Norwich bulletin., 1920-10-27

Washington. Oct 26-Secretary Colby announced today that Commissioner Young at Riga had informed the state department that Washington Vanderlip who recently obtained concessions in Si- beria, was reported to have told Nikolai Lenine. Russian bolsheviki premier. that he represented Senator Harding. the re- publican presidential candidate.
 The commissioners despatch, dated Oct 20, said Lenine had informed H. G. Wells a British writer, that MT. Van derlip had made certain proposals to the soviet government at Moscow looking to the recognition of the bolshevik govern ment by the United States.
 The announcement issued by the state department was as follows:
 Regarding the published report from London that Washington D. Vanderlip of California had concluded an arrange ment with the Russian Soviet government for large concession in northeastern Siberia, the only dispatch bearing direct ly on the subject received by the state department was one received October 20, frmo the commissioner for the Baltic provinces at Riga It states that Lenine had informed H. G. Wells that Vanderlip, the American then at Moscow, claimed to represent Senator Harding, and had made certain proposals regarding the rec ognition of the bolshevik government, the dispatch further stated that Vanderlip is apparently endeavoring to obtain coal concessions in Kamchatka."
 In making public the statement, Secre- tary Colby said;
 "The Wells referred to in the des- patch is undoubtedly Mir. H. C. Wells, the British writer, who has lately re- turned from Russia, which I understand he visited for the purpose of obtaining first hand impressions of conditions in Russia The Vanderlip referred to in the despatch is presumably MT. Washing ton D. Vafderlip to whom reference is made in the press despatches of today from London and Los Angeles.
 These press reports lend confirmation to the object of MT. vanderlip's activ ties as revealed in the departments of ficial despatch and speak at length O important and extensive concession which he claims to have received iron the soviet government.
 The department has no information beyond that contained in the dispatch l might say, however, that it come, without qualifying terms from an of ficial of the department, in whom WI place much dependence. He is Mir. EvaI F.. Young. our commissioner at Riga and is charged with the atty of report ing to the department significant fact that come to his knowledge. The re port that Mir Vanderlip has made pro posals looking to the recognition of tn soviet government and is apparently bar gaining thereon for valuable concession makes it proper for me to state. by wa of warning, that, as the government o the United States has never recognize the bolshevik regime, American bushes man and investors should bear in min that any concessions from the bolshevi authorities would have no certainty ( recognition by future Russian govern ments
 Tt furthermore would be most regret table if any confusion should arise in tn minds of the soviet authorities as to tn attitude of this government on the que; ton of political recognition, this att tude has been stated in unmistakab terms
 '"rhe receipt, however, of an offici; dispatch conveying the intelligence thi proposals looking to recognition hay been made even if irresponsibly, make it important that an opportunity shou be afforded to the numerous body of me .J reported from Los Angeles to be ass ciated with MT. Vanderlip, but who names are not published to define the relation to him if any exists"