ANSWER TO RUSSIA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21471, 20 April 1933, Page 9

ANSWER TO RUSSIA

BRITAIN BANS IMPORTS 80 PER CENT. REDUCTION butter, petrol, wheat SEQUEL TO~SENTENCES The trial of the British engineers in Moscow on various charges ended on Tuesday evening in two being sentenced to three and two years' imprisonment respectively, three being ordered to be deported and to stay out of Russia for five years, and one being acquitted. An appeal against the sentences of imprisonment is being lodged and it is believed that they may be commuted. In the meantime, at a meeting of the Privy Council at Windsor Castle, a proclamation was signed prohibiting 80 per cent of Russian imports, the prohibition to become effective on April 26. It includes butter, petroleum, grain, cotton and timber. Not only at the trial itself but in London also intense excitement prevailed while the verdict of the court was awaited. There was general relief in London that the sentences were not more severe. Nevertheless the press has voiced a strong protest against the terms of imprisonment imposed on two of the British engineers. One newspaper refers to them as " intolerable injustice, for the charges were absurd to the point of imbecility.

BRITAIN ACTS

PRIVY COUNCIL. MEETING PROHIBITION OF IMPORTS RETALIATION AGAINST SOVIET BITING PRESS COMMENTS By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Received April 19, 11.45 p.m.) LONDON. April 19 The Foreign Office stated this morning that a meeting of the Privy Council had been summoned for the purpose of authorising a proclamation under the Russian Goods and Imports Prohibition Act. Subsequently His Majesty held a Privy Council at Windsor Castle. It was attended by the Foreign Secretary, Sir John Simon, and the Acting Prime Minister, Mr. Baldwin. The proclamation was then signed. It is to become effective on April 26. It prohibits 80 per cent of Soviet imports, including butter, grain, cotton, petroleum and timber. Cabinet's Decision to Act Swiftly The Daily Telegraph's political writer eays that a hurriedly-summoned meet- ' ing of the Cabinet yesterday decided that if sentences of imprisonment were passed oijt the British accused in Moscow, swift action wQuld be taken in accordance with the Aft named. Authority in the matter was delegated to Sir John Simon. Owing to the lateness of the hour when the news of the result of the trial was received last night, few of the morning news papers comment on the sentences editorially.. As the news spread there was everywhere a general feeling of relief that the sentences were jnuch lighter than had seemed likely from, the bitter spirit manifested at the trial. ASront to Universal Conscience The Daily Telegraph says: "Though lighter than was feared, the sentences on Thornton and Mac Donald constitute an intolerable 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 Government must make every effort to procure a commutation of the sentences. The effect of the trial must be far-reaching. It is bound to affect 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 protest. Their relative mildness suggests that if the Soviet is p/pperlv approached it may be induced to commute them. "Everything depends upon the form of approach, Threats are useless and a trade embargo worse than useless. It should be possible to close the entrance to an Anglo-Russian quarrel from wl;ich both parties would have much to lose and nothing to gain.

Outrage Against British Nation The Daily Express says: "The imprisonment of Thornton and Mac Donald is an outrage to the whole British nation. Tho cause of it all was because the Five Year - Plan failed." _ The Morning; Post says it considers that the sole directing influence of tho trial was political. "But, before the trial had' gone far. Moscow saw elearlv that it stood to lose much more than it. could possibly gain ( and, by assuming a sudden lenity, which really indicts its sensational procedure, the Soviet now trios to a,vert the consequences of its blunders, among which is tho censure of the world. The Jlussian Goods and Imports Prohibition Act (passed by both Houses of Parliament in Britain recently) gives power to the Government to prohibit the importation of all Russian goods except under licence issued by tho Board of Trade. In regard to goods which are manufactured partly in Russia and partly in some other country, it has to bo proved that 20 per cent of their value is attributable to processes undergone since they left Russia. The prohibition does not apply to goods for re-expoit.

DEBT TO VICKERS / ~~ PAYMENT BY MOSCOW (Received April 19, (l.r> p.m.) LONDON. April 19 The Soviet has paid the Metropolitan Vickers Company £'30,000 due on Apru ]5 according to a luessago from Moscow. An official statement issued by the company/; reaffirms its complete confidence in the victims of this " travesty of justice."' The directors say they have 110 faith in the validity of tho alleged confessions.

The Vickers Company is still represented iii Russia by nine men, who. pending instructions, will continue to conduct its business there as usual.

JUDGES' DEGISION

TWO MEN ACQUITTED PUNISHMENT OF OTHERS EXCITEMENT DURING WAIT COMMUTATION POSSIBLE By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received April 19, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON. April 19 Despatches from Moscow state that the trial was concluded last evening of the six British engineers and the. Russian employees of the Metropolitan Vickers Company on charges of alleged sabotage, espionage and bribery. No death sentences were imposed. The court dealt with the British accused as follows: —• Mr. W. H. Thornton, three years' imprisonment. Mr. W. H. Mac Donald, two years. Messrs. J. Cushny, C. Nordwall and A. Monkhouse to be deported within three days. Mr. Gregory acquitted. Eleven of the Russian accused wero sentenced as follows: — Madame Kutosova, 18 months' imprisonment. Gusev, Lobanov aud Sukharoutchkin, 10 years. Sokolov, Zorin and Kotlyarevsky, eight, years. Krasclienninikov, five years. Oleinik, three years. Lebedev, two years. Sibert was acquitled. Deportees to Stay Away Five Years The president of the court, M. Ulrich, announced that the three men to be deported would not be allowed to return to Russia for flye years. Monkhouse, Nordwall and Cushny, and probably Gregory, will leave Russia tonight. It is announced that an appeal is being lodged against the sentences on Thornton and Mac Donald. It is believed that these sentences may be commuted.

There was remarkable excitement during the hours of waiting for the Judges' decision. Outside the court hundreds of spectators paced up and down and ate sandwiches. Others played dice or cards. The British accused spent the time with their British solicitor, Mr. Turner, in the room behind the court. Tense Silence at the End

The staff of the British Embassy, with serious faces, paced the corridors. Anxiety was apparent in everyone connected with the case. The crowd included many beautiful women of svery class. Russian messengers were continually darting to tho telegraph office carrying despatches for every part of the globe. When the Judges reassembled M. Ulrich contended that Thornton was the chief instigator and said Monkhouse was concerned with him. Death-like silence marked the closing of the president's speech. The prisoners stood in the dock with bated breath. Intense Interest in London

Intense excitement prevailed in London last evening. Many clubmen waited until midnight watching the tape machines.

Special editions of the evening newspapers containing details of the sentences were quickly sold in the West End streets. There was a general feeling of relief, coupled with sympathy for Thornton and Mac Donald. The mother of Mac Donald, who lives in Sheffield, refused to be interviewed. His sister stated that her mother had received tho news of the sentence on Mac Donald quietly. Monkliouse's wife naturally was delighted that her husband was not to be imprisoned. "At tho same time," she said, " it is a bitter end to the eight years of indefatigable work ho has done for the Soviet. Ho has many friends in Russia and has worked ceaselessly for the Union. Tho idea that ho could be guilty of such charges is monstrous."

FRIENDLY RELATIONS SOVIET TRIES TO RESUME (Received April 19 }\A5 p.m.) MOSCOW, April 19 As similar sentences previously have been occasionally commuted, there is a ray of hope that the appeal by Thornton and MacDonakl will be successful. The deportees consider it inadvisable at present to comment on the trial, but they are deeply affected bv their comrades' sentences. Madame Litvinolf, wife of the Soviet's Foreign Commissar, is giving a dance this evening, to which foreign diplomats and press representatives have been invited. This is construed as an indication of the anxiety of the authorities to resume friendly relations with foreigners after the strained situation duo to tho trial, when many Russians refused to shake hands with foreign friends for fear of becoming involved with the ''.British auies."