Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-10-06
X x 4 X x X x X X x X * x x x

Washington, Oct. 6.-Several months
ago a Russian commission of 12 mem
bers, en- route to South America, came
to Washington, for certain letters of
introduction. They presented here let
ters from Hudson Maxim, the explo-
sives inventor and member of the Du-
pont Powder company and from Senator
o O'Gorman of New York.
They received letters to South Amer
lean personages from John Barrett, di-
rector of the Pan-American Union. They
did not 60 to the state department for
any letters of recommendation.
Upon arriving in South America the
commission split up into three groups
One, composed of Joseph Dalinda, pub.
Usher of n financial paper in Petro-
grad; and Marc Bounimouvitch, a Petro-
grad banker, went to Caracas, capital of
Venezuela, where they are not con
ducting the negotiations with the min.
istry Of development.
At first they discussed purely cir
cumstantial matters, chiefly concerning
possible arrangements to purchase
Venezuela IS entire yearly crop Of cof
fee, cocoa and mahogany direct from the
growers. Before the war, Russia had
bought large quantities of these Vene
2uelan products through French and
German houses, principally the latter
1t developed, however, that the chief
object of their visit-and the Russian
visitors were frank about it, it is sale
was to obtain the sanction of the
Venezuelan government to the sending
over of hundreds of thousands of Rus
sian Poles to be settled on agriculture
and grazing land. Under Venezuelan
law, these immigrants, if admitted,
would each be entitled to 300 acres OF
land. The Russian government, it il
understood is prepared to subsidize The
colonists, paying their passage and pro
viding some capital for the purchase Of
livestock, farm tolls, etc.
The trade discussion which the TIVE
commissioners opened is said to hav,
been to get the good willsof the Vene
zuelan government. In addition to th'
suggestion of large purchases the com
missioners suggested that Russian cap
/ ital would establish banks and q steam
/ ship line and would send q diplomatic
representative to Venezuela. Simila
proposals are understood to have beer
made or will be made to the other 81,
countries involved.
The organization in Venezuela and tn
other countries are said to be goinl
steadily forward.
The opinion has been expressed her,
familiar with the negotiations that Rus
sia wishes totally to depopulate POLAND
of its native inhabitants, which hav,
always been q political thorn in the sid
of the government and re-people tn
land with north Russians. The fact tina
thousands Of the Russian Poles are o
German extraction is said to be com
pelling reason for the scheme. On thi
account, it is not believed the plan will
meet with as much opposition from Gen
many and Austria as it otherwise might
The chief concern of the South Am
erican governments involved, is said t
be whether they want to risk floodin
their countries with thousands Of aliens
who might in o short time be able I
dominate them politically and CONNER
cially.
On this account the Venezuelan goN
ernment for one, is said to be conduc
|. ing the negotiations with great care an
/; hesitancy