Evening star., 1927-05-27
Moscow Loses.

yesterdays vote IN the bTltISl
House of Commons definitely ends re.
lations between London and Moscow.
The vote was 357 to 11S, with ten of
the Liberals voting with the govern.
ment and the others, headed by Lloyd
George, remaining silent. The min
istry scored a decisive victory. It's
case against the Soviet government
was strengthened by the debate, al
though it's critics deprecated the move
as unwise. John r. Clynes, Labor
leader. speaking in behalf of Ramsay
Macdonald. who has just returned
from America in poor health, made a
plea for trial" of the accused Rus
slams, and Lloyd George. admitting
that there had been grave breaches Of
propriety on the part of the Russian
government and its official and unof-
ficial representatives in London, de-
plored the custer as calculated to lead
to complications. There was no de.
fense of the Soviet activities.
That the ministry was confident of
the outcome of the test vote was indi-
Gated by the declaration of Sir Austen
Chamberlain, minister of foreign af-
fairs, that the government would re.
gard the adoption of the Laborite mo-
ton for an inquiry by select com.
mittee as tantamount to a vote of
censure, and would thereupon resign
and appeal to the country for a ver-
dict. There was thus definite issue,
and the outcome has greatly lessened
the likelihood Of an early general elec-
ton.
In admitting the facts cited by the
foreign minister in justification for
the rupture, David Lloyd George said
that there had always been enough
evidence to turn out the Soviet repre-.
sentatives. The Soviet attitude had
from first to last been clumsy at.
tempt to reconcile desire for peace
with hopes for the destruction of the
British Empire. Their representatives
were and had been liars, but this was
hardly the time to turn them out.
This characteristic Georgian declara-
tion unmistakably made the govern
ment's hand stronger. Policy, not jus.
tice. was the plea Of the Liberal
leader.
Incidental to the debate in Com
mons was the publication Of white
paper" giving specifications Of the sys.
TEN of espionage and propaganda
conducted both in England and in
America by the Soviet government.
Numerous names were included, as
those Of agents to whom reports were
to be sent, for transmission to Mos.
COW. 1t is stated that this Govern.
ment finds nothing surprising in the
American list, as those who are named
have been for some time well known
to the United States authorities and
have been under observation.
It would seem as net result Of the
affair. which will end with the de.
parture Of the Russian representatives
from London, that Moscow has lost
the game Of camouf1age. There are
sinister suggestions of war, Of a tri-
power combination against Russia in
militant campaign. Nothing appears
In the evidence from Europe to justify
such a suggestion. Self-protection by
the European powers to prevent sub.
versive activities by the Soviet gov
ernment does not include a military
campaign. What is there to fight for?
Lloyd George hinted that the British
government was perhaps waiting for
the Romanoffs to return. Nobody will
take such an idea seriously. What
England wants is to be let alone, to
be permitted to pursue her own
courses at home and in other regions
where she has great interests, with
out interference by the bolsheviki,
who are known to be plotting a world.
wide communism.
The next move is up to Moscow. 1t
must be an open move. AS the case
now stands, sovietism is weakened and
the security of the world from Rus
sian mischief is strengthened by Great
Britain's action.