Washington, Apr. 24, TX. gift economic experts pronounced to be oe of the most efficiently organised and fast moving international conferences that ever took place, MacDonald, the British Prime Minister, President Roosevelt and Mr, Ramsay had reached an agreement on a number of points affecting war debts, tariff reduction and the restoration of the international monetary standard, During the day, two statements were issued at the White House and both were optimistic in tone.
In his brief press interviews today, M. Herriot indicated that he would inform President Roosevelt on Monday that France intends to remain on the gold standard and that France "desires 0. see the United States, Great Britain and other nations stabilize their curren-gies on a gold basis at an early date.
BIN. Herriot: contemplates a way was being earnestly sought to. stabitise the dollar on a firm basis. Monetary aspects of the" world" confereney Were also discussed, the statement also stated that Mr. Mace Donald "is expected to, issue message to the nations of the world thin sree announcing that the The proceedings at this evening's session of the six British and twelve Russian, employees of the Metropoliichers Electrical Ca, confined exclusively to pleas by the defence.
Tt is believed that any sentences that may be passed on the Brit Prisoners may be commuted to General relief has been caused by the remark of the Prosecutor, Vishinsky, that "We do not. want blood and' vengeance." The modetation of Vishinsky's demands, which the action of the Brit.
iment in regard to Russian, freely commented on in British circles" here. Well-informed persons believe lat a moderate verdict would constitute an influential factor with regard to tutu Anglo-Soviet diplomatic relations, "Comrade Judge"
M. Kaznachieff, counsel for the Russian accused, Gusev, Sokolof and Jleinil, an attempt to assist his clients by throwing the Whole blame on the British accused at this evening's session, When you, Comrade Judge, d gide the verdict," Kaznachioff said, "remember that before Gusev met MacDonald and Thornton, he was only an inactive counter-revolt He also pointed out that Muc-Donald and Thornton claimed to have signed their confessions under Pressure while his clients told thi truth and freely confessed, Therefore, "he pleaded, their' penalty should be less.
Kaznachio® urged that Sokoloff was "only a second rate sabotageur" for whom ten years' imprisonment was sulicfent punishment." He ald hho hoped his client Oleinik would be iven a chance to reform and work for the, Soviet.
'M, "Schwartz, counsel for the Russian accused Zorin, Kraschenninikov and Sukharoutehkin, then Buitiaroutehkin' tad. committed sented his plea. He said. that serious crimes but had been surrounded by anti-Soviets and. sabot tagaurs, while Kruschenninikov had confessed and was most remorseful.
'M, Schwartz, concluded his plea by asking the judges not to wreak Vengeance and to spare the lives of tis clients, He spoke without con: viction and there was a great deal of inattention in the court. Peo-Dle coughed and shuffled their feet and occasionally even laughed, BE. Pines, counsel for Lovanoft. Lebediet and Siebert, "blamed Nordwall for teaching his clients to spy and he appealed to the bench to consider their youth, 4 The Terrible Gusev 'M. Smirnoff, MacDonald's counsel, then took the stand, and great cly impressed the Court with his Plea. He pointed out that Mac-Donald was of humble birth and a ¢xipple, who had come to. Russia {gnorant of the country. He had here mer that "terrible Gusev who would, sell his country for a few hundred roubles."
MacDonald, his counsel went on, had been taught. fom his youth to uphold the honour and interests of Ure firm for which he worked. had been told to collect information and he did so, Tt was unjust lass the underling MacDonald with Monkhouse and Thornton when de-iding the verdict," MacDonald had committed a serious crime, but had inven his word of honour never to repeat it.
minna? concluded by hoping that Sone court adjourned at 10.15 this viet in the future, 4 evening until ten o'clock to-morrow morning,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.