(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
M. Henri Torres, ###unsel for Sholom Schwartzbard, who ###ot Semion Petlura, arrived here yesterday in connection with the Schwartzbard case.M. Torres will spend several days in Moscow and will later proceed to Chartoff and Kiev to collect data on the anti-Jewish massacres under the Petlura regime.
M. Bernard Lekash, well known French Jewish writer, also arrived here. He is accompanying M. Torres in his investigation of the pogrom material in the Ukraine.
When interviewed by the correspondent of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, M. Lekash stated that he came to Russia on behalf of the French League for the Defense of Human Rights, which is headed by Henri Barbusse, for the purpose of acquainting French public opinion and the entire civilized world with the horrors experienced by Ukrainian Jews during the civil war and especially under Petlura. “My mission is to present all the material proving Petlura’s responsibility for the pogroms and to collect data which would convince French public opinion of the character of blackguards like Denikin, Wrangel and other pogromists who are now enjoying France’s hospitality,” M. Lekash declared.
A Schwartzbard defense committee was formed here under the chairmanship of Attorney Sokoloff, Russian jurist who is known for his conduct of numerous political cases. Other members of the committee are Urison, Tchlenoff, Attorney Kozloff, Malkin, Yassunsky and Dr. A. Bragin. The committee will collect important data on the pogrom period. A meeting between this committee and M. Torres has been arranged for tomorrow.
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