The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-04-14


MOSCOW, U. S. s. r., April 10
The Indictment read yesterday
against the Metropolitan ickers Co,
British and Russian engineers now
on trial before the Supreme Court
here, is a detailed document, ac-
cusing them Of specific cases of
espionage and wrecking Of Soviet in
dustry in preparation for imperialiSt
war against the U. S. S. r.
1t establishes in the first place that
number Of unexpected and con-
sistently repeated failures in several
electric stations (MoScoW, Chelia-
binsk, zueyka, zlatoust) are the re-
suit Of the wrecking activity Of an
organized group OF criminal ele-
ments.
The object OF this Wrecking work
was to damage Soviet electric plants
and thus put out of order q number
Of state enterprises.
Gathered Military Information.
The defendants are accused of
damaging equipment with the pur-
pose Of trying to destroy Soviet in
dustry and weaken the Soviet state;
also OF gathering secret military in
formation Of state Importance for
anti-Soviet purposes.
Chief Engineer GuSseV Of the
zlatoust Electric Plant made con-
feSEion OF his guilt. He began his
counter-reyolutionary wrecking ac-
Invites in 1929, and having anti
Soviet opinions, made friends With
Macdonald the Metro Vickers engi-
neer, who instructed him in the col
Letting Of information He says that
he felt clearly that these data were
70 serve anti-Soviet political aims.
Macdonald Corroborates.
Macdonald corroborated Gussev,s
statements face to face, and told
about the collection of information
Of military nature at Zlatoust con-
corning the nunAoer and types Of
shells produced, concerning the de-
velopment of military production, the
special sorts of steel used, and the
branches Of industry on which nor
mally the production Of military ma
serials depend. According to his own
statement, Macdonald was instructed
by Thornton, the Chief engineer Tor
Metropolitan ViCkeYs in Moscow, to
get together data concerning military
enterprises 50 as to make easier jhe
work of organizing sabotage TO handi-
cap the production of military ma
terials. Il understood that Thorn
ton was acting in the interests of
England" declared Macdonald in
reply to a question.
"GuSSev's main activities were to
organize the failure Of machinery,
and other acts of wrecking, to dis
rupt the production of munitions,
and hold up the manufacture Of
special sorts Of high grade steel To
accomplish this purpose, a ! 400
horse power motor vas put out Of
order. i boiler frozen. ana q Cosl
feeder system damaged ana other
acts Of sabotage committed
Try tn Disorganixe Defense
These facts were supported by Mac
Donald, who declared. MY ain was
10 interfere with the supply of cur
rent to the zlatoust Metslurgicai
Plant for the purpose Of disorgan-
izing the work in military undertake
tngs." The means he selected to re-
ali1e this purpose was the cutting Of
the capacity of the electric plant by
one-half. This was almost completely
accomplished. The group of saho-
teurs also directed their attention to
developing schemes for securing eco
non1ic failures and stoppageS in time
Of war, including the damaging of
boiler installations, sabotaging Of
coal supply, electric plants, etc. For
counter-revolutionary wrecking and
espionage work Macdonald paid Rus
sian engineers various sums amount
ing to 1000 rrbles.
Thornton Makes Admission.
Confronted with Gusssv and Mac
Donald, Chief Engineer Thornton
stated that Macdonald had collected
data at his instruction. For this
purpose he drew Macdonald into
espionage activity. In 1880 he was
Information from MacDon-
AID, and now from GusseY, who had
been drawn into the work OF spying
by Macdonald. Thornton admitted
se correct Macro1leldS and Glissey's
STATEMENTS about rreetiey ct Rhart-
.ssst Station where Grsssev reported |
80 s.s sseyvssss gsst 81 certain aEts,