RADEK ON TRIAL

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 8, 25 January 1937, Page 7

RADEK ON TRIAL

-Press Assn.-

Confesses to Piotting With Trotsky Group SUPFORTED BY JAPAN

(By Telegraph-

-Copyright.)

(Recexved 25, II. u a.m.) MOSCOW, Jan. 24. At the treason trial Karl Radek admitted participation in planning terrorist acts and told of a number of persons whom he had personally selected for the task and how he had been kept fully informed of the existence of terrorist groups throughout the country. In reply to Mr Vishinsky, the prosecutor, he said, "Yes, I admit my gjuilt in the murder of Kirov." Radek admitted receiving a letter from Leo Trotsky, brought by Romm, former Correspondent at Washington for the "Izvestia," informing him of. an underground bloo and terrorist programme. Trotsky made it plain that he was aware that Radek's reported recantation was only a tactifeal act and that Radek had rejoined the Communist Party only because he could fight the regime more efiectively from within. Radek revealed that soon after his return to the Soviet Union he was approached by Trotsky Centre leaders, and became an active force in the group known as the Second Line of Defence. Radek alleged that Bukhatin was a member of the terrorist group. He admitted that after the assassination of Kirov he had had a conversation with Bukharin at the office of the "Izvestia" in which both Came to the conclusion that the assassination of Stalin would not have yielded any political gains and the event must be followed with more assassinations. Radek told how at a diplomatic feception at the Foreign Office in November} 1935, a high Embassy official of a Western Power approached him to check up on Trotsky and cottcerning the existence of a Ttotsky Group • in the country o'n whose assistance 1 rlin could count in the event of wai. "I assured him that all Trotsky'# promises would be fulfilled," said /Radek. "I know the seriousrieSs of my crime and I am prepared to suffer ' the consequences." 'Radek told 'of assurances given by Sokolnikov ,to a high official at the JapaUese Embassy in LoHdon of the readiness of Trotsky and his group to assist the Japanese in the event of war. The prosecutor, M. Vishinsky, turned to Sokolnikov and asked : You confirm that? Sokolnikov replied: Yes,. 1 $ M. Vishinsky pressed Rau..... to say why * he had not confessed if he did not wanfc to become an active agent of the German intelligence Service. Radek replied: "I could not make up my mind to lead people to the firing squad." Judge Ulrich threatened to stop the trial when Radek twice mentioned names after the Judge had forbidden it. The indietment alleges that the pri-

soners were implicated in a "vast plot engineel'ed by Trotsky to destroy the Soviet regime and help Germany, Poland and Japan." It also alleges that Trotsky carried on negotiations with Hitler's deputy, Herr Rudolph Hess, in Berlin, while Radek, Sokolnikov and Piatakov acted as agents in Moscow. It is alleged that Trotsky and Hess reached an -agreement by which "Germany was to obtain important concessions and exploit the Soviet' s natural resources in the event of war. Radek's group was to^ engage in military sabotage and espionage under instructions from th© German General Staff."