The Washington times., 1937-06-11
FIRING SQUADS
FOR ALL SURE,
IS BELIEF
Marshal Tukhachersky
Heads List Accused
OF Nazi Plotting
By JAMES e. BROWN

MOSCOW, June II QN.S0
With Soviet newspapers openly
accusing them of spying for Nazi
Germany, eight high ranking
leaders Of the red army went on
trial in secret today on treason
charges.
The defendants included Mar.
shall Mikhail N. Tukhachevsky,
until q month ago ce-commissar
for war. The other seven held such
high positions that until their re.
cent removal from office in dis
grace they virtually held the fate
Of the Soviet Army in their hands.
Extreme Secrecy
No espionage trial in the history
Of the Soviet has been shrouded in
such secrecy as this one, the an
nouncement of which rocked the
U. s. 8. r. to its foundations.
A brief communique stated the
trial was under way. Location OF
the courtroom was shrouded in
mystery. All the Soviet public
knew was that the highest prose
cutting officials of the Government,
headed by VASTLY v. Ulrich, who
has handled most Of the "Trosky-
list" trials in recent months, had
been pressed into service to try
the cases.
Conviction of all the defendants
and execution by a firing squad
was regarded as a foregone con.
clusion. All were said to have ad-
rnitted their guilt.
No Mercy for Spies
ForecaSting outcome OF the
trial, the newspaper Pravda, Of
ficial organ of the Communist
party, Numbered:
"There Is not and will be no
mercy for capitalist spies.
Bourgeois newspapers have
set M . howl against these
arrests. The inspired German
press of GOebbels paul Joseph
GOebbeIs, NaI propaganda
minister) has called it q
crisis In the Soviet govern
ment.
"Thls Is merely an indication
Of the Fascists' Chsgrin over
the failure Of their spies"
All sections Of the Kremlin-con-
trolled Moscow press joined in ex-
coriating the 'villany" OF these
eight traitors, accused Of having
conspired with the agents Of .
foreign power to deliver Soviet
military secrets and engage IN
sabotage within the Red army to
ensure its defeat in event Of war.
Objective UndisclOsed
Whether, as q result, they hoped
to establish a new Russia regime
to displace the Bolshevik hierarchy
or merely place the U. s. s. r.
under the thrall of the foreign
power accused Of employing them
has not been made clear in the
accusation made public.
Judge Ulrich presided as the
court met behind closed doors.
Other members Of the court were
Marshal Simon Budenny, new
commander Of the Moscow garri-
son; Marshal VASTLY Bluecher, red
army commander in Siberia: Com.
mander B. M. Shaposhnikov, chief
Of the general staff, and red army
commanders I. P. Below, p. e.
Bybenko, M. D. KaShirin and e. I.
Goraishov.
At 8 a. m. the foreign office
issued a communique announcing
the arrest and trial Of the eight
defendants. The judges will sit
as q special tribunal Of the Su-
preme Court.
List Of Defendants
The defendants, headed by
Tukhachevsky, are Gen. A. I.
Kork, former head of the Red
Army War College; Gen. e. /.
Yakir, former military commander
at Leningrad; Gen. I. p. Ubore-
witch, former commander in White
Russia; Gen. r. P. Eideman,
former head Of the organization
for training military reserves;
Gen. B. M. Feldman, member Of
the general staff; Gen. K. V.
Putna, former military attache in
London, and Gen. v. M. Primakov.
They are charged with violation
Of their military duty, high treason
and betrayal Of the peoples Of the
U. S. S. r. and of the workers,
peasants and Red army.