BRITISHERS ON TRIAL

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 223, 19 April 1933, Page 6

BRITISHERS ON TRIAL

Proceedings at Moscow PROSECUTOR'S ALLEGATIONS Opening of the Defence Press Association —Copyright Moscow, April 17.—The prosecutor said Monkhouse, in endeavouring to discredit the preliminary examination and the court, was following the line of the first White Papcv. The court, said M. Vishinsky, would do a great service to humanity if it showed the British public opinion the way it had been so cruelly hoodwinked. The first liar in the campaign of mobilising British public opinion was probably Monkhouse. M. Vishinsky divided the accusations under three headings—wrecking, military espionage and bribery. He said the crime was well understood so far as espionage was concerned. The provisions of the law did not apply to persons who informed themselves of such facts as crop yields or difficulties experienced in socialist construction. He contrasted foreign laws relating to espionage with the Soviet law which, he said, was drafted in accordance with peculiarities of the Soviet State, just as the laws of other countries were drafted in accordance with their own peculiarities.

Dealing with bribery, M. Vishinsky cited English Acts and reminded the Russian accused that according to the English laws bribes were punished both in the case of the giver and receiver. The Soviet's law was even more severe.

"In the whole of our criminal code bribery is the biggest crime as it is an attempt of an enemy to disorganise our country," he said. Confessions on Breakdowns

Discussing the breakdowns M. Vishinsky said it would be necessary to take into account that "we have before us such. facts as the confessions of some of the accused."

He discussed the legislation of different countres with respect, stating: "In England confession obviates the necessity of proving the charges. The proof in the present case has been so irrefutable that the court's attitude toward only one person has changed since the indictment was read. We never had m any other case such conclusive proof of guilt. It is a brilliant case from the prosecution's point of view." Dealing with MacDonald, M. Vishinsky said that MacDonald had told him he had been overcome by the weight of evidence against him. M. Vishinsky turned to Gusev and, accusing him of wrecking acts at Thornton's instigation, said Thornton had explained that his object of using a "network of spies" was to obtain information regarding the defensive and offensive capacities of the Soviet.

"Well, Thornton, we do not want war, but we are ready for it," he said. "Let Thornton try and then he will find what our defensive and offensive capacities are."

M. Vishinsky admitted that the information which he alleged Thornton had requested from MacDonald was "not, exactly defined," but claimed that it included information regarding military enterprises. If MacDonald's confessions were not true, what had he to gain by making them? M. Kazachiev, opening the defence on behalf of Gusev, Sokolov and Oleinik, threw blame on the Britons in order to exculpate his own clients. He said it was funny that Monkhouse and Thornton should be regarded as heroes abroad when they had committed crimes for which they would not be worshipped at home.

M. Smirnoff, MacDonald's counsel, speaking calmly, impressed even the judges and obviously roused his client's drooping spirits. He rebutted M. Kazachiev's assertion that the Britons were responsible for the Russians' guilt. He said: "MacDonald is an underling who cannot be classed with Monkhouse and Thornton. He admitted a serious crime but pledged himself never to repeat it." MacDonald passed a note to M. Ulrich, president of the court, which was apparently a plea for a reply, but it was not answered. The court then adjourned.

The general impression of English correspondents is that death sentences on the Englishmen ar<* unlikely, but there is a grave danger of imprisonment. Th British United Press correspondent adds: "From the conversations of well-informed Soviet economists I gather that the Government does not intend to use the trial as a pretext for denouncing the debt to the Metropolitan Vickers Company. My informants believe that the Soviet is most unlikely to impair its record for the punctual payment of foreign obligations. It is understood that two of Vickers' employees, Buckle and Burke, are ready to continue in Russia to fulfil outstanding contracts if the firm desires. As for the court scenes, the only laugh in the afternoon was when M. Vishinsky said that the Englishmen had not only paid the Russian prisoners for espionage and sabotage, "but paid them stingily." The last pleas of the accused will follow defence counsel's speeches and the verdict is expected late to-morrow or early on Wednesday.