TO OUST RUSSIANS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 53, 25 May 1927, Page 9

TO OUST RUSSIANS

British Ministry Demands Expulsion of Soviet Mission GAUNTLET DOWN IN BRITAIN SUBJECT to the approval of the House of Commons, the British Cabinet has decided to terminate diplomatic relations with the Soviet. The Government will insist on the withdrawal of the Russian Trade Delegation and the Soviet mission from London. Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, leader of the Labour Party, who has just returned from America, announces that he is prepared to challenge the Government to an election in the event of a complete rupture with Russia.

By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright Reed. 11 a.m. LONDON, Tuesday. The Right Hon. Stanley Baldwin, in the House of Commons announced that unless the House disapproves on Thursday, the Cabinet has decided to terminate diplomatic relations with the Soviet. He said that Arcos Limited was used as a clearing-house to supervise propaganda, and for the transmission to Moscow of secret defence documents. The Government was insisting on the withdrawal of the Trade Delegation and the Soviet Mission from London. The legitimate use of the Arcos Building was not affected, and the Government, would facilitate the ordinary trade. In expectation of a statement on the Arcos raid the House was crowded. Sir William Joynson-Hicks informed a questioner that no letters from Russia to the Trade Delegation were opened during the raid, but letters from the Russian Embassy for transmission to Russia were opened and returned. The duty of the police was not only to seek for the missing document, but also for evidence relating to its disposal. —A. and N.Z-Sun.

WILLING TO FIGHT

LABOUR’S STATEMENT

MACDONALD’S CHALLENGE

By Cable. —Press Association. —Copyright Reed. 11.50 a.m. LONDON, Tuesday.

Mr. Ramsay MacDonald appeared bronzed, but is obviously not ye.t in

normal health, and walked painfully with a stick when he landed at Southampton. He says he is prepared to challenge the Government in the event of a complete rupture with Russia, to a general election, that would he on that issue combined with the Trade Unions Bill.—A. and N.Z.-Sun.

LOST IN RUSSIA

BRITISH MONEY INVESTORS SUFFER By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright Reed. 10.55 a.m. LONDON, Tues. The British investors’ losses in Russia due to the Soviet’s confiscation of property and failure to meet obligations, according to Mr. Tweed, chairman of the British Creditors’ Association. are as follow:—Property. £180,000,000; bonds. £40,000,000; miscellaneous, £40,000,000. Britain’s industrial and commercial investments in January. 1917, were £50,750,000, and the war debt, apart from private losFes, amounts to £763,000,000. The loss of interest alone exceeds £30,000,000 yearly. British owners of Russian property have been seeing their products sold iu London without redress under the Anglo-Russian trade agreement. There is a strong commercial party in Russia, more numerous than the political side, wishing tc trade normally and pay private debts to compensate foreigners for confiscated property, but they are terrorised by the political side. This action hv Britain of curtailing the activities of Arcos. Ltd., will encourage the sober elements. —A. and N.Z.-Sun.