TRIAL CONCLUDES

Hokitika Guardian, 19 April 1933, Page 5

TRIAL CONCLUDES

SOVIET SENTENCES

DEATH PENALTY NOT ORDERED

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Uopyrigh c. J

(Received this day at 11 a.m.) MOSCOW, April 18.

None of the accused were sentenced to death. Thornton was sentenced to three years’; MacDonald to.two years’s imprisonment; Cushny, Nordwell, and Monkhouse were ordered to be deported within three days; while Gregory was acquitted. Mme. Kutusova was sentenced to 18 months’, and Gusev and Lobanov to ten years’ imprisonment.

LABOUR PARTY’S ATTITUDE.

INDEPENDENTS DEFEND RUSSIA.

.LONDON, April 16. Under the or Mr Benner -Brocriway, in© independent Labour rarty 'oomerence at jUeroy, oy a majority or rout- voted, resolved to approach tiro Moscow Red internationa.e to ascertain means whereby the party might co-operate to achieve a Socialist levuiutiou.

opposing speakers pointed out that ndtmijg out complete domination could be expected from Moscow. Moroover, despite tremendous crises in Italy and Germany, the Communist Internationale had accomplished nothing. The Conference resolved to ao all in its power to resist any attempt to strangle the progress of the Soviet and pledged tli© Party to agitate for a general strike to lestrain the British government in the event of any attempt to make war on Russa, Mr Fenner Brock way, supporting the resolution said: “We will make it perfectly clear that we stand openly with Russia against our Government.” The “Daily Mail” says; The Independent Labour Party, which proclaimed support for the Soviet against their own countrymen, dishonour themselves at a moment when Moscow is giving the world an object lesson in what Soviet justice means.

OPINION OF “MORNING POST.”

EXCUSE TO PICK A QUARREL

LONDON, April 16

The' “Morning )Post” says: 'The Soviet’s wanton outrage of our subjects could only have -been devised with one object, namely, in order to pick a quarrel and use it as an excuse to repudiate inconvenient debtu, Updoy the export guarantee, system, we incurred a liability of seven millions in order to encourage Anglo-Rwssian trade. This is likely to become a bad debt. It will, however, be some compensation to know that it ends the arrangement to use British money and credit to bolster up and strengthen an avowed enemy. The “Times” Riga correspondent emphasises that M. Vyshinsky completely ignored reports of the Soviet’s own investigating commissions that breakdowns in Moscow, Ivanovo, Zlatoust, Chelyabinsk and other electrical stations were clue to mismanagement, bad transport and scarcity of skilled labour, which constantly caused serious damage at Moscow stations. The correspondent adds that none of the Soviet’s reports mentions foreign engineers or wilful wrecking as the cause of damage.

ISPEECHES .FOR. THE DEFENCE

BLAME THROWN ON BRITONS

MOSCOW, April 17,

Kazachiev, opening the defence on behalf of Gusev, Sokolov, and Oleinik, threw the blame on the Britons, in order to exculpat© hi,s own clients. "He said that it was' funny that Monkhouse and Thornton should be regarded as heroes abroad, when they had committed crimes for which they would not be worshipped at home. Smiroff, MacDonad’s counsel, .speaking calmly, impressed even the judges, •and obviously roused bis client’s drooping spirits. He rebutted Ivazachiev’s assertion that the Britons were responsible for the Russian’s guilt here, and said: “MacDonald is an underlying, who cannot be classed with Monkhouse and Thornton. He lrad admitted a serious crime, lmt had pledged himself never to repeat it.” MacDonald passed a note to Ulrich, apparently a plea for a reply, but it was unanswered. The Court adjourned.

THORNTON’S MESSAGE TO WIFE

HIS PUNISHMENT THE SEVEREST

(Received April 19 at 8 a.m.) LONDON, April 18

Thornton’s wife has received, through, the Foreign Office, her husband’s personal cryptic message warning her “not to be shocked” at the result of the trial. The message added: “T liav.A little doubt that my punishment will be the severest of all the Englishmen.”

He asks his wife to be brave, but snys that lu> cannot stand the agony of awaiting his sentence much longer.