The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-06-13
Head of Embassy and Assist
ants to Appear Before Lusk
Committee.
OFFICE rs SEARCHED.
Detectives Take Possession of
Everything Necessary in In
vestigation of Bolshevistic
Activities .4~s. ...,..e A@.

New York. June 12.-Business was
interrupted" this afternoon at the
headquarters of the Russian Soviet
bureau when a squad of d-trrttxes in
raded the Offices and took posses
sion of all the records and other pa
pers. and served subpoenas on A. h.
S. Martens, head of the soviet en-
bassy and four OF his assistants 10
appear as Witnesses before the Lusk
committee which opened it's investl-
CATION of Bolshevisna in the city hall
today.
The men suhpoenaed with Martens
were: A. A Heller. I. A. Hourwlch, $.
Nuorteva and Gregory Weinstein,
each of whom, according to Sidney Fl.
Fieischer their attorney were heads
OF departments Of the soviet bureau
The detectives descended upon the
headquarters in the five-room suite on
the third floor OF the World Tower
building, Ito West Fortieth street
shotly before o'clock. After they
had taken possession no one was per-
mitted to leave the building from that
floor and all persons entering the
headquarters were requested" to re-
main
Among those caught in the net was
John Reed. erstwh.le consul-general
of the Bolshevist government in the
United States Mr.. Reeds name was
taken and when he asked:
Am to be detained here" one OF
tho detectives replied:
You'd better stay little while"
But, am I held here"
Wed like to have you stay was
the reply.
Mr.. Reed remained but finally was
permitted 10 leave. as were all hands
after pedigrees had been taken and an
inventory made OF the records and
papers which were removed TO be laid
before the Lusk committee.
The invasion OF the headquarters
caused very little perturbation among
the members Of the ONCE force. The
stenographers and clerks. under the
orders of the detectives. went calmly
about the work OF drawing up inven-
tories. preparin- lists of names. etc.
Those who wished TO telephone their
relatives were permitted to do 80. with
a detective operating the swltch-hoar
and another standing by TO note the
trend of the conversation. One young
lady telephoned friend:
Listen Esther. Mama and ] were
coming over to your house tonight,
but l won't be there. l can't tell you
why just now. Tell you tomorrow,
maybe"
A clerk telephoned. ''Circum-
stances over which / have no control
make 1t impossible for me TO keep
my engagement cannot explain
now"
Martens the soviet ambassador" a
tall, rather well built man. of about
thirty five, with the blue eyes. light
hair and light moustache. looking
more Teutonic than Russian, seemed
TO be the calmest of all as he left the
building accompanied by a detective.
tak tina AtfieG Nj
sentative OF the soviet government
about two months ago he was con-
nec,ed with New York house.
The subpoena under which the seiz-
ure OF papers and records was made
was issued by City Magistrate Rroush.
No statement regarding the nature OF
the documents seized was obtainahla
in advance of their production before
the Lusk committee.
An executive session OF the Lusk
committee was held following the raid
on the coviet headquarters. After the
session. Senator Lusk issued state
ment in explanation of the action
taken The statement follows:
Information has been laid before
this committee that these people
representatives of the soviet Russian
government--had an establishment
and were circulating propaganda adj
tOCatlnE the SOVIET toTIi VI S'Nri
inent as established by the Bolshevists.
They were subpoenaed here for tho
purpose Of finding out the exact
nature of this propaganda and It's full
extent,
Two witnesses we're examined, Mr..
Martens and Mr.. Heller and the ex-
animation of neither was finished We
have arranged to have the witnesses
appear here next Wednesday morning
when they will be examined further.
The other witnesses also will be ex-
amined at that time.
Mr.. Martens and Mr.. Heller admit
ted that their organization in circu-
lating propaganda by means Of pub
LEGATION and by a mailing list advo-
eating and justifying the soviet form
Of government as 1t has been estab
lished in Russia.
I'VE have not gone far enough in
this examination to determine the
exact nature OF this propaganda nor
the full extent OF ita circulation. The
committse 10 naturally concerned
about To natnra - this psopseaAdn
s as y " Fss2 ss III s.8S