Sir Esmond's Hat

Twice last week British Ambassador Sir Esmond Ovey clapped his hat on his bald, aristocratic head and left his Moscow Embassy. First he went over to the office of Foreign Commissar Maxim Litvinov to demand the immediate release of four British engineers: W. H. Thornton, W. H. MacDonald, John Cushny, and one Gregory, still held in Soviet jails last week on charges of sabotage (TIME, March 27).

His message was brief: unless the Metropolitan-Yickers engineers were released at once, unless the Soviet Government promised that they would never have to stand trial, Britain will place an embargo on all Russian goods, effective April 17, when the present Anglo-Russian trade agreement expires. Before Sir Esmond had finished, rotund Commissar Litvinov interrupted:

"The Soviet Government's decision to try the case cannot be changed and if the British Government intends to influence this decision by informing us of its intended measures, then the Ambassador may rest assured nothing will come of it. . . . Matters such as attempted harsh diplomatic pressure from the outside might be successful in Mexico,* but in Russia they are doomed to failure beforehand."

Not often has a British Ambassador had to take such backtalk. Next day the Ovey hat went back on the Ovey head and with knotted brow Sir Esmond, hastily summoned to London, drove to the railway station. Quickly the young men in his Embassy announced that this was not an official recall; unofficially they let it be known that it was unlikely Sir Esmond would return to Moscow. In the smoky station was gathered the entire foreign diplomatic corps (but not Commissar Litvinov or his British wife, Ivy Low) to bid Sir Esmond and his wife Godspeed. As the train pulled out every hat was raised in silent salute. Up went the Ovey hat too.

What British newspapers called the "unprecedented bluster" of Commissar Litvinov's speech made Britons wonder if after all the Soviet Government might not have some real evidence against the arrested engineers, particularly when two other engineers of the same firm arrested on the same charges at the same time, had been so promptly released. Proceeding cautiously, the Government planned to introduce in the House of Commons a bill empowering the Government to declare an embargo on April 17; but about the Moscow trial the Prime Minister would say nothing "because to do so would not be in interest of the accused." From white-whiskered old Labor Leader George Lansbury, leading the opposition to the embargo plan, this brought forth a sharp rejoinder: "The Prime Minister is asking for a loaded gun and promising not to fire it. . . ."

Moscow meanwhile announced that the trial will commence April 9 or 10 before a special session of the Supreme Court under Judge Vasily Ulrich, with Chief Prosecutor Andrey Vishinsky conducting for the State. Charges will include espionage and conspiracy as well as sabotage. Extreme penalty: Death by shooting.

*Sir Esmond was British Minister to Mexico from 1925--29.

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