New-York tribune. [volume], February 05, 1920, Page 3, Image 3

About New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
Salmer Denies
['Gold Feet' on
Sedition Bills
4llorney Genera! Tells the
House Judiciary Commit
irc There Is Real Need
for Additional Legislation
favors Davey Measure
per lares Graham Provisions
Too Drastic; Make Him
shudder for Civil Rights
Ncv York Tnbun?
Washington Bureau
S WASHINGTON. Feb. 4.?Attorney
General Palmer to-day denied before
.hf House Judiciary Committee that he
. , su!?ired from '?cold feet" in con?
dition with sedition legislation, but
(ifclnrpd he is convinced there is real
ietd for a statute under which both
5i...: s und citizens of the United States
"h0 ?reach the overthrow of govern
r by force and violence may be
-earned.
Th? Attorney General said he rcal
:,t,j tbe nation is now undergoing a
natural reaction from the feeling it had
tilt the country was filled with "Reds"
.'.: anarchist?, hut told the committee
ll\r prompt and vigorous enforcement
0< laws in existence has prevented "a
etaeral and widespread outbreak of
rfToIation&ry intent." He said there
gre (>P.000 members of the Communist
?grty in the United States and that the
CsBimunist Labor party has a membcr
,jip even larger.
fie Attorney Genera! explained his
/?fore to appear before the House
Pgles '.'oraroitee, as he had promised
toe two weeks ago. on sedition legis?
late by saying he had other engage
Bents, and it was not his desire to
appear before a committee which was
jetting merely with the question of
soeedins consideration of the l?gisla?
tion, ar.d not of its merits. "I have
.y,. - ne said, "that the proper place
to express my views is before a legis?
lative committee such as this."
Shudders at Graham Bill
In referring to the sedition measure
M trhich his opinion Tiad tietn sought
tae Attorney General said:
??The Graham bill makes me shudder.
Many rood people ought to be fright?
ened, tor its provisions are too drastic
?and i* times of excitement the. civil
frights of citizens might be swept
?ray.''
Mr, Palmer put before the Judiciary
Committee five suggestions to be con?
sidered as the basis for sedition legis
.i'.ion:
"1?There is a condition of r?volu
?soaary intent on the part of both
?tena and citizens sufficiently wide
tprea'i to merit the serious considera?
dor of Congress. This revolutionary
???tent :s manifested chiefly by threats
both written and spoken, on the pari
of jucb persons to injure, destroy or
?Swtbrow the government by physical
."orce or violence.
"2-These threats, which are being
tirculated by those to whom I have
referred, are of a kind which do not en
,; le persons who employ them to
the guarantee of the so-called right of
free speech. They pass over the line
ntended to mark the boundaries of
ficedo n of speech.
"3- There is no Federal statute now
apon the books which adequately meets
the s .nation to which I have referred
"4 Most of the bills introduced and
tons i? red by this committee, by th?
t, Rule- Committee, by the Senate Judi?
ciary Committee and by the Senate arc
to drastic and far reaching in charac?
ter and so sweeping that they over?
reach their purposes and are not cal?
culated to allay the menace to the gov
ernment comprised within the threats
to which I have referred.
"?" The situation calls for legisla'
<; tii that will carefully safeguard th?
ja : iai "ees of the bill of rights anc
1 the hiatus which exists a'
pre; in the law governing thes<
mattei ."
Denies He Has "Gold Feet"
A misunderstanding of my positior
0|0i this situation seems to hav<
?risen." said the Attorney General. ".'
rave been accused of getting 'cold feet
and ere of my critics, in more pic
turesque language, said I had 'turnee
tail.' Neither of these criticisms ii
* justified. I have not 'turned tail' an<
1 have not yet 'cold feet.'
"It is true that I did not appear be
fore the Rules Committee when the;
held tneir hearings a few days ago.
???9 unable to attend the first hearini
Mouse of a matter of importance de
niar.d'.rg my presence elsewhere,
could have attended a later hearing
out the real reason was I could no
F? my support to the rule asked fo
w speed up consideration of the Ster
?!"g and Graham bills, and I did no
want to be in a position of opposin;
the legislation entirely."
Mr. Palmer said the " 'Red' uprising
???d for Ian June, deferred until Sep
'? if *nd a?ain postponed, wa
checked by rigorous action by the De
psrtmer.t of Justice.
"A natural reaction has set in," h
told the committee. "Many loval pa
| tnotic citizens, now feeling safe an
? secure, say we are excited and undul
ff when w" ask for legislation t
urtner empower officials seeking t
proceed against those seeking to over
throw the government by force an
violence.
Favors the Davey Rill
| ? "?Br duty a? loyal and patrioti
Americans, believing this to be a popt
'? government, is Fo see that the go\
UM*** IB arraed with the power o
vi? " 8?ain*t these forceful an
'orl?nt metn0^s of short-cutting to r?
wms, These attacks on the form c
J ' P'?.Ple's government cannot be to
live ttl6 PC0P'e 3 government is t
Pi*5.-*7 t,s been ?uch talk about th
??} of free speech. No man will g
;h/ * to protect the people i
unH*U*rant<5* of *rce speech. No ma
of ?iT!Unds more thsn * the sanctit
,_h7e guarantee of free speech, th
or?. fr*e assemblage, the freedoi
<?p?.i V?8' but there has got to be
^aa line if the government is to b
Permitted to defend itself as a populs
n.!!!71"1601 in the interest of th
People.
.i. |n.mT opinion it is easy to dra
n??.* ?" !t ought to be drawn at th
?mou 7 e the exercise of tbi? ?gr
sarv to a threat, promise or necei
vioh)'mp of the use of force an
Ohil ? bil) of Representative Davey, <
ni?-'?18 the "'?"pleat of all these mea:
1 "jj?, said the Attorney General. "It
la?r?Urpo?e is to meet the hiatus ireHh
off? Protects individual advocac
o'*?1"0* ""^ ?iolenc? for the overthro
* tn? gov?rnment.,,
The Great Danger from
INFLUENZA
is the after effect upon the
kidneys and intestines. Avoid
this danger by drinking
POLAND
WATER
tho purest natural water
known. Can bo drunk in any
quantity with perfect safety.
Has boon used in evory part
of tho world in cases of* fover
whore no other water was al?
lowed. Send for illustrated
booklet.
POLAND SPRING CO.
1180 Broadway, New York.
Telephon?: Madjgon Square -iT-tv
Odessa Reports
Soviets Routedl
By Volunteers |
Bolsheviki Arc Driven Back |
Over Don River, Losing
60 Guns, 150 Machine;
Guns and 8,000 Prisoners
ARCHANGEL, Fob\ 4.?A wireless dis?
patch front Odessa to-day reports a
great victory of the Russian volunteer
army over the Bolshevik forcea, which
have been driven back over the Don
Hiver. The finest cavalry of tho "'Reds"
under command of (?ener?is Dudenny
and Doumenko. are in disorderly flight,
the message says.
The trophies taken by the volunteers
consisted of 60 guns, 150 machine guns
and 8.D00 prisoners.
LONDON, Feb. 5.- The Czechs have
retaken Irkutsk, according to a wire?
less message received at Vladivostok
and forwarded by the correspondent of
"The Daily Mail." Their troops are
returning westward to relieve the. Ru?
manians, Serbs and Poles.
; According to recent advices, Irkutsk
was in the hands of the Bolshevik
forces of Jocal soviets. A Vladivostok
disnatch of January 28 stated that Ad?
miral Kolchak and Premier Pepeliavev
of the All-Russian government were
imprisoned at Irkutsk, and their fate
was unknown.1
The Bolsheviki, after the capture of
Nikolaie and Kherson, to the northeast
of Odessa, continued their adance and
captured a number of village? accord?
ing to an official statement sent out
by the Soviet government at Moscow
to-day. The Bolsheviki troops are
making forced marches, the statement
says.
Poland has sent a tentative reply to
the peace offer of the Bolsheviki, stat- ?
ing that she is studying the proposed !
treaty, it was learned to-day. Mean?
while the Soviet government has or?
dered the Bolshevik troops to stand on
their present lines.
GENEVA, Feb. 4.General Denikine,
former anti-Bolshevik leader in South?
western Russia, landed at the Bulgar?
ian port of Varna on Monday with a
few of his officers, according to a dis?
patch from Belgrade. It is reported
that Denikine is going to Bucharest to
confer concerning the danger of a Bol?
shevik invasion of Besarabia, the dis?
patch says.
PRAGUE, Feb. 3.?Former Russian
Premier Kerer.sky and former War
Minister Savinkov are on their way to
Prague to inaugurate a new policy
founded on an understanding between
Czecho-Slovakia and Russia.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 4.?The pin-pose '
of Kerensky's visit to Prague is to stir
up the Czecho-Slovaks, Poles and Ru?
manians to take military steps against
the Bolsheviki, it was said to-day at
the Czecho-Slovak official information
bureau here. Both Kerensky and
Savinkov had been in London for some
time.
?
Georgian Must Quit U. S. ;
Court Dismisses Writ
Federal Judge John C. Knox, yester?
day dismissed a writ of habeas corpus
filed by Charles Recht, attorney, in be?
half of Alexis Georgian, a Minneapolis |
radical and alien who was ordered de?
ported on the ground that he had been j
advocating the overthrow by force of
the United States government. Georg
ian was to have sailed on the Buford
with other deportees. The writ was ?
obtained the day before the ship sailed, |
and since then Georgian has been in
charge of the Acting Commissioner of
Immigration on Ellis Island.
In stating his opinion of the case,
Judge Knox said: "From my personal
examination I cannot escape the con?
clusion that the relator, Georgian, is
desirous of seeing to it that a soviet
form of government be established in
the United States, and that he would
prefer, perhaps, that no force or vio?
lence be used in bringing this about,
but that should such method? be neces?
sary and likely to result in success
the relator would have no reluctance
in seeing them applied."
The Judge summarized the evidence.
Georgian owned a book store in Minn?
eapolis, and published "The New
Times," which, Judge Knox said, could
fairly he considered radical. He is
alleged to have put out other flagrant
publications, and to have said: "Here
I will put President Wilson on tho
bum I don't give a damn for the
President of the United States or any
one else. Russia is the only place."
GirPs Attack
On Socialist
Stays iii Record
Confirm?! from tmc? 1
expect to finish It? caso this week, fails
to call Speaker Sweet to the stand
there is a posibility that the defense
will call him. Its special purpose in
seeking as a witness the leader in the
movement to eject the Socialists is to
find out why Mr. Sweet did not act on
a resolution offered February 25. 1918,
by Assemblyman Albert Link, of Brook?
lyn, which was aimed at Socialist, mem?
bers of the Legislature as having given
aid and comfort to the enemy.
The day started with charges being
made by Seymour Stedman and other
counsel for the Socialists that religious
bias and prejudice were being injected
into the case.
This charge was made when Peter
W. Collins, director general of the
Knights of Columbus reconstruction
and employment bureau, was recalled
to the stand. Collins no sooner had
begun his testimony under the direc?
tion of Martin Conboy, of counsel for
the prosecution, than Stedman, vigor?
ously protested against tho nature of
the "testimony.
"It is an attempt to bring prejudice
against the defendants," said Stedman.
"It is an attempt to judge them from
the standpoint of faith."
Conboy denied that the prosecution
intended to go into the question of
religious belief, but intended to show
that the Socialist movement was op?
posed to all religious belief.
"Have you got Presbyterians, Theoso
phists or Episcopalians?" retorted Sted?
man. "There is no use camouflaging.
What you \prc attempting is this: To
appeal to misguided Catholics to make
it a religious issue against the Social?
ists."
"To Hell with the Flag"
Another clash betwoen counsel oc?
curred in the afternoon, when John !
B. Stanchfield, chief counsel for the
prosecution, said that "The New York!
Gall" of February 10, 1912, contained
in lurid headlines:
"To Hell with the Flag!"
"That is false!'' shouted S. John
Block, of counsel to the five ousted As?
semblymen, and head of the publishing
firm which controls "The New York
Call." "1 challenge you to prov.e it."
"Produce the paper," replied Stanch
field.
"We have telegraphed for it," said:
Mr. Block.
Walter H. Hart, a lawyer, living at
1462 Union Street, Brooklyn, and candi?
date on the Democratic ticket last fall
against Assemblyman Solomon, spent
the better part of the afternoon on the
stand.
He testified that he had heard Solo?
mon talk against conscription and in
favor of Bolshevism, and. declared he
heard many Socialists say that a revo
lution in this country should be
brought about by force.
When Mr. Collins was recalled to the j
stand Mr. Conboy asked:
"Mr. Collins, in addition to the meth?
ods that you referred to in your tes?
timony yesterday, what other methods
have Socialists, to your knowledge, ad?
vocated to bring about in the United
States the Socialist international rev?
olution?"
Stedman Makes Protest
"A pronounced disrespect for the j
Constitution of the United States; the
frequent and oft-repeated declaration ;
that it was a mere 6crap of obsolete ?
paper, that it had no binding force on j
the American people and consequently ;
no binding force upon the Socialists: !
a' disrespect for religion and the Ten I
Commandments," replied Mr. Collins.
Mr. Stedman jumped to his feet pro?
testing:
"Mr. Chairman, I want to object to
the introduction in this case of re?
ligion bias and prejudice at this time.
Politically and otherwise the introduc?
tion of differences in religion leads to
nothing but bitterness and unreason?
ing anger and conduct born of preju?
dice. These persos, whether they be?
lieved in one creed or another, had a
right to; these men had a right to be?
lieve in theosophy, Catholicism, Prot?
estantism, any one of the denomina?
tions, or Mohammedanism.
"In my judgment it is no element in
this case. Wre are not on trial here
for any system of theology at all. The
purpose of this is very obvious. It is
to appeal to the most unreasoning state I
of mind which any man can possess,
that of pure faith.
"It is an attempt to bring prejudice
against these defendants outside of the
merits of their qualifications, outside
the economic theories. In other words,
it is an attempt to judge them purely
from the standpoint of faith. We have
had enough in this country of religious
differences as a means and method of
influencing political possibilities."
Conboy In Disclaimer
"It is not intended, Mr. Chairman,"
answered Mr. Conboy, "to go into any {
question of religious differences. It is j
intended, however, to support the
charges that are indicated in the state?
ment of the chairman, appearing on
page 8 of the printed record:
"That these men are engaged in a
conspiracy to subvert the due adminis?
tration of law; to destroy the right to
hold and own property; to weaken the
family tie; to destroy the influence of
the Church; to overturn the whole
fabric of a constitutional form of gov?
ernment.
"We do not intend to go into any I
question of religious belief, but we do
intend to show beyond peradventure j
of a doubt that the Socialist movement j
is opposed to all religion and regards
religion as the antithesis of Social?
ism."
"That may be in counsel's mind,"
said Mr. Stedman. "If it is they have
shown wonderful ingenuity in select?
ing persons of one particular religion
most antagonistic to the Socialists as
their experts, and as their advocates
upon this subject. There is no use
in camouflaging. What you are at?
tempting in this proceedings is this:
To appeal to misguided Catholics to
make it a religious issue against So?
cialists, and you are disguising it so
the man who runs may see."
"All remarks bearing on the religous
How Far is a Mile?
It depends on the mode of travel. Feet, horse, -
train, motor or plane make the difference
between twenty minutes and half a minute.
Some advertisers are still walking toward
their market and wondering why their com?
petitors have arrived ahead of them.
How about your mode of traveL Do you
walk or fly ?
COLLIN ARMSTRONG, Inc.
General Advertising Agents
1463 Broadway at 42nd Street, New York
Telephone 17C7 Bryant
PARIS
TORONTO
MONTREAL
LONDON
proposition is stricken from tho
record," said Chairman Martin.
"I would like mine to stand," said
Mr. Stedman.
"It stands on both sides," said the
chair.
"What about, the family relation?"
asked Mr. Conboy.
"I have never known of a Socialist
local anywhere or tho Socialist party
anywhere to repudiate these doctrines
?that socialism is opposed to Cod,
country and tho labor movement," an?
swered Mr. Collins.
Tho prosecution sought to introduce
a book published by the British So?
cialist party which the witness said
would prove that the Socialists were
irreligious.
This again led to the repetition of the
chnrge that religious bias was being in?
jected into tho case. Chairman Martin
ruled against the introduction of the
book.
Ezra L. Kaufman, a Rochester police?
man, was recalled to identify a cir?
cular seized in a raid on the head?
quarters of tho local Rochester Prole?
tarian party, which he said was a
branch of the Socialist party. It was
dated September, 1919, and asked all
Soclialist party locals to unito in vot?
ing for those nominated for public of?
fice on the Socialist, party ticket, al?
though some of these candidates wre
members of the Communist and Com?
munist. Labor parties.
"Whatever the personnel of th"
ticket may be, you will be voting fot
the working class and Socialism," read
the letter.
"Let us provn our devotion to the
slogan 'Workers of the world, unite,
You have nothing to lose but vont
chains. You have a world to gain.' For?
get personalities and wage the strong?
est campaign we have ever put up."
The letter was signed by Waltei
Moore Cook, secretary of the statt
executive committee of the Socialist
party.
Hart when called to the stand tolr
of the speeches made in the pol?tica
campaign last fall when he was th<
Democratic candidate against Solomot
for Assembly.
At another meeting he said tha
Solomon declared that revolution doe
not necessarily mean bloodshed.
"All you have to do," Solomon wa
quoted as saying, "is to walk up an
take control of the government."
Asked what would nappen if tho So
cialiat* met opposition, the witnes
said Solomon declared that if "the*
people oppose us their blood will be o
their own heads."
"Out and Out" Bolshevist
Telling of a meeting at which h
debated with Solomon, Hart said tha
a Dr. Sadoff, who presided, proelaime
himself as a revolutionary Socialis
and Bolshevik from top to bottom.
"The audience went wild," continue
Hart. "They applauded and cheerei
Then Mr. Solomon spoke. I als
stated if the Socialists were ready t
start their revolution, let them r
ahead, that I belonged to an associi
tion having 1,000,000 members, th
American Legion, and that soon wi
have 4,000,000 in its membership, an
nothing would please us more than I
sit on the seat of a machine gun an
give them a reception. Solomon saic
"'Mr. Hart doesn't seem to reali;
the enormous proportions that, th
revolution is going to take. There wi
be nothing which will he able to hoi
the wrath of the working class
check. They will be able to swet
aside like chaff in ne wind the opp
sition of 4,000,000 men. What rigl
have- ex-service men to hold in che<
the destiny of 100,000,000 people in th
country?"
''He did not deny my statements th;
young people were being taught at tl
Young People's Societies t.eague rev
lution and Bolshevism and that tl
overthrow of the government is beii
preached to them."
When cross-examined by Stedm?
the witness was asked if he had e
listed. He said that when the war w
declared he was in a hospital, where 1
had undergone un operation for apne
dicitis, but that he enlisted within
month and a half after ho was operat
on, against the doctor's orders, in t
United States Marine Corps reserve.
Danger in Cowards
During the witness's testimony
was interrupted by Assemblyman Lot
Cuvillier, Democrat, of New York.
"You think that the Socialists we
physical cowards?" asked Cuvillier.
"Physically, mentally and moral
cowards,'' replied tho witness.
"You cannot see any reason for
legislative body to be alarmed at th
then, can you?" asked Stedman.
"I would not say that," replied Hn
"A man may be a coward and nev
thelc38 be more dangerous than a m
who is outspoken and straightforwa
A coward may act like a snake in '
grass and do things under cover, wh
makes him more dangerous than i
man who possesses the courage of c<
viction and comes out openly."
Former Socialist Assemblyman Pe
J. Carlin, who is one of the attorn?
for the defense, asked the witness
he did not remember seeing him at
office.
"I don't recall having been to y
office," was the reply.
Mr. Carlin then asked him if he
not remember seeing in his office
May, 1917, a circular issued by the '.
rine Corps in which the offer was m
that if one enlisted in the Mai
Corps he woqld not have to go abr<
Mr. Carlin inquired if the witness
not ask his opinion as to whether
government would keep its word
that subject.
"No, sir," retorted the witness, "t
is a lie, and you know it is. I nt
went near your office. I never saw
interior of your office in my life."
Commission Appointed
At the close of the day's sessio
commission was appointed to take
testimony in Milwaukee of J. E. Ha:
editor of "The Milwaukee Jourr
who reported the Socialist convention!
?t Chicago lust September The So i
nul ist attorneys during the debato'on
the question Said the necessity 0f aj
commission might, be avoided if the
prosecution would make known the
testimony sought from Harris
Seymour Stcdman said it"mi?ht he
admitted. Mr. Stanchfield then read
from a newspaper report of the conven?
tion written by Harris, in which As
semblyman Waldman was quoted as
saying:
"If I knew wo could sway the boys
when they get, the guns to use them
against the capitalist, class, I would be
for universal military training."
-.-? ....-,
Col. Roosevelt Offers
First Bill in Assembly
Measure Kmpowcrs Corpora?
tions to Authorize Election
of Employee-Directors
Staff Correrpimiienc?
ALBANY. Feb. 4. Assemblyman
Theodore Roosevelt introduced his first
hill to-day. It was drafted by the City
Club nnd empowers stockholders of
corporations, other than moneyed cor?
porations, to provide in their bylaws
for tlii' election of employees to their
hoard of directors. To insure the se?
lection of employees who really would
represent, their fellow workers? the bill
requires the election of employees-di?
rector?! by the employees themselves,
and bj secret ballot.
The bill would enable corporations
to experiment in giving direct and of
ftcMa] representation to the employes
and giving the employees such control
of the elections ;is would make them I
feel that they have a real voice in the
management. The bill is entirely per?
missive.
The proposed legislation is a contri?
bution toward promoting better rela?
tions between employers and em?
ployees. There is a similar statute in
Massachuset ts.
Montana Town Cut Off by
Rail Electricians' Strike
Tie-Up of 110 Miles of Road
Caused by Action to
I fphold Sbopmen
MISSOULA, Mont., Feb. 4.?A strike
of electricians | on the Chicago,
Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Cor
pnny's lines has completely halted
operation from Ilarlowtown, Mont., to
Avery, Idaho, it was declured here to?
day.
The company depends upon electric
locomotives- for operation of it3 trains
over the section, a distance of 440
miles.
The electricians struck in sympathy
with shopmen of the company at Deer
Lodpe. who walked out Monday, de?
manding, according to company of?
ficers, nine hours' pay for eight hours'
wor
K
-t a IK
west trains were trans
road. It was announced steam engines
would be available by to-morrow, and
that all trains would be running on
steam power to-morrow.
Dr. Butler Urges Federal
Budget as Price Remedy
"Spending Money at Washing?
ton Like Drunken Sailors,"
He Says in Speech
Nicholas Murray Butler, president cf
Columbia University, anil one of the
candidates for the Republican nomina?
tion for President, spoke last night on
the high cost of living and how to re?
duce it, at the Manhattan Republican
Club. 474 West 141st Street.
Dr. Butler said that the present in
flat' d prices must be reduced, and to
that end recommended a business ad?
ministration in Washington and a na?
tional budget, with the understanding
that the nation is not to exceed it by
a single dollar.
"We are spending money at Wash?
ington like drunken sailors," said he.
"When politicians begin to think in
billions the outlook is dark for you
and me. and our desire to reduce the
cost of living."
This could be cut. Dr. Butler ex?
plained, by a simple and old-fashioned
system?by having the government live
within its income.
Canada's Population 8,833,102
OTTAWA, Ont., Feb. 4- Canada's
population is estimated by the Census
Branch of the Trade and Commerce
Department at 8-,835,102. The census
branch has based its estimate on the
known increases in population as shown
bv the censusus of 1001 and 1911.
Sure
Relief
6 Bell-ans
Hot water
Sure Relief
RE LL-ANS
RhPFOR INDIGESTION
FRENCH, SHRINER & URNER
SEMI-ANNUAL SALE
MEN'S SHOES
Additional Reductions
--AT ALL STORES?
504 FIFTH AVE.. NEW YORK i 365 BROADWAY, NEW YORK
131 W. 42d ST., NEW YORK 1775 BROADWAY, NEW YORK
153 BROADWAY. NEW YORK I 367 FULTON ST., BROOKLYN
1263 BROADWAY. NEW YORK ?510 FULTON ST.. BROOKLYN
Martens Says
Poole Plotted
Against Soviet
U. S. Consul General Said
to Have Joined in Plan
to Starve Petrograd by
Destroying Rail Bridges
Oeel Men Also Accused
Sought to Undermine L?n?
ine While Promoting Ger?
man Revolt, He Asserts
New York Tribune
Washington Hureau
WASHINGTON, Feb. 4.--Charging
that former United States Consul Gen?
eral Poole, while in Russia, had plotted
with agents of the Allied powers to
destroy railroad bridges leading into
Petrograd, Ludwig C. A. K. Martens,
Sf.ll-styled Russian Soviet Ambassador
to the United States, sprang a new
sensation to-day, when he resumed his
testimony before the Senate sub-corn- !
mitten investigating Russian propa?
ganda in this country
Martens declared that Poole nad j
been ordered out of the country be-I
cause agents of the Soviet government j
had discovered that he had attended a j
secret conference at the American Con?
sulate in Moscow, at which the details
of this plot had been laid. The pur?
pose of the conspiracy he aileged, was
to starve out the city of Petrograd and
thereby bring about the downfall of
the Soviet government.
The witness also testified that
agents in Russia of George Creel's
Committee on Public Information, in?
cluding Edgar S. Sisson, had under?
taken to play a double game by pre?
tending to cooperate with the Soviet
authorities to bring about a revolution
in Germany while at the same time
taking part in the propaganda con?
ducted by the Allied powers to under?
mine L?nine and Trotzky with the
-Russian people. Colonel Raymond
Robins, former head of the Red Cross
mission, was also said by Martens to
have cooperated in the Soviet propa?
ganda against Germany.
American Sentenced to Death
Poole, said Martens, had been ar?
rested, and would have been prosecuted
criminally but for the intervention of
the Soviet Foreign Minister, who saw
to it that he left the country. Another
American, arrested in connection with
the same plot, had been sentenced to
death, he said, but was also spared on
condition that he leave Russia.
Following his return to the United i
States Mr. Sisson made public docu- |
ments tending to show that L?nine and
Trotzky were in the pay of the German [
government. The authenticity of these!
documents was vigorously denied at'
the time by the Soviet government.
Stating that he could not recall the !
official report on the circumstances '
surrounding the arrest of Mr. Poole.
Secretary Lansing declared this after
noon he never had heard of the allega?
tions made by Martens. He declared
that Mr. Poole had left Russia at his
own accord, following his release, and
had joined the American headquarters
of Vologda in the Archangel district
before returning 'o the United States.
Mr. Poole himself is now head of the
Russian bureau at the State Depart?
ment, but is at present confined to his
home by illness.
According to Martens, Poole has
been particularly active in seeking to
prevent the American government from
according recognition to the soviet <
government and from permitting a re-j
sumption of trade relations with ;
Russia.
The witness told the sub-committee i
that L?nine and Trotzky have made
altogether sixteen separate and dis?
tinct offers to the Allied powers and j
the United States for a restoration of ?
peace between Russia and these powers
and a resumption of trade relations. I
These offers, he said, have included |
assurances from L?nine of the soviet
government's willingness to recognize!
all the foreign debts of Russia, "how?
ever illegal they may have been."
Several of these offers, he declared,
had been sent direct to President Wil?
son, or to Secretary Lansing, and in
? nddition, he -said, similar assurances
; had been presented to the Department
of State through American business
' men interested in bringing about a re?
sumption of triade.
At the State Department this after?
noon Secretary Lansing denied knowl?
edge of any of these alleged offers
sent to the President or himself, and
said that if any communications of
the kind had conip through American
business men, they had not been seen
by him.
Poole and Sisson to Te?(ify
It is probable that th" sub-committee
will summon both Poole and Sisson to
1 testify on the Martens charges concern
; intr them. A suggestion to this effect,
? with the added proposal that the com
! mittee subpoena Colonel Raymond
i Robins, was made to the committee by
! former Senator Hardwick, of Ceortria,
I counsel for Martens. The suggestion
j was backed up by an assertion on the
I part of/Martens that he was prepared
I to submit, proofs in substantiation of
i every charge he made. In view of this
: Senator Moses, chairman of the sub
I committee, adjourned the hearing, sub?
ject to his call, and stating that he
! probably would reconvene the sub
, committee next Monday.
Martens occupied most of the time ir
reading a lengthy statement he bac
prepared describing the propagands
activities which his mission has beer
conducting. These he described a:
"purely defensive" and for the purpost
?of acquainting the American peopl?
with the truth about Russia and th<
. frienddly disposition of the Soviet gov
ernment toward this country. Con
fronted by the pamphlet sent to th<
United Stetes by L?nine, addressed t<
the American workingmen, ca'.linp 01
them to overthrow the government an<
establish the soviet system, Marten:
declared this letter had been sent fou
months before he came to America ani
that he had taken no part in the dis
tributing copies of it since his arriva
here.
Lnsk Charges Denied
He denied the charge of the Lu?
committee in the New York State in
I vestiination that a large number o
these pamphlets had been found in th
raid on his offices in New York Citj
and assured the committee that th
i copies found: on his premises wer
used by him simply for "referenc
purposes."
"In your communications to you
! government since your arrival here
j asked Senator Moses, "did you not at
vise L?nine of the agitation arouse
| by this pamphlet?'1
"I reported about the investigate
| of the Lusk committee," replied Ma:
tens, "but I did not conceive it to I
my duty to say any.nine ?'?<> :
effect of thi? pamphlet. I regarded '
as harmless. p< r-,<r i'T - ing th
overthrow of this jrover was con?
cerned, and vom mus? remember that
doing this L?nine was 'imply ador.*'-' ?
methods wh ch the Un il 'i v'. ?
the Allied powers were following in
Russia."
"You con sidpred our Km
tutions proof against this fir* ?I
propaganda?" asked Senator Mose
"I supposed they w?rc," Martens an?
swered, smiling.
Coal Famine
Threatens to
Darken Citv
Continu?"?! from pa??? I
the average was snown to have been
about ?0 per cent of normal.
Incidentally, complaints have bp?>n
made about the conditions by min??
workers, who in some instances ha* '?
been able fo work but one hour a da-/
in the loading work because of the cap
shortage. The Bulah mines reportai
an average of but one hour a day for
some of their workers for this reason.
Carriers Are Diverted
Another reason advanced for the cs
shortage during the day was that mar"
cars heretofore used in the anthraci*".
trade exclusively were being diverted
to the handling of soft coal, which sti I
is for from being a normal basis fol?
lowing the strike.
Figures proving the magnitude o?
the car shortage, published in the cur?
rent issue of "The Coal Trade Jour?
nal," show that a decline of 737,000
tons in the production of soft coal ?.
due to this cause in one week. The
car shortage for four weeks, as re?
ported by the United States Geolog -
cal Survey, was as follows:
Week Percentae??
emilriir shoi t
Dei ei 'b?r Z~.13 i
January 3.it i
January 10.23 '
Reports that apartment house own?
ers were seeking to take advantage of
the threatened coal famine to escape:
responsibility for providing heat for
tenants resulted in criticism of spch
tactics. It was pointed out by repre?
sentatives of Burns Bros, and other
retailers that there was sufficient coal
of the variety and sizes used in apart?
ment houses to keep them going ?>????
i cially if there was not a severe storm
? that would completely tie up the city'-i
j coal supply. Until the storm of last
night there had been no such let-down
i in coal delivery, and no apartment has
i been without fuel because of the short -
I age.
e^>Kix\v^jd J&eKs .Shoes
The Marketfield
for Winter's slushy streets,
makes a strong bid to be
waterproof.
Oiled tan calf, combining
good looks and all-wether
servis. ?Ten Dollars ;
We aim to sel Shoe Sertis
?not merely shoes
*yfeKl\Vv6jd
tKoVs Shoes
21-23 Cortlandt St. 80-82 Nassau St.
1401-1403 Broadway
131-133 West 38th St.
FRANKLIN SIMO^ME^QS SHOTS
2 to 8 West 38th Street ?Street Level
Annual Sale of
MEN'S OVERCOATS
HAND TAILORED
READY FOR SERVICE
Reduced liberally from prices that were
fine?values hefore we cut into them
ALL REGULAR STOCK
ALL WOOL FABRICS
*55,and ?60 OVERCOATS Reduced to $45
?65 and ?70 OVERCOATS Reduced ?, *55
*75,?80and*85 OVERCOATS Reduced to *65
*95, ?100, ?110 OVERCOATS Reduced to ?85
Small charge for necessary alterations