Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1920-02-10
SoUietism on the Stand.

Ludwig C. A. K. Martens, representative
in this country Of the Russian Bolshevist
government, is being grilled by Senate
committee. This, thinks the BUFFALO
COURIER (Den.), is a strange, perplexing
performance" since it gives Martens IAN OPP
portunity to carry on his Bolshevist propa-
ganda, having his utterances printed at the
expense Of the United States government,
and sent broadcast throughout the country"
The point which Senator Moses and his
committee are most anxious to clear up is
whether Martens is here as a propaganda
of world revolution" or merely, as he says,
as a business representative" To this
question he answers that the Soviet republic
"does not care what kind of government
other people have" having engaged in world
revolution propaganda "only when it was on
the defensive" and that now, when the
soyiets are strong enough to fight the
world" such defensive propaganda is I'M
necessary.
at all seems very innocent" says the IN
DIANAPOLIS NEWS (Ind.), but "Ameri-
cans have very good reason to think that
Bolshevism is a militant force, and they will
be slow to believe that missionary efforts
have been wholly abandoned.' The BALTI-
MORE SUN (Ind Dem.) thinks IAN over
night conversion On this point requires con-
vincing proof" especially since the Bolshev-
lists teach that pledges given to the bour-
geoisie are not binding" The PITTSBURG
CHRONICLE TELEGRAPH (Rep) also
thinks Martens will have to do a good deal
of explaining to convince any sensible per-
son that the Bolsheviki have any other pur-
pose than the ultimate domination of the
world by their cruel tyranny" and the SEAT
TIE TIMES (Ind) regards the Martens tes-
timony as "a frank acknowledgment that
BoIsheVlsm as an economic system is dead
in Russia" The MEMPHIS COMMERCIAL
APPEAL (Dem.) says it was "a much milder
and more discreet Martens who appeared
before the committee, and it attributes this
"chastened" attitude to the recent whole
sale deportatiOns of radicals from this coun-
try. Martens himself, the DAYTON NEWS
CDem) reminds US, chad been marked for
deportation-why isn't something definitely
done about this matter?" and the ALBANY
JOURNAL (Rep) suggests that Ito secure
all necessary evidence against Martens to
Justify his deportation, let him continue to
talk"
"a significant feature of Martens testi-
mony," remarks the CINCINNATI TIMES
STAR (Rep.), was his reference to that
widely advertised $5OO,OOO 900 in gold which
the Soviet government took from the Czarist
government and from individual Russians"
Continuing, this authority says
This half billion in gold is the bait which
the Soviet authorities have been Offering to
business interests in the United States, in
England and in other countries. The bait
apparently has caught the eye of a few So
called big business men in New York
The same sort Of people, ten years ago.
wanted unlimited immigration in order that
they might have cheap labor and big profits.
They are after the dollar which appears i'm
mediately before their eyes, and they either
don't care what happens to the country or
they have not Intelligence enough to see the
direction in which their short-sighted greed
is leading them
But those who picture the Bolshevist en-
voy as whiskered terrorist are disillus-
the NEW YORK EVENING POST (Ind.) who
tells us that 1.-The most striking thing about
his blond personality is his dispassionate at
tltude. The hearing had all the atmosphere
OF diplomatic affair." and the SPRING
FIELD REPUBLICAN Qnd.), thinks "his
testimony is worth emphasizing because it
gives the State Department a chance to re-
cede gracefully from the uncompromising at
ttude OF nonintercourse which it unfortu-
nately supported by an elaborate argument
Just az the allies were getting ready to take
down the bars" The REPUBLICAN adds:
when revolution has reached a certain
point it's leaders cease to desire new revolu-
tiOns and want peace and quiet for the con-
solidation Of their power and the building
up stable and orderly government. So
amazing has been the spread of the Soviet
system in Russia that this point may already
have been reached
at may be-" thinks the HOUSTON POST
Dem.), "that Lenin has come to the place