BAN ON IMPORTS

Waikato Times, Volume 113, Issue 18925, 20 April 1933, Page 7

BAN ON IMPORTS

BRITAIN RETALIATES.

PROCLAMATION SIGNED.

OPERATIVE NEXT WEDNESDAY.

United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright.

LONDON, April 19

The Foreign Office stated this morning that a meeting of the Privy Council had been summoned for the purpose of authorising a proclamation under the Russian Goods and Imports Prohibition Aot. ’

Subsequently His Majesty held a Privy Counoll at Windsor Castle. It was attended by the Foreign Seoretary, Sir John Simon, and the Acting Prime Minister, Mr Baldwin.

The proclamation was than signed. It le to become effective on Wednesday, April 26.

It prohibits 80 per cent, of Soviet Imports, Including butter, grain, cotton, petroleum and timber.

The Russian Goods and Imports Prohibition Act (passed by both Houses of Parliament in Britain recently) gives power to the Government to prohibit the importation of all Russian goods except under lioence issued by the Board of Trade. In regard to goods' which are manufactured partly ln s Russia and partly in some other country, it has to he proved that 20 per cent, of thenvalue is attributable to processes undergone since they left Russia. The prohibition does not apply to- goods for re-export. DEBT TO VICKERS. ■< PAYMENT MADE. WORK TO PROCEED. 1 United Press Assn. —Elec. Tel. Copyright. LONDON, April 19. The Soviet has paid the Metropolitan Vickers Company £30,000 due on April 15, according to a message from Moscow. An official statement issued by the company re-afflrms its complete confidence in the victims of this “travesty of justice.” The directors say they have no faith in the validity of the alleged confessions. The Vickers Company is still represented in Russia by nine men, who, pending 'instructions, will continue to conduct Its business there as usual.

Referring to the charges of sabotage at the trial, Monkhouse said: “The Soviet owes the Vickers Company £1,500,000. The firm hoped to get more orders so destruction of machinery would he cutting its own throat.”

EXCITEMENT IN LONDON.

FEELINGS OF RELIEF.

AT LIGHTNESS OF SENTENCES.

United Press Assn. —Elec. Tel. Copyright, LONDON, April 17.

Owing to the lateness of the hour when the news of the result of the trial was received last night, few of the morning newspapers comment or the sentences editorially. Intense excitement prevailed in London last evening. Many clubmen waited until midnight watching the tape machines. As the news spread there was everywhere a general feeling of relief that the sentences were much lighter than had seemed likely from the bitter spirit manifested at the trial. Special editions of thfe evening newspapers contining details of the sentences were quickly sold In the West End streets. There was a general feeling of relief, coupled with sympathy for Thornton and MacDonald. The mother of MacDonald, who lives at Sheffield, refused to be interviewed. His sister stated that her rilother had received the news of the sentenoe on MacDonald quietly. Monkhouse’s wife naturally was delighted that her husband was not to be imprisoned. “At the same time,” she said, “ it is a bitter end to the eight years of indefatigable work' ho has dons for the Soviet, lie has many friends in Russia and has worked ceaselessly for the Union. The idea that he could be guilty of such charges is monstrous." Press Comments. The Daily Telegraph says: "Though lighter than was feared, the sentences on Thornton and MacDonald constitute an intolerable Injustice, for the charges were absurd tq the point of imbecility. The so-called trial has been an affront to the universal conscience. The British Government must make every effort to procure a commutation of the sentences. The effect of tho trial must be far-reaching. It is bound to affect the whole of the Soviet’s relations with civilised mankind." 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 upon the form of approach. Threats aro useless and a trade embargo worse than useless. It should be possible to close the entrance to a,n Anglollussian quarrel from which both parties would have much to lose and nothing to gain." The Daily Express says: Ihe imprisonment of Thornton and MacDonald is an outrage lo the whole British nation. The cause of it all was because the Five Year Plan failed." The Morning Post says it considers that, the sole" directing influence of the trial was 'political. “ But, before the trial had gone far, Moscow saw clearly that it stood to lose much more than It could possibly gain and, by assuming a sudden lenity, which iGaily indicts its sensational procedure, the Soviet now tries Lo avert the consequences of its blunders, among which is the censure of the world."

jjCqntinued & next, column^

THE CLOSING SCENEB.

SENTENCES MAY BE WAIVED. MOSCOW, April 18. When the Judges reassembled M* Ulrich contended that Thornton wa| ' the chief Instigator and said Monki house was concerned with him. I Death-like silence marked the clos* lng of the president’s speech. Thai prisoners stood in the dock with bated breath. The president announced that thaj three men to be deported would nofi toe allowed to return to Russia for flvoi years. Monkhouse, 1 Nordwall and Cushny, and probably Gregory, wllj leave Russia to-night. i It is announced that an appeal la) being lodged against the sentences on Thornton and MacDonald. As similar; sentences previously have been occai ■sionally commuted, there Is a ray of hope that the appeal by Thornton and MacDonald will toe successful. The deportees consider it Inadvisable at present to comment on the trial, but they are deeply affected by, their comrades’ sentences.

Madame Litvijioff, wife of the Soviet’s Foreign Commissar, Is giving a dance this evening, to which foreign diplomats and press representatives have been invited. This is construed; as an indication of the anxiety of the; authorities to resume friendly rela-U lions with foreigners after th«l ■strained situation due to the trial, t, when many Russians refused to shako hands with foreign friends for fear, j of becoming involved with the “British. I spies ** f LONDON, April 19. ! The Paris correspondent of tha Daily Mall says Russians in the French capital declare that Gusev is a police Informer who has figured previously as a recipient of sentences, but has simply played the role, fully assured that the Ogpu chiefs would arrange for his safety and subsequent reward. The Dally Telegraph’s correspondent says Russian women are hotter In crises than men. The little Madama Kulusova was splendid. She spoka longer than any of the others. Her ringing voice, full of challenging anger, scornfully rejected the suggestion made against her moral character. Madame Kutusova declared she had worked 20 years for the State, and clone more for the Five-Year Plan than citizens who were continually boasting of what they had clijie,