New-York tribune., 1921-01-30
Soviet Issues
Threat to Kill
All Prisoners
Wholesale Slaughter in Re.
prisal to Follow Assassi-
nation Of Any Bolshevik
Official, Says Government
Plot Alleged Discovered
Head Of Russian Social Dem
ocratic Party Appeals to
Worlo to Stay Red Hand


Soviet government in an official Boil
shevik announcement contained in Boil
shevik papers reaching this city yes
terdsy.
simultaneously with this announce
ment came also copy of an appeal
by Marriott. one of the worlds lead
ing Socialists and head of the Russian
Social al-Democratic Labor party, ad-
dressed to the Socialists and Communists
of western Europe and America, to stay
the hand Of the Soviet government and
prevail upon il not to carry out its
"boody madness"
Both the Bolshevik papers and Mar
toff's appeal. which appeared originally
in the Freiheit. CHIEF organ OF the
Independent German Socialists, indi-
cate that The Bolshevik threat is pred
icated upon the discovery by the Boil
shevik secret police of an alleged plot
30 assassinate the chieftains of the
Soviet government. The pilot" ac-
cording to the Bolshevik announce
ment. has been hatched by leaders of
various anti Bolshevik groups, includ-
ing those of Savinkoff, Tchernoff and
&c, eral wrangel The Soviet govern
meit. in its announcement. declares
that in reprisa for the assassination
of any Bolshevlk chieftain, all the
political prisoners belonging to these
factions will be "merclessly an
initiated"
Denounees Police Spies
In his appeal Martotf denounces the
alleged plot as "the product Of the
lying work Of Bolshevik provocateurs
and police spies" and addresses him
self to the proletariat Of the world "in
the name of humanity and international
soc alism" to prevent the Soviet gov
ern nent from carrying out its pro-
posed wholesale slaughter should
sept rate individuals for which no par
ties bear responsibility venture to en-
gage in assassination enterprises.
Nmrtoff warns the Socialists and
Com m unists of western Europe and
Anne rica not to take the Soviet gov
ernments threat lightly and recalls
the wholesale murder Of prisoners car
ried out by the Bolsheviki in 1918 in
reprisal for the assassination of
Uri,sky, the Bolshevik chief of police
Of Petrograd.
Martotf a so calls the attention of the
proletariat of the world to the fact
that the Bolsheviki executed fourteen
bourgeois prisoners in Petrasavodsk in
reprisa for the murder of Karl Lieb-
knecht and Rosa Luxembourg in Ger
many.
Martof''s appeal, in part, follows:
The Moscow newspapers contain an
announcement by the Soviet govern
ment which should FIJI all who are fa-
miiar with the situation i'm Russia
with fear and horror In its announce
men. the Soviet government declares
that the Russian counter revolution,
having suffered defeat in the move
ments of Wrangel, Balachovitch and
Petlura, has now decided to embark
upon campaign Of terror in the
struggle against the Soviet govern
ment.
Terroristic Plot Charged
"The announcement states that the
Soviet government has learned, on the
basis of information supplied by Ger
tain organs of the Soviet power Il. e..
the secret police), that certain White
Gus ID organizat 'ons have recently com
bin. for the purpose of carrying out
s-ries Of terroristc acts against the
p-esentatives Of the Soviet govern
ment. The groups concerned, accord
ing to the announcement Of the Soviet
authorities. are those Of Savinkoff,
Tchernof, the Nat onal and Tactivist
Center and cer.a groups Of Wran-
gel officers. The Entente governments
are alleged to have opened large credits
10 the counterrevolutionary assassns.
All OF this is alleged to have been
established by the Communis. police.
II mas been proved on many occasions,
however, on the basis of unimpeach-
able facts. that the Lenine secret police
Is composed Of the same dirty, lying
scum which enters into the compost
tor Of the secret police Of any other
bourgeois government, that these gen.
tlemen do not stop at forgery and
provacateur tactics. and that their re-
ports to the government concerning
'rlo's' they allegc to have discovered
on the Right and on the Left are false
and counterfeit.
Finds Statements False
This time, 100, this remains true,
FOR the new Soviet manifesto contains
quite impossible information, the falls
ity Of which is apparent TO every Rus
sian political worker. The group Of
Ichernofs.' we are informed by the
Soviet government. has combined with
Wfangal. Savinkof and other organ
lzations for terroristic purposes. There
is TO 'TchernoH group in Russia There
is the party Of Socialist t-Revolutionists,
OF which Tchernotf is the leading
spokesman and theoretician The sup
position that this party, in the person
OF its official representative. could en-
ter into alliance with Wrangel and
smilar White Guard groups for a gen
eIal terroristic purpose is one which
even many Bolsheviki will recognize
ar the ridiculous and utterly unsuc-
cesefUi prrduct Of police phantasy
But the purpose of the announce
rnent 81 the Soviet government becomes
clear in the threat made by the So
net government to all its enemies:
To Be Treated as Hostages
1.-THE Soviet government regards all
these groups ss standing together for
she Common purpose Of waging bloody
strife against the workmen's and peas
ants government and declares hereby
That all the members of the Savinkof
group, all the Socialists -Revoutionists
~ the group Of Tchernof, all the
White Guards of the National and
laet3vi-t Center. IA well az all Wran-
gel offcers, viii be rega rded as host
aga. In the event Of assassination
a'tenpts against the chicftains Of the
Soviet power. ell the comrades Of the
org nizers Of these attempts will be
n'erc'iess'y snnhilated'"
Recalling the aforementioned ex-
ecutioos by the Bolsheviki and the ex-
seption Of innocent hostages by the
so'iet government for acts performed
~ persons having no connection With
10: victims. Hartof says:
Is II possible that we shalt have
experience once more this bloody