SOVIET PRISON CAMPS

Hokitika Guardian, 9 March 1931, Page 6

SOVIET PRISON CAMPS

PROTEST MEETING. (United Pres., Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) LONDON. March 7. There was turbulent scenes at the Trade Defence Union's demonstration held to protest against- the brutalities in the Russian Prison Camps, at the Albert Hall, London, to-night. As soon as Viscount Brentford rose to speak, a crowd of men stood up on the top-most tier in the Hall and shouted: “Long lire the Soviet,.’’ Pandemonium then broke loose. Hundreds of stewards surrounded the interrupters and a free fight resulted. The demonstrators were thrown into the street. When Viscount Brentford attempted to resume, an uproar was continod. Fireworks were thrown from the galleries. The stewards pounced on the interrupters, and some- women were bundled out kicking and screaming. Describing the horrors of the Russian timber camps, Viscount Brentford said; “ The cruelties by the Czar were nothing compared to the barbarities that are perpetrated in Russia, to-day. Speaking in broken English, a .Russian escapee from Archangel related the terrible experiences in the camps, the conditions in which, he said, were appalling. This speaker was subjected to a hostile demonstration, as was also Mr Winston Churchill, who pointed hi s finger at the people who were being ejected, shouted above the din: “They are miserable hirelings—poor wretched people paid in roubles to make trouble.” A resolution was moved by Sir Hilton Young, ALP.. calling on the Government to terminate the trade agreement with Russia, and the resolution was carried amid booing which was drowned by a storm of cheers. ROUMANIAN BAN. ON RUSSIAN TRADE. BUCHAREST, March 7. The Roumanian Government, which has already forbidden the importation of Russian goods, has refused permission to the Danube navigation companies to transport Russian cereals and petrol through the Roumanian ports.