The New York herald., 1922-06-17
WANDER VELDE MAY
BE VICTIM OF REDS
Belgian Socialist Reported AS
sassinated Defending Anti
BOlSheviki.

BRUSSELS, June 16 (Associated Press)
-Rumors We're current in the Belgian
Chamber Of Deputies this afternoon that
Emile Vandervelde. former Minister of
Justice. who went to Russia as counsel
for the social revolutlonists on trial
there. had been assassinated at Moscow.
No confirmation of these rumors had
been received in Belgian official circles.
Special Cable to THE New YORK HERALD.
Copyright, 1922, by TIE New york HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Berlin. June 16.
The trial of anti-Bolshevist social
revolutionaries, now proceeding in Mos
cow, has lost all appearance Of judicial
nature and has degenerated into menace
of mob violence and a political cam
paign. Twenty-Five Russian social
revolutionaries were, until yesterday.
being defended by outside Socialists.
notably Emile vandervelde, former Bel
gian Minister of Justice, under an agree
ment between the Soviet Government
and the International Socialist Confer
ence In Berlin. If found guilty the ac-
cused men face a death sentence.
M. Vandervelde and his colleagues
were released from their obligation to
conduct the defense. however. when the
defendants notified the tribunal to that
eject, having received statement from
M. Vandervelde that further foreign
participation in the trial was useless, as
the agreement had been broken.
Prisoners Face Death.
The Soviet Government had deter
mined to make an example of the pris-
oners with the idea Of arousing Com
munist enthusiasm by creating the i'm
preston that the State was endangered.
Carl Radek boasted to THE New YORK
HERALD correspondent that the Govern
ment had in advance full proof of con-
spiracy. Radsk told Vandervelde and
his colleagues that the Third Interna-
tionale would intercede with the Gov
ernment to suspend all death sentences,
but such intercession was a mere form,
as mostly the same Bolsheviki are at
the head of both organizations Radek
now announces that the Soviet Gov
ernment has decided not to renounce
the right to inflict the death sentence.
The tribunal comprises judges we'll
known for their leaning toward the
death penalty, especially Karklin, a Lett
who speaks Russian badly. and Garkin,
a weak man whom the Czarist courts
vengeance upon society.
When the foreign counsel had pre-
sented the defense there was the curl
GUS spectacle of the judges acting
as prosecuting attorneys NJ. Wander
velde's argument was interrupted by the
shouts of the judges. and even Lunach-
arsky, Minister of Education. called the
Belgian. Socialist traitor" "capi-
talist agent" and wretch
want Lawyer Decapitated.
A petition was received from the Com
munists of Petrograd asking decapita-
ton not only of the accused, but their
lawyers. including Vandervelde and his
associates. and the Moscow Communists
have threatened to stage a demonstra-
tion demanding the death of the reyolu-
tionaries.
Among the revolutionaries are two
who have turned States evidence, claim
ing that they conspired to assassinate
the leading Bolsheviki. with the support
of money furnished by the Allies. The
Soviet press has suppressed reports of
the defense presented by NJ. vandervelde
and his associates.
Moscow, June 16 (Associated Press)
When NJ. Vandervelde and others OF
counsel for the defense OF the social
-revoutionaries withdrew from the case.
the judges made the following announce.
ment:
From the very beginning counsel for
the defense have taken an untrue and
unreasonable attitude toward this tribu-
nal. They quit the court because the
political situation is against them. All
the charges they bring against the court
are untrue"
BY slow stages and the review of the
facts of the revolution, the trial has
now been brought up to January, 1918,
when the Constituent Assembly was dis
solved. The defendants admitted that
they organized the anti-Communist
demonstration in Petrograd prior to the
opening OF the Constituent Assembly,
but although admitting that they pre-
viously tried to bring about an armed
revolt they said this demonstration was
peaceful