New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-07-22
Redfield Asks
u. S. to Press
Russian Claims
Ex-Secretary of Commerce.
in Note TO Colby, Says
That American Business
Losses We're Enormous
Red Collapse Is Expected
Bolshevik Regime Is Near
End, Krassin Admitted i'm
London, Is Report Here

NudmDST Ql COI1-
merce and former Secretary of Com
merce in President Wilson's Cabinet,
yesterday addressed communication
to Secretary of State Colby urging
that the United States, in opening ne
gotiations for the resumption Of trade
relations with Russia, press the claims
of those American businessmen who
have suffered heavy financial losses in
Russia as result of the Bolshevik
regime
Mr.. Redfeld offered to lay before the
State Department, whenever it may de-
sire, full list of all such claims. His
letter to Secretary Colby follows:
"You are doubtless aware that large
amount of property in Russia belong
ing to American citizens and business
houses has been lost through it's
seizure by the Soviet government with
out compensation, or through other
acts on the part of that government.
accurately known, though the aggre-
gate is large.
Losses Are Very Large
"In the case of one of our members
the loss amounts to 100000; in an
other case to over 400, 900 rubles. There
are numerous losses which our mem
bers have incurred in sums varying
from a minimum of $4,000 to a pos
sible sum of 100000. Undoubted cases
exist of injury to American business
houses much in excess even of the
greatest sum above mentioned. One
large American house has not heard
from its manager or its property for
two years, and does not know whether
l, hot hnr q
latter is in existence.
at will, | am sure, only be neces-
sary to state these facts t. obtain for
these sufferers the sympathetic and
active cooperation of our government
whenever opportunity shall arise for
direct action in their behalf. These
American citizens have transgressed no
law, either of our own land OF of an
other. They were engaged in produc-
tive commerce IN conformity with the
requirements of Russia. They have, in
verify, been robbed of their property
without pretense of law, through no
process of taxation and without prom
Use of recompense or restitution,
"The board of directors of this cham
Der have made it my duty, and it is one
I that deem it privilege to perform,
to place these facts before you and to
urge, both as a matter of lndlvldual
Justice and OF national right, that
whenever the time shall come at which
negotiations of any nature are under
taken, either with the present govern
ment of Russia or its successor, it be
! made an essential factor OF such nego-
tiations that these claims Of American
citizens and business houses for losses
incurred through no fault of their own,
but arising wholly through forcible
confscation of their property, shall
then be presented and urged as a
proper claim against the government
of Russia.
We request, nay urge, that due steps
shall then be taken to ascertain tnelr
nature and amount and that it be in
sisted that any recognition of govern
ment in Russia shall be upon the basis
of an adequate and satisfactory ar
1angement for the settlement of these
claims IN such a way as is due alike
to the obligation our government owes
to its citizens and to its own dignity.
To Protect Bond Holders
"This Chamber will undertake, when
ever so requested by your department,
to ascertain and file with it for conf
dental use as above, in such form as
may be deemed fit, the statement of the
losses which its numerous members
have incurred as aforesaid
"This chamber is also taking steps
for the protection of American holders
of Russian internal bonds, of which
many millions are held in this country
in the hands of bona fide investors,
concerning which a later communica-
ton, will be addressed to you"
The American Russian Chamber of
Commerce yesterday received Informal
ton from confidential sources in Lon
don that Leonid Krassin, the Bolshevils
Minister Of Trade ano Communications,
who has recently been conducting nego-
tiations with the British government
for the resumption of trade relations
with Russia, admitted privately, while
in London, that the Boishevik regime
IS on the verge o collapse.
The following resume of the Russian
situation, based on authoritative sources,
was issued from the office of the cham
Der in he Woolworth Building:
"The economic situation in Russia is
growing worse and Krasin in London
admitted privately that the Soviet gov
eminent was on the verge of collapse
and that it exercises no real authority
outside of Moscow and Petrograd. Kra-
sin offered for sale or lease all manner
, of Russian concessions and enterprises
but thus far without takers.
Trade Outlook Bad
'In Siberia the situation is still con-
luSeu. western SlDerla Is unuer soviet
control, but the hostile peasantry re-
stricts this control to the cities along
the railroad. In Eastern Siberia thcl {
is temporarily a sort of buffer state
headed by Socialist Revoiutionaries,
leaning to Bolshevism. For the mo-
ment this has been fostered by Japan
as a protection against the Red move
ment eastward, but it is not likely to
last long. Meanwhile the japanese are
f,,lJ
stok and have started operations at the
mouth of the Amur River by way of
retaliation for the slaughter of the
Japanese last winter at Nikolaievsk
THE immediate outlook Of American
trade with Siberia is very bad, thanks
to the incapacity of the present ST.
berian authorities and the control Of
the outlets Of trade by the Tapane Sc"
[ NJ YUy on