Evening star., 1937-04-18

after trials OF alleged dntt-Sopiet
plotters implicated him. Merico
invited him and he pent there.
Trotsky has repeatedly denied any
y connection Uith plots against the
Stain regime and lately Jury"
OF American liberals has been en-
gagged in trial" to gipe him q
chance to present his side OF the
case to the tDorld.
By the Associated Press.
n MEXICO CITY, April 17-Carleton
Beals, American magazine writer, quit
the unofficial commission of liberals
trying" Leon Trotzky today, declar-
ing he did not think the hearing rep
resented true and serious" inquiry
into charges against the famous exile.
Shortly afterward, Trotzky closed
his defense against accusations in re-
cent treason trials at Moscow that he
F.. plotted widespread sabotage of Rus
sias industries and railroads
e Beals' resignation came after sharp
: exchange between himself and Trotzky.
In letter to DR.. John Dewey, New
= York educator and chairman of the
commission, Beals said:
: "I do not consider the proceedings
. true and serious investigation Of
charges against Trotzky. For this
T. and other reasons my further serv-
ices would not be fruitful"
Questioned on Borodin.
During yesterdays session Beals
asked if Trotzky had sent Michael
Borodin, Communist leader in China
Il, and former Soviet news agency official,
to Mexico in 1919 as party organizer.
. Trotzky denied he had instructed
Borodin to go to Mexico. He added
Beals' informant was liar" saying
. Beals sought to compromise my posi-
8 tion.''
1t was learned authoritatively that
,Beals subsequently engaged in a Wig
: orous argument with John Finerty
: of Washington, D. c., counsel for the
commission, who contended Beals'
questions about Borodin had no place
In any court of law"
, That discussion was said to have
eliminated in Beals' declaration that
either he or Finerty would have to
quit. Other members backed Finerty,
1T was said, and Beals' "irrevocable
resignation" followed today.
' Beals' Questions Criticized.
,' The commission met in executive
session today Dewey later announced
receipt of Beals' letter and said the
Jury" had formally expressed its
awareness of the complete impropriety
of Beals' questions"
Dewey added, This commission
gladly leaves to the public whether
the investigation is fair, serious and
complete"
Trotzky, in summing up his de-
Tense, referred to Beals' question about
Borodin and said: The falsehood
which he has utilized has a definite
purpose to compromise my situation in
Mexico"
Trotzky declared he never had any
personal relations with Borodin, that
he knew him only by his activity in
China, and had openly attacked him
eaa the most harmful man in the
Chinese revolution"
- Trotzky added he had never con-
eerned himself with Mexican political
questions and had never sent anybody
to Mexico.
Trotzky said he had given great
Importance to the question and its
obvious purpose-to throw upon me
through other means new suspicious
In the eyes Of the Mexican people,"
and demanded the commission throw
light on the source of Beals' informa-
ton.
Lenins Testament.
Questioned by Benjamin Stolberg,
q commission member, Trotzky said he
had once disavowed "for diplomatic
reasons" the famed Testament" in
which Nicolai Lenin is said to have
recommended eusting of Joseph Stain,
secretary-general of the Communist
party.
=. Trotzky said Max Eastman, New
York editor, had published the docu-
ment without consulting him while be
was member of the Russian govern
ment and that "sharpened an inner
struggle" which it was feared might
result in civil war. Trotzky's disavowal,
which was mot lie, not the full
truth" was imposed upon me by the
situation"
Finerty asked Trotzky If the COM
mission would not be justified in
considering his present political situa-
tion in weighing the truth of falsity
Of his testimony.
sChuckling, Trotzky replied, "You
must not consider me an angel"
He recommended a check and recheck
OF all his testimony.