Arizona republican., 1920-01-31
MARTENS TELLS
 HGW COURIERS
 BROUGHT FUNDS
lRepubIican A. p. Leased wireI

VI
 WASHINGTON, Jan. S0.-How the
 oouriers of soviet Russia. carrying
 funds to finance its propaganda in
 America, ran the gauntlet of death and imprisonment in the surrounding
 states Of Europe, was a story half told tlen abandoned today by Ludwig C. A.
 K Marten, soviet agent in the United l States. before the senate foreign re- lations sub committee Investigating l Russian propaganda
 Claims Diplomatic Immunity Martens flatly declined to answer further questions put him by the com 1 mittee on the subject of couriers, and left it to consider whether or not his plea of diplomatic immunity from further examination should be allowed, fAyhlfe he went on to recount his per sona1 activities in endeavoring to get his government recognized by the state department and in placing provisional contracts for S25,000, 900 wortloof food, clothing and machinery with American business houses. This latter effort he said, had resulted in placing two or three letters before President Wilson, urging recognition though the state de partment has remained firm in it's re- fusal to recognize him in any way
 Out of % of the mysterious messen- gers who started during the last year from Moscow with funds and letters to him, Martens said. seven had gotten through the barriers of armies and in teinational frontiers. Several had been shot, summarily in Finiand-.Three tteat 1 know about" Martens said cas- ually. Of ten who tried to get through Germany. nine were caught and jailed The first man to reach him. however carried s30.0e0 and his credentials as soviet ambassador to the United States. The couriers carried money m the form Of Finnish marks, or Scandi- nayian currency, Martens said. and had various varieties of passports. Here he' began to eyade. though Sen ator Moses of New Hampshire, chair man of the committee. and Senator BrandeSee. Connecticut, were prodding hIm on with questions as to mes seHgers' routes and methods of travel.
 Received S15o.o00 by Couriers
 l decline to answer he stated fin l ally when asked to name one Of the l eouriers and repeated his words quietly | when the topic was pushed. We too. i had sent couriers. he admitted, but of | their fortunes he had not been advised | Al;ogether $150.000 had come to him through the underground route and | also an instruction. so he said. not 70 spend any of the money "on politics or | the support of internal fatcions or | parties in the United States"
 A list of contracts for goods entered | into by Martens was submitted to the committee with the explanation that | tEe firms named had agreed to furnish [ 1T goods only upon condition that they were given licenses by the state dt.. partment to export the products to soviet Russia.
 Only $10.00O had been paid on the contracts. Martens said, and none of the goods had been shipped.
 You depended on the relations opened with American business con cerns to help you get recogniCion?~ Chairman Moses asked.
 To Submit Peecrds
 Yes Martens replied, adding that ae knew of many letters and represen- Lations maGe oy -'srericans friendly to .be soviet zoycrrTa-nt to American or ficjals and speak sns particularly ol 's.t least two. which went 10 Presi- lent Wilson from individuals who. ne minated would likely secure 9 hearing
 Martens examination will be re- sunled after Wade H. Ellis, attorney employed to conduct the investigation. las recovered from his illness.
 At the outset of the hearing today, 'ormer Senator Hardwick of Georgia counsel for Martens, told the commit ee that Martens would present true 'cpies of all communications between himself and the soviet government. 'ut that it was desired that some of he letters be considered in executive ession. as it might involve the safety # persons who have kept open the ines of communication between Mar ems and his government