RUSSIA AND BRITAIN.

Wairarapa Age, 17 May 1923, Page 5

RUSSIA AND BRITAIN.

DEBATE IN COMMONS. MEMBER EXPELLED. (Press Association—Copyright.) London, May 15—The Leader of the Labour Party (Mr Ramsay Macdonald) initiated a debate on the Noto to Russia. M. Krassin, the Russian delegate, occupied a seat in the distinguished strangers’ gallery. Mr Macdonald urged the Government to use the Soviet reply as a base for negotiations. The question of religious persecution required examination. He did not altogether accept the Soviet’s statement that their action had taken the form of political punishment and not religious persecution. Mr McNeill, Under-Secretary of Foreign Affairs, deprecated “wild talk” about the possibility of war. The British people would not easily forget Russia’s heroic sacrifices in the war, and the Government was not proposing to tear up the Trade Agreement. The fact was that Russia had never observed the agreement for the stoppage of propaganda. There were no less than 116 cases of British subjects wrongly imprisoned by the Russian Government. One woman, during eight months, was in 29 different prisons. Some of these people died owing to privations. Despite the British Note the Soviet Government refused to meet these eases.

A MEMBER EXPELLED. (Received 8.20 p.m.) London, May 16.—As a result of statements made by Mr Newbold, theSpeaker, amidst Labour interruptions, put the motion that he be suspended. This was carried, and Mr Newbold withdrew amidst loud Labour cheers. Krassin, after the debate, said he had asked Lord Curzon to meet him. It ought to be possible for us to reach an understanding. Russia wants to do business with Britain on a vastly increasing sale.—(A. and N.Z.)