Evening star., 1927-03-20
FORMER ESTHON|A
MINISTER SEIZED
Birk, Arrested at Border
Faces Court-martiaI on
Treason Charge.

'
News Copynght 1877
RIGA March ls-The prodigal son
has come home. says the Baltic Press
commenting on the return Of former
Minister 3irk Of Esthonia from Soviet
Russia. hui unlike his biblical. preue-
cessor he was arrested upon setting
foot on his native soil.
Public opinion. was excited in June,
1925, when Minister Brk refused 10
account to his government for his do
inss with Soviet Russia and his i2.
noring of repeated instructions To ap
pear personally al ReraL
The Esthonian GOV ernment long has
been watching the strange behavior OF
Iirk. a former eood staN-at-home. VINO
started suddenly on luxurious career
with his ,enographer. going in FOR
automobile drives, restaurant lie ana
costly clothing Closer investigation
revealed that the Minister was q reg
ular guest at Nine. kameuef's salon
and that his unusual friendship with
NJ. Tchicherin exceeded reasonable so
al relations Furthermore. !, Was
found that Bifk was surrounded eN
Soviet agents OF dubious character
Is Finally Discharged
When IT became evident that Blrk :
sweetheart was an agent Of the cheka
and had access 10 his flies and that
he was ignoring instructions from
lteVai he was discharged
Rumors that Birk sQuandered state
muney are said to be untrue. How
ever. his government was puzzled as
To The source of his funds. Then Birk
disappeared.
" men Birk reappeared later there
was fresh surprise. He began pub
fishing articles in the Soviet press
einpha sizing the gravely divergent
Opinions neld BY himself and his gov
eiiimen,. He said that. contrary 10
instructions. he mad always stood for
osest Esthonian. Russian relations.
lis CONVICTIONS not permitting him TO
serve ESthonIa any longer. He said
tIe EstnOnian general staff was en-
IAely under the influence of Fascist
ofEaniZaIIohs and that the latter were
| lsalening To assassinate him if he
returned 10 ReNal to report to his
kut ternment.
Asks Soviet Protection
Finally, Birk appealed to the Soviet
government Tor protection against the
alleged intent. on or Esthon.an spies
to inurder hiln in t,ussia. Lltlie was
lleard Oh him therealIe.', except that
he and ms sweetheart desired to pur.
chase an estate and settle at South
Itusslan heaItn resort. Recently il
was reported that BIrk had been ap-
pointed chairman OF the Esthonlan
section OF the SOVIET committee Ior
Inv estigation OF workers movements
abroad.
immediately upon his arrival IN ES-
thonla, Blk WAS notined that he vas
al the disposal OF the Esthonsan ad-
ministration of justice. When he ask
ed II he was under arrest he NaS
shown a group OF guards surrounding
him. BlrK appeared very nervous and
asked for brandy, which. he said re.
freshed his memory. Then he told his
guards of his adventures in Russia.
Birk s stories invite caution. some
of them being in conflict with the
facts. He saio the Soviet government
would not let him leave Russia: that
he was constantly watched by Cheka
agents. who became A nuisance He
lived during the last months OF 1926
al the town of Noronesh hoping for a
nice rest, but this was thoroughly
spoiled by Cheka agents.
Says Agents Were Jailers.
Birk said the Cheka agents, whom
ne hrst thought would protect him
from Esthonian assassins. actually
We're Jailers, getting so annoying that
he undertook hunger strike. AS a
result, he said. he was sent TO Mos
COW. where he was ordered TO STAY in
hithy hotel "barchook
On March 3. Birk said. he planned
To escape. knowing his eheka guard
was suffering from a bad heart. Eirk
said he took long walks to the out
skirts OF Moscow. The cheka man was
unable TO keep the pace, and Birk
finally plunged into the river and
SWAN TO the other ba nix, where he ra n
until he got tlroshky lin which he
drove TO the Norwegian embassy.
: There he was given shelter for four
davs
Birk's case finally was taken up by
tho Esthonian embassy. His diplomatic
passports were taken away and he
was given new passports and cloth
ing.
Escorted to Border.
An Esthonian embassy official es-
corted Birk TO the border, where he
was taken into custody by the poiti.
raj police. In prison Birk asked for
criminal code, which he studies ar.
IDENTIFY. The doctors ind his mental
condition unusual, and it is believed
he will have to undergo psychopathic
examination.
Undoubtedly Birk will be charged
with high treason and tried by a
coirt'martial. The Esthonian papers
refer TO him s "a lemon squeezed bv
the SoNlets and returned to Esthonia ."