Gun Loaded

The loaded gun that Prime Minister MacDonald asked for--power to declare an embargo on Soviet goods--was charged by Commons last week. The gun was charged for just one purpose: to save the lives of six electrical engineers held for trial in Moscow on charges of espionage and sabotage (TIME, March 27, April 10). Because of the obvious danger to British trade from the gun's recoil if fired, the embargo enabling act was limited to three months, and hints were scattered in all directions that the embargo would not be declared at all UNLESS. . . .

Tempers were sharp. Messages that Sir Esmond Ovey, British Ambassador to Moscow, had sent ahead before his recall to London were published last week:

"The principal danger of the situation seems that these people are completely unable to see themselves in any other light than that of an aggrieved power struggling for noble ideals against a world of political, financial and commercial conspirators. This feeling has reached the stage of morbid hysteria.

"Conditions under the present reign of terror in this country are without parallel."

In the House of Commons, Foreign Secretary Sir John Simon described the questioning of Alan Monkhouse, leader of the arrested Britons:

"It was what we would call in this country a fishing inquiry. It was merely an effort to get this man. hour after hour, morning, noon & night, to commit himself to something. He was not informed on what charge he was arrested, but he was called upon to make a complete confession. Any testimony obtained by these means is rubbish."

Thoughtfully considering the size of Britain's embargo gun, Moscow authorities proceeded with plans for the trial of the British engineers but made several concessions. All but one of the prisoners, W. H. MacDonald, were released on bail. Though they had been refused British counsel to defend them, it was announced that British lawyers would be allowed to attend the trial as observers. Finally a squad of Soviet lawyers was rounded up to act for the defense, and the arrested Britons were summoned to the offices of the Collegium of Attorneys to pick their favorites. Their choices: Engineer Monk-house--Nikolai Kanadev; Engineer Thornton--Ilya Browde; Engineer Cushny--Peter Lidov; Engineers Nordwall & Gregory--Aaron Dolmatovski. Commented Correspondent Walter Duranty:

"It is about an even bet whether the trial will provide a great sensation on unexpected lines or will fizzle like a wet squib."

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