London, 'The suspension of "negotiations for a commercial treaty with Rus: sia was announced in the Mouse of Commons today by the Under. Secretary of 'State. for Foreign tain Anthony Eden, in question regarding' the sia.
He expressed from Messrs. Mo regret that, apart louse and Nord. wall, whose provisional release hiad already been announced, "the Brit-He ish subjects arrested are still in custody and, as far as Iam aware, His Majesty's Ambassador has not} been given an opportunity for private interview, His Excel-louey has been informed that the prisoners are charged under Article 58 of the Criminal Code and, in an official communique, it is stated that, the case will be dealt with by the Supreme Court, apparently, in public.
"Full details of the charge on which the case is based have not yet been received in spite of Sir Esmond Ovey's urgent inquiries, but it has been described as one of sabotage in the electrical industry.
"With regard to legal steps for the defence of the prisoners, the Soviet Government have stated that] the prisoners will not, be allowed to avail themselves of the services of British counsel, nor will such coun. sel be allowed "in court during the trial, the only counsel allowed in such' cases. being nominated from: the Soviet College of Jurisconsults, "Sir Esmond Ovey has been in: structed to press for untrammelled assistance for the prisoners 'a trial is held, "Sir Esmond Ovey was instructed to represent in the strongest terms, to the Commissar for Foreign Affairs, the grave view taken by the British Government of these unjustifiable' Proceedings against British subjects, "The Government a dings must misapprehension, has now reported that urgent representations emphasising that Anglo-Soviet _relati suffer seriously unless they ate liberated. Tt is, moreover, clear that the negotiations for a comme cial treaty can serve no useful pul pose if British subjects are to be lable to such treatment. "The Gov ernment have accordingly decided to suspend these negotiations, Sir Esmond Ovey has deen instructed to inform' the Soviet Government. accordingly."—Wireless Through Reuter.
London, Mar. 23.
'The Government has' instructed sir Esmond Ovey, British Ambassador, to Moscow, to demand the immediate and unconditional release of the four-British subjects. being hold by the Soviet Governimens, on charges of sabotage,.it is under-'The British demand, which i to presented to M, Maxim Litvinoff, Soviet Commissar "for Foreign Afairs, will insist that the prisone ers be released without trial, on the grounds that, they are, absolutely. fimocent and that the. charges against hem are, without any sem lanes of foundation in fact.
is learned that the British Gov-eminent is seriously considering the Severance of diplomatic relations with Moscow in the event that de-Velopments in the case warrant it, 'According to a statement issued to the press here by the Soviet Embatsy,- to-day, three of the four accused have now beéit released on all, Six men Were originally arested, all of them being employees the' Metropolitan Vickers Electric Go. "Pwo of them were released om March "14, two days alter being taken' into custody, W. H. Mac-Donald, 'W. Thornton, John Cushny and C. Gregory being detained United Press.
London, Mar. 23, 'The Soviet Embassy' here to-day announces that the Prosecutor has greet "to elease'on all Messe worn ton, Gregory and Cushny.
No. mention. has yet been. made of Mr. W. H. MacDonald, who was colleagues, arrested at the same time as his
Thornton was released today on 20,000 roubles bail, while Gregor The decision to release the three British prisoners in Moscow on bail in no way satisfies the British Government, which maintains that the ease was trumped up against me nocent, persons for state purposes.
Reuter" learns" that, should a satisfactory agreement, not reached, the British Government will consider the possibility of an embargo. on Soviet impens "when the "Anglo-Soviet' Trade Agreement expiveson April 17-—Reuter, London, Mar, 24, The Metropolitan Vickers Bleetrical Ca, Ltd., have "cabled Mr. Alan Monkhouse, "their principal representative in' Moscow, offering v0. provide bail for the Russian as well asthe British members of their stof who were arrested In. Russia on March 12 on charges of Moscow, Mar. 2
In the course of a three-hour me terrogation by the Public' Prosect-for, M, Vishinsky, Inst night, Mr. Alan Monkhouse, manager of the Metropolitan. Vickers Electrical, Ca. in. Moscow, communicated the tex: of his. instructions. from Wis, he tice in London offering bail for all the employees ofthe company" who were arrested "in. Moscow. by the Ogpu on March 12 on charges of Vishingky, however, refused to accept. the document' on the ground" that it contained unwary Fanted expressions of opinion on the innocence. of the. accused and. the necessity of a trial.
When the London ofice of the 'Metropolitan Vickers Ca. cabled Mr. Monkhouse last Saturday' to offer bail for both the Russian "and British pisaners, hey also, stated that their offer of bail to the Soviet inno way implied approval of the forthcoming trial of) the' ac-
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