Evening star., 1938-03-20
BY ELIAS TOBENKIN.

euN York and Chicago newspapers.
BY ELIAS TOBENKIN.
With the curtain rung down on the
Bukharin-Rykov trial in Moscow by
the summary execution of 18 of the
81 accused, Alexander A. Troyanovsky,
Soviet Ambassador to the United
States, in an exclusive interview with
the writer defended the severity of
the Soviet government in refusing to
commute the sentence of a single
one of the 18 defendants from death
to imprisonment. despite their own
and international pleas for clemency.
Had their plots not been disclosed
in time, Russia would today be where
Austria is, under the yoke of a
Fascist ruler" Mr.. Troyanovsky said.
I'VE cannot be soft toward individual
criminals for the mere reason that,
in the past, through our generosity,
they occupied high positions in our
government. Their crimes are all the
more objectionable because they mis-
used the great confidence placed in
them.
Defeat in War.
'As part of their program for up
setting the Soviet regime" the Am
bassador continued. these men were
planning to force Russia into a de-
feat in war, expecting that such q
defeat would aid them in their counter
revolutionary plans. That was the
significance of the tie-up of these
plotters with Gen. Tukhachevsky and
the seven other generals whom the
Soviet government found it necessary
summary to remove and execute.
If Rykov, Bukharin and their CO.
conspirators had been successful, they
would make scrap of paper of the
Franco-Soviet treaty and the Soviet
Union would at once be Withdrawn
from the coalition of democratic ma
tions. They would have changed
Russia into a Fascist state, if they
had had the opportunity"
Mr.. Troyanovsky stated that the
pleas for clemency made for Alexei
Rykov, Nikolai Bukharin and their 19
fellow conspirators by liberals in the
United States were the result of either
"honest misunderstanding or else
"bitter hostility" toward the Soviet
Union as land of peace and progress.
Compare Loss of Life.
Compare the loss of life as a re-
suit of the last trial." he said, with
the loss of life which would have ac-
crued to Russias l7O,000000 people
If the foreign and domestic plots of
these conspirators had not been un-
earthed, exposed and punished. How
can We punish severely the soldiers of
the rank and file who during wartime
show cowardice and weakness if We
are not severe toward former COM
nlissars and high officials? What
example would We set for the fighters
for liberty and a better future in
Spain and in China and to our own
soldiers who are ready to fight against
aggression If they should be involved
in war?
IF their plots had succeeded" the
Ambassador said, land we had fol-
lowed their methods in foreign affairs,
Russia would today be sharing the
fate of China, Spain or Austria. Our
government recognized the RESPONSE
bllity not only before Our own people,
but before the entire world The So
Wet Union has determined to be
strong and firm against all its enc
mics and hostile elements. When the
blood Of thousands upon thousands of
Spaniards and Chinese victims of
reaction is shed, and when countries
disappear from the maps of the world
our country cannot be lenient toward
traitors and conspirators in our midst"
Espionage Activities.
MIR. Troyanovsky explained the es-
plonage activities of Rykov, Bukharin
and the others in their group by the
fact that they had no support from
the masses" They therefore sought
assistance from abroad.
Realizing. that theirs was a lost
cause Mr.. Troyanovsky said, but
that they would have to pay for it
with their lives when they were found
out, they decided to risk everything.
II, for instance. they could embroil
Russia In a defeat in this war, they
inquired they might save themselves
and realize their counter-revolution-
ary aim. Hence the two arms of their
treasonable activity: Sabotage of the
heavy industries which are essential
10 the successful pursuit of war, on
the one hand. and reasonable rela-
uons with foreign governments. on
the other"
MIR. Troyanovsky was asked about
the sabotage activities ascribed to the
Rykov-Bukharin group.
Deliberate Mismanagement.
by deliberate mismanagement," he
replied, "and for the sole purpose of
discrediting the Stain regime, these
men have retarded the coal industry
and have disorganized the railroads
OF the country. How did they bring
these things about? BY taking ad-
vantage of their high positions to give
wrong orders, to countermand existing
plans and by other deliberate mis-
management"
He was asked for specific examples
Of such sabotage.
Let us take the chemical industry"
Mr.. Troyanovsky said. Il am no
chemist and will therefore speak in
general terms. The chemical industry
requires as base a certain type of
soda. In the original plans for this
industry provision was made for the
building of plants to manufacture soda.
Piatakov C. L. Piatokov, former as
sistant commissar of heavy industry
who was executed in 1880, as the
head Of this particular branch of
heavy industry, countermanded these
plans. He stated that he had other
plants for obtaining soda. Three years
passed. The chemical industry began
going to seed because there was no
soda and Dlants fo n, op,,fo ot,,re .oI.