SOVIET TRIAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22976, 2 March 1938, Page 14

SOVIET TRIAL

EXCITEMENT CAUSED DAY OF RECKONING MANY PUBLIC MEETINGS ATTACKS ON ACCUSED By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright Times Cable LONDON, Feb. 28 The Eiga correspondent of the Times states that the impending trial of 21 prominent Russians is the dominating topic throughout the country. Meetings in factories, coal mines and other centres express spontaneous approval of the arrangements for "this day of reckoning with the enemies of the people." Many meetings" passed resolutions demanding "death for these bandits. The newspaper Pravda describes the prisoners as "dregs of humanity unfit for a place on tho earth." The nows- f paper adds: "Their destruction is worth as much to us as a great military victory." The indictment is sprinkled with the name of Trotsky and references to foreign Powers, which are unnamed, but the context leaves no doubt that they are Germany and Japan. AMERICAN REQUEST SIX WEEKS' DELAY INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE PROPOSAL TO ATTEND (Received March l, 10.10 p.m.) NEW YORK, March 1 A group ; of prominent Americans, including tho well-known author, Mr. "Will Irwin, sent a message to the Soviet Government requesting six weeks' delay in the trial of Rykoff and the other accused, to permit of tho arrival in Moscow of'an international committee to witness and report upon the trial.