New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-15
Slavs Here Send That
Recommendation to
Petrograd
Secret Route
Had To Be Used
Dismissal Of Sixty Officials
Failed to Stop Gun
Frauds

Recommendation that an American
commission be given actual control OF
the production Of arms and ammunition
FOR the Russian government here have
been forwarded 20 Petrogrsd through
secret avenues that arc proof against
industrious cerSors.
That this action had been taken be-
came known for the first time yester-
day. following publication in The Trib-
ure Of afidayits Of Russian arms IN
spec;ors here who insisted that inferior
r.Aes and bayonets were sent 70 their
comrades in arms after they had re-
iected them as unfit.
Offcers Of the Committee on Russian
American Relations placed al the dis
posal Of The Tribune correspondence
which. having been stopped by British
censors and prevented from reaching
the officials in Pctrograd TO whom 1t
was addressed, later was forwarded by
another more effective method. In
these letters the conditions which they
assert their Investigations have re-
vealcd here are described for the first
tire to members Of Kerensky's Cabi-
net
What Committee Recommends
The specific recommendations Of the
committee. as set forth IN these let
tiers. are:
That an American commission be
appointed and given authority 10
have direct charge Of the production,
inspection and purchase Of arms ana
ammunition here.
That the present Russian commits
sions having 10 do with arms pro-
duction here remain only in an ad-
yisory capacity.
That purchases OF raw materials
10 enter into such munitions be made
nv American exnerts who have charge
Of American buying. thus bringing
about substantial savings IN costs
That all Russian shipments ana
loading Of trains and SHIPS be unGeI
constant control Of the American Sc
cret Service Department. IN or0er 10
prevent the numerous cataSlropheS
tba- have overtaken Russian con-
Signments of arms and ammuhi'lohS
IN the past.
A. for this first recommendation, Am
hassador Bakhmeti-f rs convinced tna'
such move would ne uncal!ed lot. lie
believes that he chief offenders among
Russian officials mere nave Deeh re-
ro-ed among the sixty men VINO were
dismissed from the service ana sent
home I'm DISGRACE as result OF the IN
rcstiCation he is carrying On.
Investigation Completed
Local representatives Of the amtas-
.,lor ,ofuscd to 4 scuss the invesuga-
tion Yesterday. but admitted that II was
,,r.cticaUv completed. II is though
rrobable that the inal report Will be
made public early this week.
The letter i'm which the committee or
puesian.American relations describes
conditions here - dated August 20
fq1- Copies Of the letter were adj
dressed originally to every oihcer o.
the new government D. Petrogfad
Later. however. when 10 was found ina
british ccueors were sending such mai
hack TO the United state to the very
officials. the writers assert, who were
accused In the documents other meth
DDS of conveying me information tC
Pe'roCrad were found.
The FIRST letter, dated August 20, be
gins by stating the committee was
founded for no commcrcie. purpose anC
is only iGteres led IN social and pohu
cal work. The honorary president anC
vicc-presideut sre cf h'gn standing II
American life, IL !, said, and the com
mittec is in close contact with the
American government.
Treason Clearly shown
The letter. then continues:
THE frequent blowing ur Of Amer
can ammunition factories that are
working for Russ ana other fact,
which come 10 our knowledge and oil
which al least Some are Beyond doubt
clearly demonstrate that something is
wrong with the Russian official people
here and that there is treason.
we consider IL our duty TO inform
YOU Of that. and We beg 10 point out
that the revising OF past activity anC
the secret supervision Of the present
one of tho Russian officials are abso-
lutely necessary now and In the future
We are afraid hat without such q
;eyising commission and without a Sc
crct supervision the Russian govern
mcut and the Russian nation will con
niue 10 bc unaware OF the actual con-
d'Uous here. and base their opinion
non the official documents which al
ways admit the things beng all right
Urge American Supervision
We beg to point out that the best
arrangement of placing orders and SUI
rcwising their execution would consis:
30 creating "a special official American
commission. which would be i'm direct
and constant touch with the Russian
commission expressly appointed for
TINS purpose. and which would act As a
connecting link between the two gov
crrmeuts. tho Russian commission nav
.nc only tho advisory right.
Naturally an the present staff OF
tsr Russian commission should be dis.
missed lu such case the following
would result; The prices would be
much lower. not only because the
American commits sion would place or
dcrs with full knowledge OF manufsct-
uring conditions in this country and
that the actual Russian commission is
paving any prices, according 20 the gen
cral opinion, II one knows how 10 get
ITO their confidence. but that the Rus
sian orders would be handled on the
Same basis as American ones.