DIPLOMATIC BUM

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 26 November 1936, Page 7

DIPLOMATIC BUM

IF STICKLING IS EXECUTED

INTENTION OF GERMANY

BRITAIN’S EFFORT TO AVERT CRISIS (United “Press Association—By Electrio Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, 24th November. The “Daily Telegraph’s” diplomatic correspondent says it is learned that Herr Von Ribbentrop, German Ambassador, informed Mr Stanley Baldwin, Prime Minister, at a conversation on 23rd November, that Berlin would break off diplomatic relations with Russia if Stickling was executed. Mr Baldwin replied that such an open breach would seriously prejudice attempts to secure a new European peace system. The British Government's views were being conveyed to the Soviet. It is now revealed that Herr Von Ribbentrop, the German Ambassador, flew to Berlin at the week-end and saw Herr Hitler before meeting Mr Stanley Baldwin, the Prime Minister, on 23rd inst. He returned to Berlin by air yesterday to report to Herr Hitler. According to the “Daily Mail’s” political correspondent, Mr Anthony Eden, the Foreign Secretary, is doing his utmost to avert a break between Russia and Germany. MAY BE SET FREE MOSCOW, 24th November. It is reported that Russia may free Stickling, following the precedent of the British engineers in 1933, or use the prisoners to effect an exchange for Communists held in Germany. SENTENCECOMMUTED TEN YEARS’ IMPRISONMENT EIGHT RUSSIANS EXECUTED (Received 26th November, 11.50 a.m.) MOSCOW, 25th November. Sliekling’s death sentence has been commuted to ten years’ imprisonment, , but six of the eight Russians charged with him have been executed. Novkov, Shubin, Kurov, Liashenko, Andreiev, and Peshekhonov were sentenced to death, while the death sentences on Kovalenko and Leonenko were commuted to ten years’ imprisonment as an act of executive clemency. CATEGORICAL DENIAL NO STATEMENT TO MR BALDWIN (British Official Wireless) (Received 26th November, 12.7 p.m.) RUGBY, 25th November. A categorical denial is given British official quarters to a published statement that Herr Von Ribbentrop informed Mr Stanley Baldwin that Germany intended to break off diplomatic relations with Russia if Stickling were executed. ANTI-SOVIET SPEECHES STALIN EXPECTED TO REPLY . LONDON, 25th November. The “Daily Telegraph’s” Moscow correspondent says that M. Stalin, General Secretary of the Communist Party, is expected to reply to Herr Hitler’s anti-Soviet speeches when he presents the new constitution to the “extraordinary Congress” to-night. Fifteen hundred delegates from throughout Russia are attending. ' M. Stalin has not previously addressed such a congress. The speech is expected to last five hours and will be broadcast. > NEW CONSTITUTION OUTLINED FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND RIGHT TO WORSHIP (Received 26th. November, 9.50 a.m.) MOSCOW, 25th November. M. Stalin outlined’ to the All-Union Congress the new constitution, creating a Council of Union consisting of members elected by citizens on the basis of one for each 300,000, and a Council of Nationalities appointed by the Supreme Councils of autonomous republics. The constitution guarantees freedom of speech, freedom from arrest except on warrant, secrecy of mails, and the right to worship. MORE GERMANS ARRESTED THREE ENGINEERS AND A DIRECTOR ESPIONAGE AND COUNTERREVOLUTION BERLIN, 25th November. An official German news agency announces that four more Germans were arrested in Russia, Boesherz, Schindle, and Stammer, engineers; and Schaeffer, a director of an industrial concern, on charges of espionage and counter-revolution in the interests of Germany. RED BARBARIANS WHAT HITLER MIGHT DO VIEWS OF “THE TIMES” CORRESPONDENT LONDON, 25th November.' Observing that according to the German press whole Russian regiments are moving to increase the horrors in Spain, the Berlin correspondent of “The Times” says that taking the situation there together with the shocking mistreatment of foreigners in Russia, it is not impossible to envisage Herr Hitler concluding that it is time to stamp out aggressive Red barbarians from Europe. This raises the question of Czechoslovakia which notwithstanding all denials by the Prague Government, is still featured in the German press as a prepared base for Soviet air operations against Germany. A line of action designed to dispose once and for all of dangers to Germany and European civilisation, represented by Bolshevism in Spain and Czechoslovakia, of course involves risks, but these may soon be diminished by the western world’s disgust with Bolshevist methods, and, as seen in Berlin, by the growing internal tension in France.