Great Falls daily tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1895-1921, 1919-11-17
SOV|ET'S AGENT
WILL TAKE REDS
ALL To RUSSIA
Self Styled "Ambassa-
DOR Offers Iranspor-
tation to Undesirables
in u. S.
Cited Saturday for Con-
tempt Of Court, Writes
Long Letter to Lansing.

C. A. K. Martens, self-styled
ambassador of the Russian
! soviet government to the United
I States," has Offered to provide
transportation from the United
States to Russia for all Russian
citizens who desire to leave
America, or whose presence in
the United States is undesirable
to the people of that govern
ment.
This offer was made in a letter writ
ten BY Martens to Secretary Of State
Lansing and made public here. In his
letter Martens protests against the ''un-
warranted and cruel treatment to which
many Russian citizens in the United
States are subjected, ''by federal and
state officials as well as by mobs acting
without authority. He contends that
the soviet government should be permit
ted to return the citizens to soviet Rus
sia and declares that he has received
thousands of applications from such citi-
zens who are anxious to return to their
homes.
Held for Contempt.
Martens was arrested IoF contempt
Saturday and released on $1,000 bail af
ter be had refused to appear and bring
certain documents before the Lusk legis
lative committee investigating political
activities in New York. He based his
refusal on the ground that all communi-
cations between himself and his govern
ment were privileged. When brought
before the committee Saturday Martens
promised to appear Monday and to bring
his papers with him.
1T is quite unnecessary" he said, for
the government Of the United States to
take the trouble of deporting citizens Of
the Russian socialist federal soviet re
public. They are only too anxious to
leave. i. therefore, respectfully suggest
that the United States government could
easily be relieved of the presence of un-
welcome Russian citizens, if those citl-
zens Of Russia whose lives are becoming
unbearabe in the United States were
permitted to leave.
Will Take UndesIrables.
II desire to assure you that the gov
ernment | have the honor to represent
is ready and willing to provide means
of transportation from the United
States to soviet Russia for every Rus
sian citizen in this country who desires
to leave or whose presence here is I'M
desirable to the government Of the Unit
cd States.
1.-THE government of the Russian So
cialst federal soviet republic has ac-
Aecorded American citizens in soviet Rus
ssia civil and consderate treatment, even
in cases where active hostility in Amer
lea toward the government of soviet
Russia has been proven beyond all
doubt" the letter continues. Only in
some exceptional cases where offenses
Of particularly grave nature against
the Russian government have been COM
mitted by American citizens were they
prosecuted by officers Of the law. Amer
ican soldiers taken prisoners in the
Archangel district, which was invaded
by American troops without declara-
ton Of war. have been treated with Spe-
cial consideration and were uncondition-
ally released as soon as it was practical
to send them home. so that there re-
main today no American prisoners Of
war in Russia"
Protests at Arrests.
On the contrary, Russian citizens in
American, Martens said, have been de-
MED the privilege Of law.
within the past few days" he adds.
great numbers of Russian citizens in
New York and elsewhere have been ar
rested and have suffered the most brut-
nj physical violence at the hands Of pub
lie officials. In New York alone over
1000 persons were recently arrested,
among them many citizens of soviet Rus
sa.
"A number Of affidavits bearing eyi-
dence to the fact that the lives and liber-
ties Of Russian citizens have been threat
ened without reasonable ground will be
submitted to the state department within
few days"