Evening star., 1937-01-31
BY LEON TROTZKY.

BY LEON TROTZKY.
MEXICO CITY, January 80 (N.A.
N.A.).-In q forecast that I made be-
fore the verdict was returned In the
Moscow trial I wrote that "it Is pos
sible that two or three Of the defend
ants would be spared in order to
avoid extreme monolithism. The most
important Of the accused will, in any
case, be condemned to death" The
last cable says that four are to be
spared, Is per cent more than sup
posed.
But most recognize that I did not
foresee that amongst those already
spared in the verdict Of the court
should be Radek and Sokolnikov.
Similarly to Zinoviev and Kamenev,
they took upon themselves the crime
of terrorist action, including the as
sassination of Kirov. But more than
that, they pleaded guilty also of the
charge of high treason. Sokolnikov
confessed, or more correctly. calum-
mated himself to the accusation that
he transmitted military secrets to jap
anese diplomats.
Why then are they granted their
lives? Only one explanation IS pos
sible. They are too well known in
the western world as well as in the
East.
Uncertainty and Retreat.
One cannot avoid seeing here .
partial retreat on the part OF Stain
before international public opinion. I
say Stain because it is not possible
to entertain the slightest doubt that
the verdicts were agreed upon in the
Political Bureau and communicated
to Ulrich by secret telephone. Not
only does Stain not dare to shoot
Radek and Sokolnikov in the present
situation, but he found it impossible
even to condemn them to death in
the first instance. By comparison
with the proceedings in the trial Of the
first 16, We cannot avoid observing
here retreat dictated by a feeling of
uncertainty.
Thirteen are condemned to death.
Piatakov occupies first place among
them. It is possible that among the
accused, unknown to us, there are
genuine traitors and spies drawn into
the affair only for the purpose Of
amalgamation, but Piatakov, Serebrai-
kov, Mouralov, Bobuslavsky and Drub-
Miss are guilty of terrorism and high
treason no more than are Radek and
Sokolnikov. They are not guilty at
all. Why then is the verdict assassi-
nation for them?
Let us remember that they are &C
cused above all Of industrial sabotage.
We must suppose that, in the depths
of the working masses, the numerous
industrial catastrophes costing hun
dreds of lives have aroused q burning
indignation. The ruling clique needs,
therefore. expiatory victims, hence
the verdict for Piatakov and the
other saboteurs.
It remains to be seen If the verdict
Is deflnitive. or If, by means Of appeal,
Stain will commute the death SEN
fences to terms Of Imprisonment. If
the five old bolsheviks mentioned
above are spared, and we ardently
hope SO, this weakness will reveal the
false character of the accusations
and at the same time the increasing
uncertainty Of the ruling clique.
May Assassinate Piatakov.
1t seems to us, however, that
Piatakov, above all, is in danger, not
only because he must pay with his
head for all the mistakes of the ad-
ministration Of state industry, but be-
cause he has incomparably COM
promised the trial by his description
OF his voyage to Norway. So long as
Piatakov lives this very embarrassing
discussion will continue. It is un-
fortunately quite possible that Stain
will attempt to extricate himself from
this impasse by assassinating Piatakov.
One asks no questions of the dead.
For the final conclusion it is neces-
sary to await the supreme decision.
We will not have long to wait.
In official Moscow circles they begin
to imply, although in a very vague
manner, the possibility of the demand
for my extradition. I welcome this
idea warmly. What is more, for my
part demand that the Russian gov
eminent present such a request.
During the trial of the 16 I asked
Moscow to present their proofs to
Norwegian justice for the purpose of
my extradition.
In my deposition as witness before
the Norwegian courts December II,
1896, with regard to the Fascist at
tack on my home, I unmasked, under
judicial oath, the criminal Moscow
frame-up. Unfortunately, the doors
were closed. I am now ready to re-
peat the action with very much more
detail and with the doors wide open
before Mexican court of law. can
not imagine q better solution Of the
whole matter.
The truth Is that in none Of the
trials has there figured an authentic
letter, document or any irreproachable
testimony. We can only imagine what
passed behind the closed doors. But
in the public session all the judicial
proofs are based upon the confessions
Of the defendants.
The trials have for their only and
exclusive base the so-called voluntary
confessions of the defendants. The
Leftist opposition has existed IA years.