Evening star., 1937-01-31
Tragi. Comedy in Moscow.

Nothing IN the blzarre proceeomgs 2t
Moscow, which have gripped the worlds
attention for the past week, could be
more fantastic than their amazing end
ing. AZ foreordained. all seventeen Of
the alleged plotters against the Soviet
Union. following abject confessions. of
guilt, were convicted Of high treason.
The feature Of the verdict which
strengthens suspicion that the whole
trial lacked senuineness Is the fact that
the two chief figures involved in the con-
spiracy to overthrow the government,
restore capitalism, embron Russia in for
eign war, partition rich border provinces
and sabotage vital Soviet industries, were
merely given imprisonment, while thir.
teen co-defendapts were sentenced to
death: Karl Radek and Gregory 6okol-
nikoff and . third defendant received
ten.year jail terms, and fourth con-
fessed plotter . term Of eight years.
Thus ends the second great purge
undertaken by the Stain regime to crush
Trotzkyism and bulwark the elements at
present in control Of Soviet destinies.
The latest batch Of culprits. with ex-
ception of the quartet whose lives are
spared, now faces the fate meted out to
the Kamenen- -Zinovien Trotzkyites put
to death by firing squads last year. One
more purge Is imminent, involving
Bukharin, former editor, and Ryko1, one
time minister of communications. "Old
Bolshevists," like their comrades already
sent to their doom, this newest coterie
is presumably also accused Of maintain
ing reasonable relations with the exiled
Trotzky.
Throughout the tragi-comedy on which
the curtain has just fallen there was
an air Of irrepressible unreality. Here
in the dock were Radek, Sokolnikon.
Piatakoff and more than dozen others,
once ardent devotees Of Lenin and for
twenty years fanatically loyal supporters
Of the existing Communist order. Yet
not one of them hesitated to confess in
open court, with . wealth Of self -accusa-
tory detail. that they were guilty Of the
foulest crimes not only against the state,
but against the lives of its leaders and
thousands of fellow citizens in military
and industrial service. The most serious
allegations concerned secret dealings with
Germany and Japan, whereby those
powers were to make war on the Soviet
and be aided by the plotters in the
conquest of vast Russian territory In
Europe and Asia. In extenuation Of
negotiations with the Germans and
japanese, Radek and his comrades
pleaded that only a. . result Of foreign
war could stalinism be compelled TO
make way for . truly communistic state.
Although ringleaders In this conspiracy,
under Trotzky's orders, Radek and the
two others saved from execution were
adjudged guilty Of merely political
offenses and therefore entitled to Glenn
ency. Radek is said also to have escaped
death 50 that his testimony may be used
at future treason trials.
Probably the outside world win never
know the full inwardness Of the judicial
travesty ut Moscow. 1t reeked from
start to finish with the atmosphere of
artificiality and insincerity. The deep
rooted impression will persist that the
trial was species Of camouhage designed
to hide the truth and perhaps shield
others. Nor will people outside of Russia
be easily convinced that the whole affair
is not tell-tale evidence Of the desperate
straits to which Stain must resort to
retain Autocry sic sway.