SPY INQUIRY IN U.S.A. MORE EXCITING

Grey River Argus, 11 August 1948, Page 5

SPY INQUIRY IN U.S.A. MORE EXCITING

NEW YORK, Aug. 9. Countess Alexandra Tolstoy (who has established a White Russians’ retreat in New York State) denied the charge of the Soviet Consul-General at New York, M. Jacob Lomakin, that the White Russians had kidnapped the Russian mathematics teacher, Mr Mikhail Ivanovitch Samarin, who formerly taught the/children of Soviet diplomats in America, and who has placed himself in the custody of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation. M. Lomakin claimecT that another former Soviet consulate teacher, Mrs Oksana Stepanovna Kosenkina was by him rescued forcibly from “White Russian bandits,” who had kidnapped her as she was about to leave for Russia. Countess Tolstov said that the story of a kidnapping was “a bit of boloney.” She said that Mrs Kosenkina had come voluntarily to the White Russians’ retreat farm at Valley Cottage, New York, fearing that she would be killed by Russian agents as her husband had been. The Soviet Consul-General, M. Lomakin in a'statement to the press on the movements of Mrs Kosenkina. said that she had been drugged and kidnapped. She had managed to get a tradesman to post a letter to the Soviet Consulate. On receiving it, said M. Lomakin, he immediately drove to the farm. With the assistance of the Soviet Vice-Consul and chauffeur he forcibly pesuced Mrs Kosenkina in spite of resistance from about 12 White Russians who tried to hold her and pelted the car with stones. Mrs Kosenkina had said that during her stay at the farm she was fed and treated well, but was forced to work in the kitchen. Mrs Kosenkina was present in the Consul-General’s office during the press conference and confirmed M. Lomakin’s story through an interpre ter. She appeared co reporters to be highly distraught. SOVIET DEMAND FOR SAMARIN TO BE HANDED OVER REFUSED Kidnapping Allegation Is Not Credited (Rec. 10.5) WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 The Soviet Ambassador to the United States, M. Alexander Panyushkin, sent a Note to the State Department on Monday night, in which he accused the United States of trying to terrorise Russian citizens in America and he demanded the surrender to the Russian Consulate in New York of Mi Mikhail Samarin, the Russian schoolteacher, who sought the protection of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation yesterday. Mr Samarin, had with Mrs Stepanovna, been teaching at the Soviet Consulate the children of Russian diplomats ana staffs. M. Panyushkin had a thirty-minute talk with the U.S. Under-Ssecretary of State, Mr Robert Lovett, who told him that these Russian accusations were based on conflicting newspaper reports and that they were not accepted by the U.S. Government. AL Panyushkin alleged that Mr Samarin and Mrs Oksana Stepanovna, Janother Russian teacher, were kidnapped by the Tolstoy Foundation, a White Russian organisation in New York State, headed by Countess Tolstoy. He said that the Tolstoy Foundation was systematically terrorising Soviet citizens so as to prevent them from returning to Russia, and said that American authorities weer implicated in the “plot.” M. Panyushkin demanded that the Soviet Consul-General should at least be permitted to see Mr Samarin. The State Department said that M. Panyushkin told Mr Lovett that the alleged abductions were a violation of a Roosevelt-Litnivov agreement in 1943, when Russia agreed to dissolve the Comintern, and when both Governments said that they would not permit the organisation in their territory of groups hostile to the otner Government. , ~ „ . Mr Lovett “brushed aside this argument. ~ , , ~, „ AL Panyushkin added that Mr Samarin had been wounded in the head during the war, and said that he (Panyushkin) would not be responsible for Mr Samarin’s statements. Mr Lovett said that steps would be taken, if any Americans were found guilty of a criminal action.

Congress to Call The Samarins SOVIET NOT ALLOWING WOMAN IO GIVE EVIDENCE

(Rec 10.35) WASHINGTON Aim 9. The chairman of the United States House of Representatives’ Un-Ameri-can Activities Inquiry Committee, Karl Mundt, said that subpoenas would be issued for Mikhail Samarin and his wife Klavida. The committee also wants testimony from Mrs Kosenkma, whom the Soviet Consul-General, M. Lomakin, said that he had rescued fxom White Russians. ~ x Chairman Mundt said, tomg-it. that the Samarin family are now under a heavy guard in an undisclosed place. Subpoenas for their appearance before the Senate Conimittee on Un-American Activities have been issued to the husband and W *ln' New York to-day, M. Lomakin absolutely will not be allowed to testify before the committee. That is out of the question She is a Soviet citizen.” He sa’d that Mrs Kosenkma would fro to Russia in September on the next boat. NEW YORK POLICE PLAN “ Deputy "chief Inspector Mullins of the New York Detective Bureau said, after having a three-uqarters of an hour’s talk with M. Lomakin.— “We are startine from scratch. ,/e are going to check every person and thing connected with the Samarin case.” Refusal To Tell Rv Accused Men At Congress Inquiry WASHINGTON, Aug. 10. (Rec. 8.35). J A Alexander Koral. referred to earlier as a mystery witness, who nas been described as “the man who is able open the whole spy case,” refused to-day to tell the Un-American Activities Committee of the United States House of Representatives it he is a Communist. He also refused to say if he knew Miss Elizabeth Bent--ley (who has already given evidence as to his having been a leader to the spying). His grounds of refusal to say were that if he did so he might incriminate himself. (Koral is a man of British birth). A member of the Committee charged Karol that he already had sign-

ed a statement confessing his rtembership of the Soviet Spy ring Koial refused to confirm or to deny tne charge. . . He also declined to answer most of the Committee’s questions. Before Koral gave evidence the Justice Department stated that he testified, at considerable length, before the New York Grand Jury, which recently indicted twelve Communist leaders in the charges that they planned the over-throw of the U.S. Government. Another witness was Victor Perlo, a former official of the war Production Board. He denied Miss Bentleys allegations that he gave her secret aircraft production figures. Perlo, however, refused to say if he is a Communist, or whether he knew Miss Bentley. Countess Helps Escape Of Russian Sailors (Rec 11.40)' WASHINGTON Aug 8 Countess Tolstov is an American citizen. She said that the , foundation, the last two years -has helped two R sail ors, who did not want to return to Russia, escape to Paraguay. Sh e a ed that sabors went to yer Ne»v York office, while their ships were in New York. They told her that life in Russia was unbearable. After thAir shin sailed, she contacted the Immieition Department oihcia s gffHE 'X '’SSesT emphasM that these were isolated me dents. Sh. said that the Soviet Ambassador, M. Panyushkin’s allegations that the Tolstov Foundation was a crimma conspiracy, were, “nonsensical lies.