Serious Spy Situation Disclosed

Chronicle (Levin), 20 March 1946, Page 5

Serious Spy Situation Disclosed

Press Assn.-

PRIME MINiSTER'S STATE1ENT T0 PARLIAMENT i

} ciu By Telegraph

-Copyright

\W Received Tuesday 9.50 p.m. UTTAV/A, March 19. Addressing the House of Commons, the Pnme Minister, Ivlr. ! W. L. Mackenzie King' aescnbed Ganada.'s Soviet spy ring as "a | serious situation as ever exifeted in Canada". Ke acided that the j Russian cypker cierk, GozeiiKO, had told Canadian officials that ' Russia was using Oanada as a oase lor esp..onage operations against j Britain and America, and that a fifth eolumn was being estabiished . in Canada. A number of those accused of participation in the spy ring and now out on bail were m tne paeked public galleiies. Mr. Mackenzie King, aifcer describmg how Gozenko sought Canadian cfficiais' protection and handed over documents, said he was under a serious handicap in inaking a full statement because the muller was sub judice. Mr. Mackenzie King rovealed that Gozenko was previously a Soviei secret service ctfictr. After a study of the documents, the Prinie Minister said, he hnaliy believed Gozenko 's story that he had been most surprised to find how Canadians lived and by free elections, and had made r.p his mind that he owed it to the people oi Canada and Russia to disclose the spy ring condition.M-. Mackenzie King said he was prepared to take full responsibility for what was being done. The Government could not ignore the fact that tbere were in the civil service people giving secret information to a foreign power, and he had felt it his duty to iniorm Ihe British and Arnerican Governments what was happenir.» rnd ako what Canada planned to do. He had visited Presiuent Truman in Washington before going to the United Kingdom, whare Mr. Attloe had heen infcrmed of the situation.

Tur. ftl:ickenzie King read irom the C'liiinis.ixOii s leport the Lst oi sao- . t.j ua wflK'n txic aoviet duSirea iiuoriu.uiim, aua fxieii said lie wisiied to expiam wliy tne oraer-m cauucu autnoinsli.j, t ne vii.'bOiU'ioii Ox tne A„er.-:oiis, piiiSod >u 0(10001- u. was not publis.icd' ihoxitu. A inost truste.l uovm, iiiiieut eiiipiuyee ma goiie to uoa.'.on aua v.r.s to cstabLsii "con.a.t ' On Oi to ber 7, l'.iio. xi' con„act ha i been mahe, it v.o'iud bave oeeu nacessary to t.uce people into dotention in Canaaa as v.-il as in Jbon.lon. The contact was not made, hov»c:v er, possibly due totiio fact ihnt it was tlien knomi that iuuCji miuniiation was m tne Ckuaulian oovjrnmtai t's hands. "vvhen tne contact v/as not inade, tne ordei-in-co.incii was neld m abuyance. Mr. iviackenzie King said tli'it before anyone was appi eaendeu, the CJouiniis sioii sat? for a wee r ques>.i.oiiiug u-ozciiko and studying ihe ika iunen,s iie ycd:-c ml. With the knowledge available, tliere vounl have been loud criticism if tlic Justice Mnnster (Mr. St. Lmront; liad nofc act.d oii tne Oouimissioii's auvice aua ord..red ihe ipprehOiisijii oi tii .so xt WiSiied to q-aestion. Some criti-

' °ui was bcing heard at present, but U iiili would not be made if tne facts v... c kiiowii or oiuy poi tiaily known. 'ihe Gove.nnient had taxen tvery posrit.'p lo protect the naiae of the pt rsuiis involved until it was clear that taoy wero involved ana would lace i h:;rges. lUr. Mackenzie King re.allcd that, in liir-. -.tatemeut annouiiciiig the iu> estigaiiou. he did not naiue Knssia, bat he n i n-.iU'ii ti.e Soviet Embassy tha„ lts (:•, , i-nmoiit was involved. Ifc was the Si; , i {**; ii vlf wnich iirst linkeu that ci'Uhry v.xtn the inquiry by admitung tn.-.i r:- miiitary attaohe was invoived. - ' Soine nniy fcel wc- ought to sever rcl.do.us vvith -Ivtissia and ask the| S'iv.ot Embassy to withdraw from Cea ida. 1 hope this stand v/ill not bej tak. ii by anyone m a responsible posin. The matter should noc be j..ciged un'.;l al: the circuxnstances are known. It i juissii.de that things were going 011 in th-' ihauassy of which the Amh.issa(iu v. lgnorant. I hope and pray for tln Miie whon tne axr is cle.irad aua 11 : (■ m>;is continue on a sound basis. .\i r. . iat koiizis King said he was sure \b i'. Ayt a rcftUlt of the inquiry, thero v.-.oihs ui imateiy be greater conncl.nce !>. t •„« : .1 iivissia and Canada. Iie tnought . vii:ie oi going personaily to lius- . ;:t. rlie imorniation he had regaraing S'a.iu vc.-rsonally led him to beneve • li. a - t ara would not countenance what hau =1 t.vkmg place. He. decided, !.-,v r, that the document's aut.-Cn-tic.'y : hould be provecl iirst, and that, Miis.i Canadian civil servants were cu -. « ra. d, Canada shou:d ciear its own is.st. Tui: i-iiiiie Minister said the Russ uu " heroishi and s.ierifice would ii s . ; 1, • iorgotteu by the Canadians, lii.thing would be allowed to liiterlcr v.ith the adiniration and Iriend.khi -temnung from Kussia's war re- " id. K-; hopcd luenibers would be !': : • ; :ircf ul not to juclge any conntry "r uidiviclual until all the facts were ihin 11. lie was sure the Sussian people v. «•{•»,» as anxious as Canadians for ii" i-H.lship. Whafc had happened had ii ■ ;hed from the actions of a few men jT'h j had gained some power. Tiiese Vh'iuis would not be couutenancsd by t:J£ iiussian Govornment or peoyi.e