Soviet Accused Of Monstrous Methods To Force Confessions

Chronicle (Levin), 4 October 1949, Page 5

Soviet Accused Of Monstrous Methods To Force Confessions

(N.Z.P.A.-

-Beuter.

Copyrtght)

Received Tuesday, 10.35 a.m. BELGRADE, October 3. Marshal Tito personally and directly accused Russia tonight of using "mysterious and monstrous methods" to force confessions from political prisoners. Marshal Tito spoke before a group of 600 Army officers and guests at the conclusion of Yugoslavia's biggest troop manoeuvres of the year, held south of Belgrade in the Republic of Serbia. He told his soldiers: "We are prepared to defend this country until the last breath, regardless of whence an attaek comes."

His reference to the Russian . prosecution methods came in con- j nection with the trial and death sentence of the former Hungarian Foreign Minister, Laszlo Rajk, who was accused of plotting with Yugoslavia for the overvhrow of his country's Government. Marshal Tito said: "You saw everything went as it should at , the trial. I do not know how one gets people to accuse" themselves as much as possible, but it is certain that there is some monstrous metho'd." With scornful sarcasm, Marshal, Tito gibed at Russia's political tactics and her accusations at those who did not profess unswerving obedience to the Kremlin. Bulgaria today denounced her Frontier Convention of 1947 with Yugoslavia. Informing the Yugoslav Ambassador in Sofia of this decision, the Bulgarian Foreign Minister said that the Yugoslav

authorities had obstructed the objects of the convention, which was designed to encourage friendly relations by faeilitating passages across the frontier between the two countries. Yugoslavia, he ad'ded, had used the convention as a cover for hostile agents and had sent the holders of Bulgarian official papers to concentration camps. Yugoslavia also received a note from Hungary, the theme of which was, "We don't want your medals." The note and pile of medals, which Marshal Tito had given Hungarian officials, were handed to the Yugoslav Minister in Budapest. Hungary's Yice-Premier headed the last of the officials who returned their medals. The note said that the trial of Laszlo Rajk proved that the medals were presented by "hirelings of the imperialist Powers."