Evening star., 1947-01-28
Ottawa's Spy Case
How Disillusioned Communist, at Great Risk,
Spilled the Beans on Soviet Intrigue
By Res Collier

BY Re;
This is the second OF q series OF
articles based on the Canadian Royal
Commissions detailed report on OPP
erntions OF Russian spy ring In
Canada during and after World
War H.
1t. Igor Gouzenko OF the Red Army
told the Royal Commission that he was
taking his life in his hands when he
emerged from the Soviet military intel
ligence office about pm. on September
S, 1945, with an armful Of secret papers
which he had made up his mind to turn
over to the Canadian government.
What happened during the ensuing
several hours lent weight to his fears.
And his inability at first to find any
one in Ottawa who would believe his
story added to his growing fright. 1t
was not until two days later, and after
Russian espionage agents had broken
into his apartment and ransacked 1t in
search of the missing documents. that
Gouzenko was able to hand his sensa-
tional data to the Royal Canadian
Mounted Police and receive the protec-
ton he needed.
Gouzenko's Mental Struggle"
Gouzenko told police he had been hav-
ing mental struggle" for some time
over the double dealing" which, as cipher
clerk In the Russian Embassy, he saw
going on daily right under his nose.
His two years of life in Ottawa with his
wife and baby, he said, had opened his
eyes to Communist Lying propaganda"
about decadent democracies.
"I was surprised during the first days"
Gin Canada) he told the commission, by
the complete freedom Of the individual
which exists in Canada but does not
exist in Russia.
"To many Soviet people here abroad
it is clear that the Communist Party
in democratic countries has changed
long ago from political party into an
agency net of the Soviet government,
into fifth column in these countries to
meet war, into an instrument In the
hands of the Soviet government for
creating artificial unrest, provocation,
etc.
Through numerous party agitators
the Soviet government stirs up the Rus
sian people in every possible way against
the peoples of the democratic countries,
preparing the ground for the third world
war.
Resented "Stab in the Back"
During my residence in Canada I
have seen how the Canadian people and
their government, sincerely wishing to
help the Soviet people, sent supplies to
the Soviet Union, collected money for the
welfare of the Russian people, sacrificing
the lives OF their sons in the delivery of
these supplies across the ocean--and
instead of gratitude for the help rem
dered, the Soviet government is develop
ing espionage activity in Canada, pre-
pairing to deliver stab in the back of
Canada-all this without knowledge of
the Russian people.
Convinced that such double-faced
politics of the Soviet government toward
the democratic countries do not conform
with the interests of the Russian people
and endanger the security Of civilization,
decided to break away from the Soviet
regime and to announce my decision
openly.
IT am glad I found the strength with
in myself to take this step and to warn
Canada and the other democratic coun-
tries of the danger which hangs over
them"
The catalyst which crystallized Gou-
zenko's troubled thoughts into a deci-
sion to make the final break was word
from Moscow that he and his family
must soon return to Russia. He learned
this bad news about the first Of Sep
tember. During the next few days he
surreptitiously bent the corners Of a
number Of top secret documents which
he carefully selected from the files of
his boss, Col. Nicolai Zapotin, listed
by the Embassy as military attache but
actually head of Russia's military in
telHgence setup in Canada.
He Leaves the Embassy for Good.
Collecting these marked papers from
Col. Zapotins Office in heavily
guarded wing Of the Russian Embassy
on the night of September 5, Gouzenko
slipped unnoticed out of the Embassy
and went to newspaper Office in
Ottawa. His idea, he said, was to have
the secret documents published i'm
mediately for the information of the
people of Canada.
He returned to his apartment and
made preparations to move his family
to another place the next morning.
When the newspaper failed to publish
his papers or story the next day he
visited what the commission described
only as "a number Of official Offices"
and also revisited the newspaper.
"He was unable that day." the re-
port states, ito have any one accept
him seriously"
Becoming more and more worried
over his predicament, and realizing that
his failure to report for work that
day would start inquiries which would
reveal the rifed files, Gouzenko re-
turned to his apartment under some
apprehension as to his personal safety
T1 NJ