THE MOSCOW TRIAL [To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] SIR,—In
reference to your editorial note to my last letter, in effect that the innocence of unconvicted men is not invariably assumed in a British law court, may I be allowed to state that I am fully aware of such cases as that of the loiterer who is found in possession of burglar's tools, but that I fail to see what such exceptions have to do with men who, while they were engaged in a lawful occupation, were accused of com- mitting crimes, and were tried by methods which would not be tolerated in Great Britain? It is worthy of notice that when not long ago a Socialist hero was imprisoned because he refused to promise that he would not commit a crime that -it was quite obvious he intended to commit, the Socialistic Press was aghast at the injustice ; but, of course, that was in England, not in Russia On another page of your last issue you express yourself in terms of strong disapproval of the particular form of retalia- tion that our Government has .decided to inflict on Russia, but might not the same be said of many other punishments that human beings are compelled to inflict rather than wait for the slow wheels of nemesis to save them the trouble ? The schoolmaster's cane was not grown, nor his Muscles developed, in view of inflicting corporal punishment on truants ; the hangman's rope was not made, nor his education ordered for many years, for the sake of his gruesome task. Surely if a punishment is easily applied, speedy, and likely to be effective, that is as much as can be 'expected. At any rate, it is incumL bent on those who disapprove of it to suggest something better. This the Socialists have not attempted to do ; on the contrary, they are now denouncing their unfortunate fellow-countrymen as sneaks and traitors. Because, of course, whatever happens, Russia must be vindicated !
Russia is the land where socialistic principles have had mere free play than anywhere else on the face of the earth ; and with what result ? Legal injustice in court, barbarism in prison, famine outside. The brutal truth 'has leaked out in spite of all efforts to prevent it. The only remedy is to organize a theatrical performance in hopes of shifting blame for the failure on innocent victims. That appears to be the unanimous opinion of a considerable part of the civilized world outside Great Britain, formed, no doubt, by much varied experience of Russia's methods, and such unanimity is not to be despised.—I am Sir, &c.,
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