New-York tribune., 1919-06-13
Martens Recognized
As Soviet Chief Here
State Department Refused His
Credentials, but Business
Interests Hare accented Hin,

Ludwig Christian Alexander Karlo-
vich Martens was first heard of in
American public life last March, when
he issued q statement saying he was
the official representative of the Boil
sheviki in the United States.
visit to Martenss Offices in March,
which he was sharing with Santcri
Nuorteva head of the Finnish Inform
alton Bureau, located at 299 Broad
way, disclosed that Martens had offial
credentials signed by George Tchch-
erin, Commissar of Foreign Affairs of
the Bolshevist government, and that
these credentials had been forwarded
to Frank Polk, Acting Secretary of
State.
Asked what he intended to do, Mar
tens said at that time, as we'll as in
later interviews, that he was here to re-
establish trade relations between Rus
sia and the United States, and that the
Soviet government was prepared to
spend 100000 900 in gold in this coun-
try as soon as the Allied blockade
around Soviet Russia was lifted.
At later periods Martens said he had
been a friend of both Lenine and
Tchicherin for years, that he was forty
four years old, and had been in this
country for years. 1t was also learned
that he was vice president of the en-
gineering firm of Weinberg G. Posher,
Inc, with Offices on the thirty-second
floor Of the Equitable Building
AS an agent of the Demidoff Steel
Works, Martens then said he placed
l. this country, prior to the over
throw Of the Car and during the first
tvs" years of the war, contracts for
$4,000 900. In the regime of the Gar,
ne also said at that time, he served
three years in Jail because of revolu-
tionary activities. After his release he
emigrated to England. where he re-
NAMED until 1914 and then came to
the United States.
Was Not Recognized
On March 81 a Washington dispatch
set at rest any doubt as to Martens
official position so far as the State De-
partment was concerned. 1t was dein-
itely stated that Martens had not been
recognized
On April 8, Martens opened a suite
of offices in the World Tower Building
at 10 West Fortieth Street and an
nounced that che was open for busi-
ness" The offices he said were to be
known as the Russian Soviet Govern
ment Bureau"
1t was quite evident Martens had a
large fund of money, since he had
leased half of the third floor and half
of the fourth for of the World Tower
Building. He announced that one of
the things his bureau would imme-
diatcly undertake would be to obtain
control of all the property, title to
which rested with the old government
of the Czar, and with the later govern
mcnts Of Milukoff and Kerensky.
Later Nuorteva, who is the official
spolSesman Of the bureau, said that a
luncheon given by Martens was at
tended by representatives of large
banking institutions of the country,
curious to learn about conditions in
Soviet Russia. Names of men present
given by Nuorteva to newspaper men
were found correct.
Several days later Martens Bureau
made public letter which it had sent
to Boris Bakhmeteff, the Russian Am
bassador appointed to this country by
eHe r>eI eHshy hy-MilukoH governments ana
officially recognized by the State De-
partment to turn over the property un-
der his jurisdiction on the ground that
Martens was now the official repre-
sentative of the existing Russian gov
ernment.
Would "Take Over Country"
Martens was also in the habit of at
tending large Socialist meetings given
in his honor and at one of the earlier
ones held at the Central Opera House
he was told by Ludwig Lore, editor Of