The Soviet Gesture
Sta,—The Soviet Government has just demonstrated in a most startling manner its desire to convince the world that Stalin's death has brought about a radical change in its attitude to the western world. I refer to the official communiqué in the affair of the arrested Kremlin doctors. The, admission that the widely publicised confessions of these doctors were obtained by " inadmissible methods " on the part of the investi- gating authorities is, if one bears in mind the entire history of the
confession trials," the most damning admission ever made by any Government. It is such an astounding admission that it could only have been made after long and careful deliberation. Before Stalin's death the stage was quite evidently being set for yet another " confession trial " aimed at giving fresh life to the propaganda campaign of " capitalist encirclement." The post-Stalin leadership could, in pursuing its new policy of conciliation, have simply dropped the whole business quietly. Instead, it chose`to make out of it an extraordinarily effective demonstration of the reality of the new policy. It is almost as though the new Soviet leadership wished to d'ssociate themselves in the most ostentatious manner possible from their deceased leader's major con- tribution to modern history—the confession trial.
The importance of this calculated gesture cannot be over-estimated. In the circumstances the time would seem ripe to press for further material demonstration of the reality of the new policy vis-f.-vis the West. There are two particular instances in which the Soviet Govern- ment might conceivably use its influence to redress injustice. I refer to the imprisonment of Edgar Sanders and William Oatis following their confessions, extorted from them by the same " inadmissible methods " as were used with the Kremlin doctors.—Yours faithfully,
36 Cambridge Mansions, London, S.W.11.
HUGO DEWAR.
Previous page
