PROTEST REJECTED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27043, 30 March 1949, Page 5

PROTEST REJECTED

ARREST OF SOVIET NATIONAL UNITED STATES ESPIONAGE CHARGES NZPA—Copyright Rec. 10.30 p.m. WASHINGTON, Mar. 29. The State Department to-day rejected a protest by Russia against the arrest of Valentin Gubitchev, a Soviet employee of the United Nations, as a spy. The State Department spokesman said that the Soviet Ambassador, Mr Alexander Panyushkin, has been informed that the United States Government does not hold that Gubitchev has diplomatic immunity, and that “ we will proceed with legal processes.” Gubitchev, and an American State .Department employee, Judith Coplin. were arrested by Federal Bureau of Investigation agents in New York while she was allegedly passing secret information to Gubitchev. The State Department ruled that a person in his position has diplomatic immunity from legal processes only when performing acts required in his official capacity, which was similar to the ruling handed down by Mr Trygve Lie, United Nations Secretary-general, shortly after the arrest. Herbert John Burgman, former State Department employee, was indicted by the Federal Grand Jury to-day on charges of treason. Burgman broadcast over the Nazi radio during the war. He was chief clerk to the military attache in the United States Embassy in Berlin for about 20 years. When the United States went to war with Germany Burgman refused to be interned with other diplomats, and applied for a job with the German Broadcasting Corporation.