GREAT EXCITEMENT

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 224, 20 April 1933, Page 5

GREAT EXCITEMENT

FEELING IN LONDON Result of Trial Eagerly Awaited SYMPATHY FOR THORNTON AND MacDONALD Monkhouse’s Last Word Press Association. —Copyright. London, April 19.—Intense excitement prevailed in London last night. Many clubmen waited till midnight watching the tape machines. Special editions of the evening papers with the sentences were sold in West End streets. A general feeling of relief was coupled with sympathy for Thornton and MacDonald. MacDonald’s mother at Sheffield refused to bo interviewed. His sister stated Mrs MacDonald received the news of her son’s sentence nuietly.

Monkhouse was the only English defendant to make full use of the right to the last word. He said; “The only serious evidence that I engaged in espionage is the document Thornton signed. I have known Thornton 22 years and am certain he did not sign voluntarily.” Referring .to the charges of sabotage Monkhouse ’ said: “The Soviet owes Vickers one and a-half million sterling. The firm hoped to secure more orders so the destruction of machinery would be cuttir * its own throat.” Mrs. Monkhouse is naturally delighted that her husband was not imprisoned. “At the same time it is a bitter end to the eight years of indefatigable work he has done for the Soviet. He had many friends in Russia and worked ceaselessly for the Union. The idea that he could be guilty, of. such, charges is monstrous.”

Russian women are better in a crisis than the men, says the Daily Telegraph’s correspondent. * Little Madame Kutosova was splendid. She spoke longer >■■' than any of the others, in a ringing voice full of challenging anger. She scornfully rejected the suggestion against her moral character. She declared she had worked 20 years for the State and had done more for the five-year plan than citizens who were continually boasting of what they had done. 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 properly approached it may be induced to’ commute them. Everything depends on the form of approach. Threats are useless. An embargo is worse than useless. It should be possible to close the entrance of an Anglo- ' Russian quarrel from which both parties •would have much to lose and nothing to gain-” An official statement by the Vickers Company reaffirms its complete confidence in “the victims of this travesty of justice.” The directors have no faith in tb° validity of the alleged confessions. Russians at Paris, says the Daily Mail’s correspondent, declare that Gusev is a police informer who figured previously as the recipient of sentences but simply plaved a role, fully assured that the O.G.P.U. chiefs would arrange for his

safety and subsenuent reward. Owing to the lateness of the news few morning papers comment on the sentences editorially, As the news spread there was everywhere a general feeling of relief. The sentences were much lighter than seemed likely. Intolerable Injustice The Daily Telegraph says: “Though lighter than feared the sentences on Thornton and MacDonald are an intolerable injustice for the charges are absurd to a point of imbecility. The socalled trial has been an affront to universal conscience. Tie British Government must; make every effort to procure commutation. The effect of the trial must be far-reaching and it is bound to affect the whole of the Soviet’s relations with civilised mankind.” The Express says: “Thornton’s and MacDonald’s imprisonment is an outrage to the whole British nation. The cause of it all is because the five-year plan failed.” !| j.vtl»!:

PAYMENT MADE TO • VICKERS Press Association —Copyright London, April 19.—The Soviet paid Vickers £20,000 due on Saturday, according to a message from Moscow. DEPORTED^CCUSED i Cannot Return for Five i Years SENTENCES MAY BE COMMUTED Press Association —Copyright Moscow, April 19. —M. Ulrich, president of the court, announced that the deported accused ■would not be allowed to return to Russia for five years. Monkhouse, Nordwall, Cushny and probably Gregory will leave Russia to-night. The Metropolitan Vickers Company is still represented by nine men who, pending instructions, will continue business as usual. As similar sentences previously have been occasionally commuted there is a ray of hope that Thornton’s and MacDonald’s . appeal will be successful. The deportees consider it inadvisable at present to comment on the trial but are deeply affected by their comrades’ sentences. Madame Litvinoff, wife of the Foreign Commissar, to-night is giving a dance to which diplomatic and Press representatives have been invited, which is construed as an indieation of the authorities’ anxiety to resume friendly relations with foreigners after the strained situation at the trial, when many Russians refused to shake hands with foreign friends for fear of becoming involved with the “British spies.”

DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY ENDS Russian Trade Delegation Now Ordinary Aliens MUST REPORT TO POLICE REGULARLY Press Association.—Convright. Received To-day, Noon. London, April 19. —The expiration of the Anglo-Russian trade agreement ends the diplomatic im-

munity of the Soviet trade delegation. Henceforth the members must obtain permits to remain in England, and report reaularly to the police like other aliens. A proclamation, effective on April 26, prohibits 80 per cent, of Soviet imports, including butter, grain, cotton, petroleum and timber. PRIVY COUNCIL SUMMONED Enforcing Russian Goods Import Prohibition Preoq Association—Copyright Received To-day, 8 a.m. London, April 19. —The Foreign Office states that a meeting of the Privy Council was summoned this morning for the purpose of authorising a proclamation under the Russian Goods Import Act. The Daily Telegraph’s political correspondent says that a hurriedly summoned Cabinet meeting decided that if sentences of imprisonment were passed on the British prisoners swift action will bo taken in accordance with the Russian Goods Import Prohibition Act. Authority in the matter was delegated to Sir John Simon. It is stated that the accused have no right of appeal. NEW ZEALAND LIKELY TO ACT FOLLOWING BRITISH GOV-

ERNMENT’S LEAD

Special Cabinet Meeting on

Monday

Press Association. —Copyright.

Wellington, To-day.—lnterviewed by telephone at his home at Cheviot today Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes said the Government would take into immediate consideration the question of prohibiting the imports of Russian goods into New Zealand on the linos of action taken by the British Government.

He was returning to Wellington on Sunday and Cabinet would he convened on Monday to discuss the situation.

APPEAL IS IMPOSSIBLE PETITION MADE FOR REPRIEVE Only Path Open to MacDonald and Thornton Received To-day, 10.30 a.m. Moscow, April 19. —An appeal against the sentences inflicted is impossible, as M. Ulrich, the president of the court, declared the sentences were final. The only path open to MacDonald and Thornton is to petition the Central Executive Committee for a reprieve and this they have done. The departure of the engineers ordered to be deported has been postponed until April 20, as they cannot leave till their passports are vised.