Story Of Englishman Going Over To Soviet

Chronicle (Levin), 26 April 1949, Page 5

Story Of Englishman Going Over To Soviet

Received IMonday, 7 p.m. MGSCOW, April 24. Pravda has published a letfer over t'.i' signature of Arehibahl II. John erlitor of "British Allv," the I'iitish Fureign Offiee newspaper in saving: "I decided to break '• : •ii'teiv witli tlie present British '■ ••niment to remain in the Soviet 1 t -'Oi and devote inv energies to the of peace. I am no longer able to : rna'n an instrument in the hands of U" lievin, Mr Attlee, Mr .Morrison and 1 ■ ' Tr«*r Labour Bartv leaders who- arc | hi-lping American and English monop- " Ni-i for whom war pavs huge divi'■•■nds." Mr .Tohnstone added that he had ro--•Uiied the Britbsh Embassy post and re''in British nationality. Ni-v.s of Mr .Tohnstone 's action was « conqilete surprise to the British Em- ' a->y and Sir Maurice I'eterson, British , A-ab'issador in Moscow, lirst learnt of -dr Johnstone 's resignation through the in J'ravda. Mr .Johnstone was h'i-i at work in the British Ally offi'ie on April 21. The only letter he left was.

5 ;i«* nne pulihshed in Pravda. Tn his iitti-r Mr Johnstone said: "It became completely apparent to me that the Jbitish Einbassy in Moscow has no >n- . tcrcst in iinproving relations between 1-iigland and the Soviet Union and that, in faet, they are doing everything to spoil them." Mr Johnstone also eomplained that he had been foreod to publish a series of aati-Soviet speeches by Mr Aftlee, Mr Ih'vin and Mr Morrison. He said that the North Atlantic Pact had given him the liual impetus to make his decision. -Moscow radio devoted nearly half an lmur to reading the full text of the letter. In a message to the British Foreign Ofiiecj Ambassador Peterson said Mr Johnstone had been lcnown to have Left -w iug tendencies and to have many trii-nds among tlie Spanish Republican exiles now in Moscow.