Free Confessions

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 22, 27 January 1937, Page 6

Free Confessions

RUSSIAN ACCUSED DENT THREATS OR PROMISES United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. MOSCOW, - Jan. 25. Tho first witness at tho third day of tho treason trial was Loginoff, head of the coke industry. In evidence he said he made contact with German agents and organised terrorist centres in the Ukraine with the object of assassinate ing the Dictator, Joref Stalin and tho War Minister, General Voroshilov. Another prisonor, Bogusavsky, denied that he had confessed because pressure of threats and promises had influenced him. He explained that he had confessed of his own free will -when he realised the gravity of the offence. It is understood that Prince Budum Mdivani has been .arrested for participating in the plot. He is allegedly tho head of the Georgian terrorist group. Lipshutz, formerly assistant Commisar of Railroads, admitted receipt of instructions from Serebriakov to cause train wrecks and jam the more im? portant branches in the event of war. Vladimir Romm described how he had acted as go-between carrying letters for Trotsky and Radolc. Ho met Trotsky in Paris where Trotsky confirmed written instructions that the group must actively sabotage the Societ. ”1 decided to cea*e active work when Kirov was assassinated, ’ * concluded witness.

RUSSIAN ACCUSED DENT THREATS OR PROMISES

“Take Romm away,” said the .Tudgo after Radek had confirmed Romm’s evidence.

Sokolnikov, former Ambassador to Britain, admitted complicity in plotting to betray the Soviet to Germany and Japan, despite having enjoyed under the Soviet a distinguished official career. He was actuated by a defeatist belief that German Fascism treatened to strangle the Soviet and thought it preferable to retreat from Socialism and make a deal with Fascists than be utterly destroyed and relying on the other capitalist Powers and discontented elements, such as the impoverished kulaks, to prevent Germany going too far after she was entrenched in the Ukraine. “The Times” Riga correspondent states that other prisoners, replying to M. Vishinsky, uniformly corroborated Piatakov and not replying reluctantly oi simply answering “ye s’* but eagerly and blithely with endorsements like “certainly,” “undoubtedly” and helping the prosecutor with amplifications in order to emphasise tho enormity of their crimes. RUSSIAN FOUND SHOT CONNECTION ASSUMED WITH TREASON TRIAL ~ LONDON, ~Jan 25. Tho “Paily Mail’s” Brussels corres pondent says: ‘ f A Russian woman. Mme. Orval, the widow of a forma Parisian gunsmith, Paul Jouhaux, son of tho former French Labour leader, has been arrested for alleged complicity in an arms-smuggling combine at Liege and Brussels on behalf of the Spanish loyalists.’ l