SOVIET RUSSIA.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 June 1927, Page 3

SOVIET RUSSIA.

BRITISH REFUTAL. FANTASTIC ALLEGATIONS. [»Y TKLEGRAFII—PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] LONDON, June 12. “ Fantastic, and utterly without foundation,” is how Sir 11. M. Hodgson, British Charge d’AJfaires at Moscow, describes the Soviet’s accusations that the British Mission employed the victims, just executed by the. Soviet Government’s orders.

Equally fantastic arc tlic other allocations of illicit practices emanating from Moscow, which Sir E. M. I lodeson declares cannot he allowed to go unchallenged. Me refers lo M. Eykoff’s recent quotation from a letter Mr Preston wrote to Mr Jcrram, a member of the British Mission in. Moscow, regarding trade in chemicals, in which the writer said he feared that Russians making inquiries exposed them to the risk of being hanged, drawn and quartered for spying. Sir R. M. Hodgson asks: “Were Mr Preston’s apprehensions justified?” He adds: “M. Rykoff’s statements show that they were, because he mentioned the cases of Peshkoff and Filin, who were shot for supplying military information to M.r Charnock, a member of the British Mission.”

Sir B. M. Hodgson points out that Peshkoff was never an officer in Kolchak’s army, as M. Bykoff declared, hut he was a naval officer. He arrived in Moscow in 1921. Peshkoff. who was an old acquaintance, was placed in communication with him by a woman named Dahl, a secret agent of the police, after which Peshkoff was employed by the Canadian-Pacific Pailway at Moscow. Afterwards he was arrested with his wife and others on a charge of organising a counter revolution in Siberia.

Under Sir B. M. Hodgson’s instructions he applied to Kara Khan, whose investigations showed the charge to 1 o a mare’s nest.. Peshkoff and others were liberated, and he was re-employed by the Canadian-Pacific Railway, but be was arrested again in 1925 on an old charge, with friends for whom ho had found employment. Sir R. M. Hodgson comments: “It stands to reason that after the Dahl incident, Peshkoff was nert likely to act as a spy. ft was also most unlikely that 1 should apply to him for information.”

AN ACT OF REVENGE. LONDON, June 10. The Soviet executions mrc universally regarded as an act of revenge. Many newspapers use the word “massacre.” The Riga, correspondent of the “ Daily Telegraph ” affirms that most of those executed had no connection with political activity. They were merely victims of the Soviet political police, and were sentenced to death and shot without a trial or inquiry.

The diplomatic correspondent of the “ Daily Telegraph ” says that the unfortunate victims of the Bolshevik blood lust were arrested long ago, and detained with other suspects as hostages in accordance with the Soviet practice which does not hesitate to seize as hostages even women and children of exiled opponents. Prince Dolgorukoff, who was sixtyfive years of age, was well known in London. He formerly was rich, but was ruined by the revolution. AT. Vevreinoff married an Englishwoman and lived in England after the revolution, but lie eventually secured permission to return and work for the State Bank.

ASSASSIN'S EXTRADITION. POLAND NOT AGREEABLE. PARIS, Juno 10. M. Zaleski, who is en route to Geneva, said that he had not the slightest intention of agreeing to the extradition of Kowerdu in connection with which the Polish law would take its ordinary course. LONDON PAPERS’ PREDICTION LONDON, June 13. . The Daily Telegraph’s diplomatic correspondent states: The Soviet’s .manifestation of blood-lust has distrusted the Germans, who set a store on Moscow’s friendship and co-opera-tion. This open revulsion of feeling brands the rulers of Russia as outside the boundaries of civilisation.

The paper adds: The latest Soviet Note to Poland is offensive, but is carefully phrased to avoid the language of nil ultimatum, as the Soviet know® its military importance.

The Sunday Express says: The Red regime, like other revolutions is perishing in violence.

ODESSA SENTENCES. LONDON, June 13. A message from Odessa reports ten Roumanians have been sentenced to death allegedly for spying during tlio last three years on the Bessarabian frontier.

POLAND’S REPLY. LONDON, June 13. The “Daily News” Geneva correspondent says the Polish Foreign Minister, replying to the Soviet demands, points out firstly, the assassin was handed over for summary jurisdiction; secondly, Polish procedure enables the Soviet representative to attend tiie trial; thirdly, the Polish Government is not aware of the existence of terrorist organisations in Poland. They are specifically forbidden. But Poland is prepared to examine the Soviet’s evidence and dissolve such bodies if their existence is proved.