amount of unmasking of the Trotskyite wreckers can stave off the necessity for general capital repairs. “The Daily Mail’s” Warsaw correspondent says: Tukhacheyskv has mysteriously disappeared. Moscow authorities fear an army revolt. The “Morning Post’s” Moscow correspondent says: The Stalin group is out to make the army sound Communists and rernove the treasonable inAlienees. ,

REPORTED CONFESSIONS LONDON, June 11. The Moscow correspondent of the British United Press snvs: General Tukhaphev c kv, General Yakir, and General Üborevich, also Generals Putna and Kork, along with three other high officers of the Red Ai'mv, are being tried to-day in Moscow. Charges of treason and %>f espionage on behalf of an unnamed foreign Power, are being brought against them. AH the eight of them are reported to have confessed. Their, trial opens at 11 a.m., to-day, before the military section of the Soviet’s Supreme Court. The trial will he presided over by Judge Ulrich. It is believed that the trial will be conducted in camera, in accordance with a special law passed in 1934. It alleged, firstly, that they supplied an unnamed foreign State with information concerning the Red Army ; secondly, that they carried on wreck- | ing work to weaken the Red Army ; j thirdly, that they have been preparing a military attack on the Soviet Union. I with a view to the restoration of eapi--1 talism. ' I General Kork is the Commander of the Moscow Garrison. I Others of the accused are General Sideman, General Fledman and GenI era! Primakov. The Judges will be Marshal Bluecher. Marshal Buedennv .and five others, including General Alksnis, Chief, of I the Soviet General Staff. I General Putna Avns formerly Soviet j Military Attache at London. According to the “Daily Telegraph's” Moscow correspondent, the Gate Inspector-General Garanik, was also implicated in the actions of the Generals being tried. Inspector-General Giuarnik. assistant Soviet Defence Commissar, committed suicide oil June 1, when it was reported that he had become involved in anti-Soviet elements. An official communique has been issued in Moscow, which confirms the holding of the trial, also stating that a confession hv the accused was read previously, to the effect that thpv had systematically supplied an unfriendly foreign State with information, et cetera.

PRAVADA’S COMMENT. ON GERMAN WAILS. (Received this day at 10.30 a m.) MOSCOW, June 11. The. miliary trial is believed to have commenced in secret. The venue is not revealed. The “Pravadn” in a loading article, .significantly denounces German resenti merit at the arrests. Tt says these wAils arc merely for lost spies } on whom great hopes were placed. |