Evening star., 1941-06-14
Bookniga Corp. Trial
Begins lis Second
Week on Monday
Evidence Against Reputed
Soviet Agents Only
About Half Complete

Trial of three officers of the de-
funct Bookniga Corp. Of New York
will move into its second week IN
District Court Monday with the
Governments case against the al
legged Soviet representatives only
about half complete.
Evidence of the movements In
this country of Russians connected
with Bookniga and allied corpora
tions was introduced in an effort
to prove the New York book dis
tribution firms were merely propa-
ganda fronts" for the Soviet book
monopoly in Moscow.
State Department and Immigra-
ton Service records were produced
to demonstrate alleged irregularities
in the statements of half a dozen
Russians seeking entry into the
United States and later permission
to extend their stays. Several were
agents of the Soviet book trust, ex-
planning to American consuls in
Europe they wished to come to the
United States to purchase technical
books and pamphlets.
Sought to Appear American.
These men and women, the Gov
ernment said, later became officers
of Amkniga Corp, the functions
of which Bookniga took over six
years ago, and of Amtorg Corp,
official Soviet trade agency in this
country and of Bookniga. The prose-
cution contends Bookniga sought
to appear as a bona fide American
corporation when as matter OF
fact it was controlled from Moscow.
The three officers, Morris Liskin,
president; Raphael Rush, vice presi-
dent, and Norman Weinberg, secre-
tary- treasurer of Bookniga, are
charged with conspiracy to violate
the law requiring agents of foreign
principals to register with the State
Department and with failure to reg
lister. Liskin already has pleaded
guilty on the latter count.
Benjamin Parker, special assist
ant to the Attorney General, has in
troduced voluminous records, letters
and bank statements of the corpora
tions and their officers to link the
corporations with each other and
with the alleged parent trust in Rus
sia.
Stain Message Read.
Mr.. Parker also introduced 63
books and pamphlets printed in
Moscow and identified by an en-
ploye of Bookniga as part Of the
concerns regular stock. He read
numerous excerpts to the jury from
the English translations and had an
interpreter read from the works
printed in Russian. 1t was his con-
tention that the subject matter of
the material tends to undermine
the American way Of life and the
capitalistic system"
One passage read by Mr.. Parker
was from the book, "Leninism,"
written by Joseph Stain, Premier
of the U. S. S. r. 1t said in part:
"I should like to dwell on the
fundamental task, on the task con-
fronting the Communist parties of
the West, which, If understood, will
greatly facilitate the fulillment of
all the other urgent tasks.
Task of Communists.
GyITI,o+ ie fbic tocEo
"The task is to link the Com
munist parties of the West with
the trade unions. This task is to
develop the campaign for unity in
the trade union movement and to
bring it to its consummation; to
make 1t the absolute duty of all
Communists to join the trade un-
ions; to carry on systematic work in
them in order to unite the workers
in a united front against capital,
and thus create the conditions that
will enable the Communist parties
to rely upon the support of the
trade unions"
Expressions by Communist leaders
on the necessity for world revolu-
tl0n also were read 10 tne jury, along
with various ways and means of
furthering the party's attack upon
religion and capitalism.
Defense Counsel Leo Rover brought
out, however, that the publications
were sold openly to the general pub
lie from the New York store and to
colleges, schools and libraries. The
articles sold included reproductions
Of paintings, collections of photo
graphs, fairy stories, songs and sheet
music.
Mr.. Rover also brought out that
Bookniga had a section devoted to
American books, including such
classics" as THE Three Little Pigs"
On conclusion of yesterdays testi-
mony Justice r. Dickinson Let's
adjourned the trial until Monday
ro0rnipo