Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), Monday 25 January 1937, page 1


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MOSCOW TRIAL 6

Mei

Amazing Charges play

did

INTERNATIONAL PLOT

CALM CONFESSIONS

BY ACCUSED

MOSCOW, Saturday

he

All defendants pleaded guilty when the mass trial of Karl Radek, Gregory Sokolnikoff, former Ambassador

to; Bfitain^^latoJbip^^^d; is other

older, vBoiBhcvistsV'^

atmosphere to-day?- is "'2

The indictment alleges they were implicated in a vast plot, engineered by. Trotsky to destroy the, Soviet regime and help Germany, Poland, and Japan."

It also alleges that Trotsky carried on negotiations - with Herr Hitler's deputy, Herr Hess, in Berlin, while Radek, Sokolnikoff and Piatafoff acted- as agents in Moscow.

The accused also are charged with espionage, terrorism and attempting to introduce capitalism. The indict-ment alleges that Trotsky and Hess reached an agreement for Germany to obtain important concessions to exploit the Soviet's natural resources, and, in the event of war, Radek's group was to engage in military sabotage espionage under instructions

from the German General ? Staff". ..;'".-¦¦¦

Radek is charged with organising a reserve centre" to act if Trotsky were to fail. 3 The

prisoners sat in silence as the startling' charges, outlined a vast plot involving overthrow of the Soviet by foreign nations, to restore capitalism

were read.

As a mark of contempt, no soviet officials of importance attended, . but Lord' Chilton, the British Ambassador, was present. ,,.?'.

As iii previous trials, Trotsky, now safely in Mexico emerged - as the Soviet's Public Enemy No. 1.

. Piatakoff was the first to take the witness stand and, in a confession, disclosed a meeting with Trotsky in Oslo, in December 1935, when explicit plans to involve the Soviet in war were discussed Two agents pre-vocates, Mr. K" of Germany and Mr. X of the Japanese intelligence service were frequently mentioned in the indictment. One of the Government's

most important pieces of evidence is a letter from Trotsky to Radek,. in December 1935, which Radek hid in a hole in a. wall of his summer residence, and handed over to the Government after his arrest.

The letter calls for the immediate assassination of Stalin and outlined

detailed activities for the , plotters. Trotsky's letter' also allegedly stated "It is necessary to yield the maritime and Amur provinces, to Japan and the Ukraine to Germany for the ex-ploitation of manganese ore, gold and phosphates and to supply Ger-many with foodstuffs and fats below world prices. I would not oppose Germany in the three Danube countries in the Balkan."

It is alleged that Piatakoff confessed that as a result of a meeting between Trotsky and Hess, it was agreed that Germany should be given territorial concessions in

Russia and German Industrialists allowed to exploit, iron, ore, coal and timber concessions. The indictment also instances the wrecking of trains involving casualties allegedly carried out by some prisoners on instructions of the Japanese intelligence officer, Mr. K."

The indictment further charges Ratalchek, Bushels, Gravsag, C'.'.. Shea-. left and Strolloff with giving the

plan;

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(Continued

on Page 2.).

MOSCOW TRIAL

(Continued from Page 1.).

German 'secret service particulars of Russian military chemical and other plants.'

The indictment names "I Piatakoff, Radek, Sokolnikoff. and Serebriakoff as'-m'embers,,.:of a ;reseryefcentre or-: managed (than 1933 at Trotsky's orders with various subversive .'activities,-;in cluding ..the',.estabi^

groups -.'in'JMoscow,'"Lenin'grad)" Kelv, Rostov, Novosibirsk, and many other towns and with . t.hei,as?asslnatlon of Soviet leaders. .'.'¦¦?¦'

Piatakoff, with greying - reddish: moustache and ,.a...goatee, faced the microphone for an hour at the night session,;in>the^so-cijiiied ^'aliVof'death and calmly reclted>-detalls for if the conspiracy including deliberate wastage of stores ; and- machinery v valued at several; million pounds sterling in dozens. of A factories. ;

Radek, in 'a evidence, ' submitted" his parjUclpatlonJn the plot. to kill Klro'ff Stalin's lieutenant,', who was assassi-nated" in 1934-35- '.'. The

Prosecutor t (Vishinsky) asked

him whether' he was aware that

terrorism' was punishable by death.

'.'R$deic;;'replied with the shadow of a smile ^i.Have^noknowledge of the 'CTi.rnlnai'c'ode.''''''! :;""" a;: ' ''a ?"

:'.Ylshinsky reported grimly "You Will .kridw,.lt when the trial has 'aridcd,'" escaped Radek, amidst laughter,' said "But r shan't know it .for'Vdrig.''

;?Bukljartzev admitted he knew the gu^ltV!vpurpose of Piatakdff's visit

with Sokolnikoff who also admitted

Bunty;..';; ".";"'.¦".. "?""'.:'. a,' a?

.TjierJudge intimated, the names of. ,of,Qei;man,high'pfflcials - who were

allegedly to approve finally of -Trot?

says I arrangementS with Hess with the:...^sei;ve,,of;.Si''sccrctV'cientre.'' ¦ ;.'

" iT-'heicourtVadjourned; '-in-". .-.-'? at

TROTSKY DEMANDS

NEUTRAL INQUIRY.

<;,._ NEW YORK, Saturday.'¦¦'¦;'

Leon Trotsky in an exclusive copy; right interview with the North American Newspaper is Alliance, is' says "The first; trial was a cruel fiasco, making. necessary the -second. trial: JTIljie'jce;/was,.not.ii. word of truth in the rieW accusations 'pr:"th'e;;pldr;ones. - no wish to .ask_^^in'.fpr/;an.|nterna«onT al body, of .ihyies.tigatlon compromis-ing outstanding personalities of returns'er'ous.icountfies,.to,which I will soon-it is all correspondence a piece j 1928. I will launch new defiance to the false fliers, I promise. to demonstrate before such a commission that Joseph Stalin: is the organiser of the; greatest politicar-crimes''in"¦.'the world's history."

a ; PURE: NONSENSE A

BERLIN,. Sunday.

-The Ministry for Propaganda sides cribes the anti-German.,allegationsI as pure nonsense and describes trials; of such nature as a' sham. ' "? *