THE RUSSIAN DEBATE

Hokitika Guardian, 28 May 1927, Page 3

THE RUSSIAN DEBATE

IN Till-: COMMONS. "{Australian A N.Z. Oablo Association.] LONDON, May I’d. 11l the Commons, Air Baldwin in answer to a question said tlie Government were in possession of a long list of Soviet trading organisations m

Britain, hut no useful purpose would he served by publishing it. Sir .loynsoii flicks was considering which ol these should he allowed to remain. After the abrogation of the trade agreement, British representatives in Leningrad and Vladivostok would I-' withdrawn, simultaneously with the British mission to Moscow. The Government. would not allow a free vote on the Russian debate.

.Miss Wilkinson inquired whether other Powers than Russia were known

'to have secret services in Britain. Sir A. Chamberlain said lie must decline to answer, as it wo'uld not he in public interest to give the iidorniation.

Mr dynes in moving the resolution (cabled yesterdov) said Sir A Cbainberlain’s last address on foreign relations pointed out that the severance of relations with Russia would be liarmful not only to our internal interests, but to the future peace of Kuril pe. L.ord Balfour in Lords had committed the Government to the same views. 'Hie opposition therefore, were entitled to ask how these would be affected by a reversal of policy. ITc understood the Government view was that Russia was in the dock". Labour accepted that position, but demanded that ,11 usaia not he condemned without a trial. Therefore it suggested there should be an adequate inquiry. i Air. Clynes declared: ‘'The truth will not lx? found by means of wall and

safe breaking implements, which were used to a futile end in Areas buildings.’'’ Afr Clynes continued that the Labour Party bad long repudiated Communist purposes and methods and had no partisinn • motive in its present course. We do not excuse wrong doing, but demand on the part of both G over Imi cuts that pledges binding them he honourably served. Ihe motion was submitted because Labour was honestly convinced the allegations should be tested and the truth revealed. Government’s methods were the closest imitation of the Communists. They were giving the Communists the finest world advertisement, which strengthened Communist propaganda. Referring to the effect ol the decision upon trade, he said the .Midland Bank had almost completed arrange-

ments to lend Russia ten niilions to

be spent in Britain on electrical equip- _ ment, mining machinery and machine tol. Our industrial position was such that we could not afford to drive hack potential customers and remove further away the immense market of a hundred million people. The new policy was the first fruits ol long campaigning begun in 101 i. It was tu.uplained that Russia interfered with our affairs. We had first interfered with Russia with an invading army. Sir A. Chamberlain- replied immediately. Ho said AH’ Clynes had found it necessary to walk gently, but bad committed birnself to condemnation of the Government policy without an idea „of the grounds on which action was taken. Trade did not depend on the trade agreement or diplomatic representation. America traded treely yet had not recognised the Soviet or did not admit the trade delegation. The Government was not prepared to accept a select committee. He asked the House for a clear expression of confidence. He deemed it unnecessary and undesirable to produce further information than contained in the White Paper, but plenty of other evidence of Soviet activities was offering. Ihe Zitiovieff letter was not the only or last document. The trade agreement had been systematically and continually broken and the privileges abused. Soviet House was for state poli-

tical propaganda and anti-British action. Cheshntn. House similarly also abused its diplomatic privileges. These (rctivities were proceeding under the orders of the Government, which was pursuing a hostile policy while prolessing friendly relations throughout the world. Government could not longer take the responsibility for maintaining diplomatic relations so conducted and so abused. They were not an instrument of pence, hut a fresh, con-

tinual source of irritation and danger. If it had considered only its own interests it should have acted long ago. Eor two and a half years it had pleaded for peace between the two countries and urged the Soviet to mind its wavs. Further patience would he a

weakness. Mi- Lloyd George said lie was afraid Cabinet bad not fully considered whetlie there was sufficient evidence to justify a breach, and whether a breach was desirable at this stage. He frankly admitted that the Soviet had not kept faith but personally he favoured making a suitable allowance tor the difficulties of a revolutionary Government. His own view was the So\ iet had clumsily attempted to reconcile a genuine desire for all the advantages of peace with the greatest Empire of the world, with an equally genuine desire to witness its overthrow. M luitever his own view of Government's action, he would not vote for any resolution which did not express unmistakable reprobation ol the continual breaches of the Anglo-Kussian agreement. He was alraid the raid on

Arcos had forced the Government’s and Sir A. Chamberlain's hands. Chamberlain certainly had not spoken with the same fervour to-day as when he

was defending the policy of Locarno. He did not believe Chamberlain bad decided upon a rupture before Sir Joynson Hicks acted. Chamberlain’s hands had dearly been forced by the hotheaded league, Joynson Hicks. It was unfortunate that the most important diplomatic act since the war should have been dictated from the Home Office. He admitted the Government was hound to take some action, but it need not liavo gone to the extreme limit. It might as protests against breaches of the agreement hate withdrawn the trade delegations special privileges, deported the officials guilty of breaches and prosecuted those guilty of espionage. All these steps should have been taken before the gravest step, short of war. in rupturing relations with a power of n population of one hundred millions. It was one of the most hazardous decisions any government had ever taken.

WHITE PAPER. PARTICULARS OF DISCLOSURES. LONDON, May ‘JO. A White Paper gives the following addresses found in the possession ol Muller, mentioned in the Commons on Tuesday: L, Donford, 519 Jing Street, Newtown, Sydney; K. Lane, Gowan-brae-Bunnerong Road. South Kensington, Sydney, (Lane is marked "secret”) ; G. G. Kilpatrick, General Secretary Newt Zealand Communist Party. 204 Vivian Street, Wellington ; J. Basham, 164 Hobson Street, Auckland; K. Baxter, 81 Harrow Street, Dunedin; also a group of secretaries and officials of the Australian Columnist party.

The Wlhite Paper fully gives the sixteen documents summarised in Mr Baldwin’s speech on Tuseday; also a list of addresses throughout the world including press cuttings giving thir-

teen names of Australian group secretaries, mostly in New South Wales; also the workers weekly newspaper "The Communist.." A .separate panel is given .lock Garden.

Many Smith Americans arc marked "illegal a dresses." The documents include telegrams dated May 1M t h alter Arcus was raided, from M. Roscngoltz to the Commissariat of Foreign Affairs, Aloseow.—"Among the number rumours of the nature ol missing documents. there i- a supposition it relates to the aerial bombardment of (blank), 1 suggest, it is expedient tor yon to publish as a rumour the statement it rcl'ci-s to the aerial bombardment of certain European capital.”

CANADIAN ACTION. OTTAWA. ALiy 2d. Names of Canadians in London White Paper in connection with the Soviet raid are those of prominent members of the Communist party in Canada. It is not known whether the authorities will move to deport them. Air MacKenr.il’ King declares Canada decided on her own initiative to camel the Soviet trade agreement. There was, no evidence of espionage in Canada, hut Cabinet is satisfied the Russian trade delegation was guilty ni propaganda against the Kmpire. This violates the Canada-Soviet pact. Air King emphasised that Camilla while breaking the trade agreement was continuing trade relations. "Wo will, simply he in she position as be lore the agreement concluded in l!J21." A Toronto message states the addresses of Canadians discovered in London are Maurice Spieler (chairman) and .Miss Skene (active official) of the Cuininmunist headquarters here.

CON FI OUNCE IN GOYKRNAf ENT LONDON. .May 2D.

In the Commons, the Government's Soviet decision was endorsed by .Tito 118.