MONEY FROM THE SOVIET

Stratford Evening Post, Volume LVIII, Issue 20, 19 June 1926, Page 5

MONEY FROM THE SOVIET

FOR BRITISH STRIKERS. SPEECH BY EARL BALFOUR. Press, Association—Copyright, Australian ..and N.Z. Cable Association. . I LONDON, June 17. In the House of Lords, replying to Lord Newton's inquiry respecting the Russian strike money, Earl Balfour said that the avowed object of the Soviet Government was to destroy our social system. The presumption was that the money was not contributed ry the workers but by the Soviet Government. He was not quite sure Britain should have recognised the. Soviet. That was an arguable point, but there was a great difference between breaking off relations and not entering into relations at all. The first would produce disturbances far beyond the confines of two countries, and was the last course any responsible statesman would like to take. It was one which, without an adequate object, would add a new social disturbance to an already over-disturb-edr world. What was Britain going tpigain by breaking off relations? "I am quite unable to see any gain, until the situation develops in a manner in which I hope it will not. I suggest we go on diplomatically, as now. Nothing is to be gained by formal gestures when we cordially disapprove of a Government whose action we can in no manner control. I .am in favour of leaving things as they are. Having quite explicitly explained we are not the dupes of Russian policy, and with public opinion behind us, we have nothing to fear from the contrivances and intrigues of; any nation in the world."

"THEIR CAUSE IS OUR CAUSE." (Times.) r " (Received H. 25 a.m.) ! -- : ' LONDON, June 18. The Riga correspondent states that the Red trade union have issued a note to the world- which says: "To expaet the Soviet to forbid Russian Unionists! help British miners is totalis to misunderstand the spirit of the Soviet' Government. . The unions have helped, are helping and will help the British miners because their clause is our cause."

The'newspaper "Isvestra" says: "The contributions were, not the real cause of the Note but thev served as a convenient pretext to begin a British carefully-planned, assault, on Russia to make, us pav our/debts." .., MOSCOW DEMONSTRATION. U (Received ll;feff a.m.) MOSCOW. June 18. . ■ A' big. trade union demonstration, protested) against the British Note to. the^'Sbvielii 0 u aJUJi^ u " lJ ''" •• Banners bore slogans like "Hands off Russian trade unions." "We will not renounce solidarity with the work-, ers oil-other countries." I Meetings were held in the streets and factories. ' . ,-i Poot'aUd' mounted militia during' the demonstrations guarded Vorovskv Street, where the British mission -is, housed. The v several times _ pushed baeV orowds tryins to pass into, the building: '-