Gilpin observer., 1919-07-03
WILL NOT coUNTENANcE ANY
REPRIsALs FROM TRorzkY
GOVERNMENT.
NO ARRESTS ARE MADE
DENIAL SENT TO SOVIET BY
SECRETARY OF STATE
PHILLIPS.

Washington, July 2.-The protest of
the Lenine-Trotzky government in
Russia against the reported arrest of
it's representative, Martens, in New
York was met by the State Depart
ment with denial and warning
that the threatened reprisals against
American citizens in Russia would
arouse overwhelming indignation in
this country.
Dr. Martens has not been arrested,
Acting Secretary of State Phillips in
forms the soviet authorities. He
claims to represent a regime at Mos
COW which this government has never
recognized and is at the same time u
German citizen, according to his own
declaration when he entered the
country in 1916. The indignities and
hardships to which American consuls
have been subjected in Russia are re-
viewed and the plain statement is
made that the threat of further illegal
measures against Americans is. viewed
with grave concern"
The Russian note, received through
Swedish officials and cabled on June
"a by the American legation at Stock
holm, is as follows:
"The commissariat for foreign af-
fairs has learned with indignation Of
the arrest of Mr.. Martens, its repre-
sentative in New York. The commits
sariat wishes to point out that all the
diplomatic and consular representa-
tives of the American government in
Russia have been treated by the soviet
authorities with the utmost courtesy
in spite of the fact that since June 1
last year the American government
openly sided with all the Russian and
foreign dark forces ranged against
the workers and peasants of Russia
with the sole object of crushing the
great revolution and restoring the
czardom and bureaucratic capitalistic
rule.
"The Russian government fears that
this arrest may not be an isolated
case, but forms part of a general per-
secution of Russian citizens loyal to
their peoples government, and de-
mands the cessation of such persecu-
tiOns and the immediate release Of
Mr.. Martens.
"The soviet government expects to
be accordingly informed at an early
date, and not compelled reluctantly to
take reprisals against American citi-
ems to be found on Russian terri
tory"
In reply to this message, Acting Sec
retary Phillips cabled the following in
structions to the American legation at
Stockholm:
"Please inform proper Swedish au-
thorities at once as follows: The
statement purpOrting to emanate from
Moscow is wholly untrue. Mr.. Mar
tens has not been arrested, nor does
this government contemplate any ac-
ton against law-abiding Russian citi-
zens in this country. 1t is understood
that Mr.. Martens claims official status
as representative of regime at Mos
COW which the United States has not
recognized as government. At the
same time he is German citizen, hav-
ing voluntarily so declared himself
when he entered the country in 1915.
"This government has not forgotten
the unwarrantable arrest and deten-
ton for months of Consul Treadwell
and the Illegal and unjustifiable i'm
prisonment under severe hardships of
Vice Consuls Durri and Leonard, con-
trary to the fundamental practice of
civilized nations. Nor has 1t forgot
ten that an American citizen, Kalama-
tinno, has been held in prison at Mos
COW for months under sentence of
death, without proper trial, and with
out opportunity for his government to
assist him. The government of the
United States now views with grave
concern the reported threat of the au-
thorities at Moscow to take further
Illegal measures in the form of re-
prlsals against American citizens In
l Russia. Such course, IL adopted
/ would be certain to arouse in the
1 United States an overwhelming pub
: lie sentiment of indignation against
: the authorities at Moscow responsible
: for such acts"