BRITISH LABOURITES

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 123, 28 April 1925, Page 10

BRITISH LABOURITES

CAUSE TROUBLE IN SOFIA. EXAGGERATED STATEMENTS MADE. SOFIA, April 26. A painful impression has been caused b,v a statement alleged to have been made to foreign press representatives by the British Labourite members of the House of Commons, Messrs Wedgwood, Mackinder, Lestrange and Malone, who spent a few days here after the explosion at the Cathedral. A semi-oflicial statement declares that their statements are exaggerated and erroneous. The number of people arrested in the whole country is 2000, not 6000, and those arrested were directly implicated in Communist activities or suspected of participation. The number of killed was not hundreds but only a few who refused to surrender.

It. is alleged that the members of the Hoime of Commons were displeased because they were not allowed to interview the imprisoned leaders of the conspiracy. The Agrarian leaders have been released as it is established that they are not implicated in the Communist conspiracy. About 100 others have also been released. Counsel for the Crown stated that, as the result of confessions of accomplices, it is established that, besides the Cathedral outrage, Agrarian Communists planned several other attempts in Sofia and the provinces, including attacks on the Sobrnnje Central Post and Telegraph Offices, but the plans did not materialise owing to the stern measures of the military authorities. It is estimated that t.wo hundred million leva (francs) will to needed to repair the Cathedral, and relieve the injured and the families of the dead.—A. and N.Z. cable. GUARDING THE FRONTIER. LONDON, April 26. Tlie Times’s Bucharest correspondent says that Roumania is carefully watching events in Bulgaria. The frontier guards have been reinforced and other precautions lakcn. Several Communists attempting to enter Rounmnia were handed over to the Bulgarian authorities. —Times. THE CATHEDRAL EXPLOSION. CYNICAL SOVIET COMMENT. LONDON, April 26. The Times’s Riga correspondent says that the newspaper Pravda thus synically comments on the Solia explosion: “This machine of hell showed itself stronger than the holiness of the church which was sanotilied by t tie Bulgarian Government. It fulfilled its purpose and killed some of the frenzied foes of the workmen and peasants.” The papor adds: “Communists will not reproach fighters merely for using the sviong methods.” —Times.