Conduct Of Russian Official Of Refugee Teachers

Northern Advocate, 21 August 1948, Page 5

Conduct Of Russian Official Of Refugee Teachers

CONSUL'S RECALL DEMANDED . . .

WASHINGTON, Fri. (11.30 a.m.).—The United States demanded in a strong Note that Russia recall Consul-General Jacob Lomakin because of his conduct in the refugee teacher case in New York

Russian assertions that three teachers, Mrs Kasenkina, M. Samarin and his wife, were kidnapped with the connivance of American officials were denied “categorically” and rejected. The Note said the teachers declared their desire voluntarily to remain in the United States and Mrs Kasenkina “jumped from a window at the Consulate-General in order to avoid having to return to the Soviet Union.”

The Note colninued: “The United States Government considers M. Lomakin's conduct constitutes an abuse of the prerogatives of his position and a gross violation of internationally accepted standards governing the conduct of foreign officials.

The department said the- New York police inspection of Mrs Kasenkina’s consulate room was carried out in M. Lomakin’s presence. “The Consul-General has made or issued statements to the Press which, in view of ail the evidence available, the State Department can only conclude were deliberately designed to mislead the American public regarding a serious charge involving the United States Government,” it added. New York State Supreme Court Justice Samuel Dickstein today dismissed a writ of habeas corpus directing M. Lomakin to produce Mrs Kasenkina in court.

“The State Department is therefore requesting the President to revoke the credentials issued to M. Lomakin and it is requested that he leave the United States within a reasonable time.”

The Note was delivered to the Soviet Embassy in Washington yesterday, and the text released by the State Department today. Charges Rejected

Justice Dickstein explained that the issue of a warrant would now serve no useful purpose. (The name of the schoolteacher is officially Kasenkina, not Kosenkina. The State Department said today that Russia’s formal pretests changed the previously-accepted spelling and the United States followed suit.)

The demand for M. Lomakin's recall was in reply to various Soviet protests regarding Mrs Kasenkina and the Samarins.

The American Note said: “The United States Government must categorically reject charges and insinuations contained in these Notes, which have been found to be at complete variance with the facts.”

The State Department asked also to be given a photostatic copy of a letter the New York police found in Mrs Kasenkina’s consulate room after her leap, and which was returned unopened to the Consulate-General, The American Note, signed by the acting-Secretary of State (Mr Robert Lovett), declared that in the Soviet protests, as well as in the Press statements by the Soviet Ambassador and M. Lomakin, “charges of a most serious nature are made, not only against individuals in this country, but also against the Government of the United States and State and Federal officials. “Reports of investigations being made by competent United States authorities received by the State Department, not only clearly demonstrate that these charges are unsubstantiated. but also indicate that officials of the Soviet Government have been engaged in conduct which is highly improper.” Completely Free

The department insisted that Mrs Kasenkina and the Samarins are staying in the United States at their own volition.

It is categorically denied that the Tolstoy Foundation, at which Mrs Kasenkina took refuge, was in any way connected with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, that the New York police forced a way into the New York Consulate illegally, or that the Soviet Government was entitled to demand the return of the three teachers.

“The United States Government cannot permit the exercise within the United States of police power of any foreign Government,” the Note said. The department said Mrs Kasenkina was completely free to see any Soviet official, “but this Government will not compel her to do so, nor will it turn her over against her. will to the Soviet authorities.”