The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-21
RUSSIAN SOVIETS
SEEK TRADE HERE
Red Representative Reaches
New York With Proposal
to Buy Products.
S200,000,00O IN SIGHT
Bolsheviki Want to End Hos
tilities and Import Need
ed Materials.

Soviet Russia wants to buy great
quantities Of supplies in the United
States, and IL trade is opened is pre-
pared to place at once in European
and American banks 5000, 100000 in
gold to cover the cost of initial pur-
chases.
This alluring avowal was made yes
terday by l.. c. A. X. Martens, who
from temporary headquarters at 299
Broadway announced that he had re-
ceived from Foreign Minister George
Chicherin the appointment as repre-
sentative of the Russian Soviet Gov
eminent in the United States with in
structions to negotiate for the opening
OF trade relations.
TO insure a basis OF credits for addi-
tional Russian purchases in the United
States" he said, my Government Is
ready to submit propositions which be-
lieve will be acceptable TO Americans In
terested In Russian trade.
TN regard to the blockade and the in
vasion Of Russia, I am empowered to
state that my Government Is willing and
sincerely anxious to have hostilities cease
In Russia and to enter into agreements
with the American Government to facili-
tate the peaceable withdrawal Of Ameri-
can troops from Russia
A Soviet Representatives"
II the United States should recognize
the Soviet Government. Mr.. Martens
would 20 to Washington and discharge
the functions of an ambassador, but as
the Bolsheviki do not use such titles
he would still call himself merely the
representative
He Is forty-four years old, was born
in Bachmut, southern Russia, and was
graduated as a mechanical engineer from
the Psychological University at Petro-
grad. For several years he has been In
the United States as representative of
the Demidoff Iron and Steel Works,
which have bought here large quantities
of machinery. The Demidoff plants en-
ployed $4,000 men before the war. They
have been nationalized by the Soviet
Government.
Mr.. Martens formerly was a member
o. the Russian Social Democratic party
ard now amiably admits that he is a
Bolshevist. No shooting irons are visi-
BILE in his Broadway office. In fact. the
first envoy of the new Government
seems to be q man of peaceful DISPOSE
tion as we'll as of business directness
He IL blue eyed and light haired and
speaks English we'll
He said that as first step he had sent
his credentials to Washington with a
memorandum on Russian conditions and
an outline of the desire of his Govern
ment to reestablish trade with the
United States.
The purchases i am empowered to
arrange" he continued, will be COM
mensurate with the needs of the 150, 0o0,-
900 people OF Soviet Russia. Russia Is
now prepared to purchase in the Ameri-
can market great quantities of such
cultural implements and machinery, fac
tory machinery. tools, mining machin-
cry and supplies. electrical supplies,
printing machinery, textile manufac-
lures. shoes and clothing, fats and
canned meats. rubber goods. typewriters
and office supplies, automobiles and
trucks, chemicals. medical supplies, &C
Russia is prepared to sell flax. hemp,
hides, bristles. furs. lumber, grain, plati-
mum, metals and minerals"
In short time, he said. he would ap-
point a commercial attache and open
Offices in New York for large scale pur-
chasing headquarters. He was also
planning to incorporate a Board of
Trade of Soviet Russia" to organize
trade relations and furnish a medium
through which American trade could get
merce.
Germany NOT In 1T NOW.
Remarking that Russia before the war
got the bulk of her imported manuac-
lures from Germany. Mr.. Martens said
''As Germany's production for a con-
siderable time remains subnormal Rus
STA Is all the more an open market for
other countries. In trade sense as well
as In a political sense Russia Is start
ing anew. 1t Is quite obvious that the
manufacturing nation that first secures
q large amount of the Russian foreign
trade at this time will be in an advan-
tageous position for the future as we'll
may state that large European manu-
facturers are already we'll informed as
to the possibilities Of trade with Soviet
Russia and are laying their plans for II
as soon as the present impossible block
kde conditions are relieved.
ION the part of the Russian Socialist
Federal Soviet Republic there thus exist
no obstacles to the establishment OF
proper relations with other countries, es
pecially with the United States. The
Soviet Government OF Russia is willing
20 open its doors to citizens OF Other
countries for peaceful pursuit OF oppor
tunity, and II invites any scrutiny
and investigation OF its conditions
which investigation certainly will
prove that peace and prosperity In Rus
sia will follow on the cessation of tn,
present Allied policy or nOn-lnterC Our 81
with Soviet Russia and by the establish
ment of material and intellectual inter
course.
''The Russian Socialist Federal SovIe
Republic has now been In existence To-
over sixteen months. It's government
the Council of Peoples Commissars, Il
a government controlled by and respon
sible to all members Of the population
who perform useful work. physical OF
mental. Only those who refuse to exer
else their productive abilities, choosing
20 live on the fruits OF the labor OF othe
people, are eliminated from participation
in the control of the government. Ever,
person engaged in useful productive
activities participates directly in tn
management of society in Russia to-day
Peasants behind Government.
within the past few months the vas
territories wrested from the control o
the Soviet Government during the pas
year have been regained with the al
of the laboring population of those dis
tricts. This includes much OF the terri
tory torn from Russia by Germany whe
she forced the peace OF Brest-Litovs
upon the Soviet Government. Internall
the position OF the Soviet Government
has been vastly strengthened. Latel
Russian men and women of literary an
technical training have been rallying I
great numbers TO support of the Sovie
Government
'vntervention in Russia obviously ha
haH vary much IN do with tho s,o.ca Ia