New-York tribune., 1922-03-20
Death for 81
unlock I rial.
Aim OF Soviet
Europe Stirred by Plan
of Bolsheviki to Get
Rid of Lenine's Enc
mics; Like Dreyfus Case
By J Joseph Shaplen
BV wireless 10 The T,lbua.


BU wireless 10 Yhe Tribune
copyright. l922. New York Tribune Inc,
BERLIN, March 19.-Before the Boil
shcvlk revolutionary tribunal in Mos
cow tomorrow will begin the trial of
nfty-two men, the approach Of which
IN the last week has shaken Europe
almost as much as did the Dreyfus af-
lair. The excitement has particularly
affected Sociais. parties and Labor
organizations i'll Germany, France, Eng
land, Belgium Italy and Czecho-
Slova kia- virtually the whole Of west
ern Europe. The matter also has been
brought to the attention of Samuel
Gompers, president Of the American
Federation of Labor and the Socialists
IN lhe United States through tele-
grams sent out by the Berlin head
quarters Of the Russian Socialist
Revolutionary party. of which the fifty
two men are members.
The men on trial are charged by the
Bolsheviki with conspiling to assassi-
nate Premier Lcnine, Minister of War
Trotzky and other Soviet government
leaders last year. with trying to kin
Uristky and Volodarsky, two Red chief
tains, in 1918. and with supporting the
attempt of Dora Kapan to Kill Lenine
more than three years ago. They are
accused also of many other terrorist
plots, some which date back three
years.
Face Danger of Death Penalty
Chief Of the prisoners, who have
been in jail in Moscow for many
months, and even years, are five mem
bers of the Socialist Revolutionary
paity executive committee Gotz, Gen
dlcmen, Nedepianin. Payow and Tiom-
feyef. Only week ago did the Boil
sheviki decide actually to put the
prisoners on trial
All the accused have records for i'm
prisonment under the Car of from one
to fifteen year TO revolutionary ac-
tivities and now face the danger Of the
death penalty at the hands of the Boil
sheviki.
Gotz. leading figure among the
prisoners. has been in Jail the last
four Years in Butylky dungeon at Mos
COW. Two of the accused are now in
Berlin, but they will be tried in
absentio. They are Victor Tcherneff
president OF the Constituent Assembly,
and Nicholas RussanoH, both members
OF the central executive of the Social
lst- Revolutionary party.
Because the case has already as
sumed international Importance and
because the Bolshevik certainly are
not going to let the facts in the af-
70
the Tribune corresp spondent has looked
into the matter in detail and is able to
give information from first hand
sources.
RevOlutionists the Accusers
For one thing, the case exposes the
hyprocrisy Of the alleged abolition OF
the extraordinary commission which
the Bo,sheviki announced recently to
the world with great pomp as evidence
of their good faith in accepting an in
vitation to the Genoa economic con-
ference. Instead of actually abolish
ing the commission the Bolsheviki
merely changed its name to "the po-
litical division Of the Ministry OF In
terror" and the first act OF the re-
baptized organization is the staging OF
to-morrows trial.
Copies of Russian news papers reach
ing here, and the Bolshevik official
paper here "Novy Mir" say that the
Soviet government has obtained con
elusive evidence against the accused
persons from two persons who for
merly were members of the Socialist
Revolutionary party and who admitted
that they themselves had taken part
in the plots. The TWO are certain
Vasslef, alias Scmenef, and a wom
an, Lydia Konopewa. It is learned in
Berlin, however. that while these two
were actually at one time members of
the list-Revolutionary party and
were expelled because OF their activi
ties they have been for long time
agents Of the traordinarv Commis-
SION, and as such they will appers as
witnesses against the accused.
Records Of Betrayals
SemenefF 49, recently in Berlin,
where he published q pamphlet the
cost Of printing was borne by the Mos
COW governmenD in which he accused
the Socialist -Revouti onaries of the
assassination plots and asserted that
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