Evening star., 1949-02-26
Guilty Plea Entered
BY Third Defendant
In Bulgarian Trial
Continued From First Page.)

Continued From First Page.)
ingly. What 7 did was planned
beforehand.
''The main reason which in,
Spired me to commit all this was
fear-fear and faulty orientation
regarding Communism. For me
the Fatherland Front (the gov
erning, Communicated coalition
in Bulgaria) was nothing but
Communism.
From the very beginning Twas
absolutely against Communism
and the government. I did not
believe the declaration of the
Fatherland Front leaders. 1t was
my conviction that the Commu-
mist leaders must be suffocated
and paralyzed.'
Then Mr.. 1vanov went on to say
he had seen the light and that
the Communists were not as bad
as he had believed them.
when I came into contact with
the Communist leaders I learned
differently" he said. Now stand
ing before the court I realize that
Russia and its revolution were un-
known to us. I hated communism
without trying to understand it.
THE moment I got in touch
with these people (the Commu-
nists) 1 expected them to treat
me severely, but. on the other
hand, they gave me this oppor-
tunity to lift the curtain. -"
Those who interrogated me
sometimes argued with me. but
they always wanted to help me.
working for Duty"
Il understood then that these
people were not without sin. but
they had the attribute of repair
ing their mistakes. = They were
not working for money, but for
duty.
Il came to the conclusion that
there is nothing to fear from
them. I was convinced of their
sincerity and human feelings. I
had been on the wrong path, but
now I don't appear before you
with the fear once had.
Il don't plead for mercy. but I
want to have the opportunity to
understand the new way of the
Fatherland Front reality and to
work for the benefit of the re-
public"
Both the United States and
Britain and Western church
groups have denounced the
charges against the Bulgarian
Protestant churchmen. The
arrests drew official attention
to provision for religious free
dom which Bulgaria is pledged
to respect under the peace
treaty she signed in 1947 as
defeated satellite of Germany.
The United States and Britain
have reserved their rights" to
delve further into this angle.)
There are only about $4,000
Protestants among the 100000
people who live in Bulgaria. The
Greek Orthodox church is the
largest church. A bill now is
pending in Parliament to make it
the only peoples church" in
Bulgaria.
Mr.. Ivanov named about 10
British and American churchmen
and educators for whom he said
he collected political, economic
and military information about
Bulgaria. He said the United States
and Britain paid him.
Prominent Leaders Named.
Among the prominent foreigners
mentioned was the Rev. DR..
Hutchison Cockburn, former mod
orator of the Church of Scotland
and Chaplain to King George vi.
DR.. Cock5urn now is director Of
the Reconstruction Department
and 1nterchurch Aid of the World
Council of Churches at Geneva,
Switzerland.
Mr.. Ivanov said he met DIR.
Cockburn in Bulgaria in October.
1947, when the latter came to
investigate the situation in Bull
garia and inspect our activities"
DR.. Cockburn insisted that our
anti-Soviet work be continued"
Mr.. Ivanov said.
Referring to Bishop Paul Gar
ber, secretary of the Reconstruc-
ton Department of the World
Council of Churches. Mr.. 1vanov
said:
II submitted him detailed in
forma ton in Bulgaria in Novem-
Der, 1947. He thanked me for
the information and ordered
systematic and organized action"
(The World Council Of
Churches has denied that any
of its officers engaged IN es-
pionage activities in Bulgaria)
A decision was expected later
today on wether the court will
sit tomorrow.
Seven British and American
correspondents, not regularly sta
toned in Bulgaria, were present
today to report the trial.
Hysterio Not Like Noumov,
Close Friend Declares
SAN FRANCISCO. Feb. as CP).
THE weeping, hysterical state
ments made by Nikola Naumov
are not in keeping with the man
of stanch conviction I know him
to be-" DR.. w. Earle Smith. execu-
tive Secretarv of the San Franz