The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-03-20

AAOSS~@NN~E9
replied that the practicalS
meaning of the British claims
is reduced to the proposal to
exempt from Soviet jurisdiction all
British subjects, guaranteeing them
immunity from the consequences OF
any crime or delinquency, and that
in the event any Englishman is ac-
cused of crime the investigation
should be stopped Immediately, de-
spite proofs and even dispositions OF
the arrested as soon as his govern
ment expresses its conviction of his
innocence.
Cannot Accept Such Demands
Litvinov pointed out that it is SUI
ficient to formulate these British pro-
posals to make 1t plain that to any
government Of an independent coun-
try they are unacceptable and can
not be discussed. In the event Of the
existance of proofs Of crime being
committed by anybody, the authori-
ties charged with enforcing obser-
vance of laws and the safety Of the
country are obliged to take measures
toward preventing crime and to
verify by investigation such data and
proof. This Is the only way to eS-
tablish guilt or innocence of the an
rested and also to establish by trial
the motive for the crime. Such is
the inevitable procedure in all coun-
tries.
Some Practice in Other Lands
Quite recently there occurred in
other countries arrests Of foreigners
and their sentence. These people
occupied prominent positions. There
were also arrests and convictions OF
leading bankers. Such cases can
not be avoided, and should not in
any way influence International re-
lations, which are determined by
much more important and profound
considerations than the interests OF
| individual citizens of firms.
Many Foreigners in U.S.S.R.
There are living in the Soviet
Union hundreds and thousands OF
Germans, Americans and citizens Of
other countries who suffer no per-
secution. During all the time there
have existed relations between the
| US.S.R. and Great Britain hun
dreds of Englishmen came here,
| lived and left without once being
subject to arrest. Finally the rep
resentatives Of metropolitan -Vickers
themselves lived here nearly ten
years and nothing happened to them.
Such measures as arrests and pro-
secution by our authorities were
adopted only when faced with ser1-
GUS causes and when such action
necessitated the safety Of and safe
guards for state property.
It would be exceedingly wrong
declared Litvioy, for such episodes
to affect the political and CONNER
cial relations of the Soviet Union
and England, relations equally pro-
f1table to both countries.
Threats VIII Not Work
In firm tones the Soviet foreign
minister told Ovey that no pressure
nor threats can induce the Soviet
government to refrain from action
in such cases or to relax its enforce
ment of its laws against British SUBJ
jects.
If the British government and the
embassy are so certain of the in
nocence of the arrested, the alarm
they express at their fate is incom-
prehensible.
At the request Of the British am
bassador Jitvinov informed him that
the arrested are accused under
clause SO dealing with wrecking and
sabotage to injure Soviet industry
and the Soviet state. The investi-
cation is approaching it's end and
the State Department has therefore
decided to transfer the case to the
next session Of the supreme court
where the case will be fully examined